International Women's Day 2018

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Arthur Radburn
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International Women's Day 2018

Postby Arthur Radburn » 08 Mar 2019, 11:22

To mark International Women's Day today (8 March), some armorial bearings in which women appear as charges or as supporters.

Co of Mercers.jpg

The arms and crest of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London feature "a figure of the Virgin couped at the shoulders". The arms, which evolved from a seal adopted in 1425, were confirmed by the College of Arms in 1911, and the crest was granted at the same time.

New York -- 1778.png

The City of New York's arms, assumed in 1778, are supported by female figures representing Liberty (dexter) and Justice (sinister). This version of Liberty is quite different from the one depicted in the statue erected in the city's harbour 108 years later.

Baroness Vickers -- CoA c1975.jpg

While classical female figures, representing Liberty, Justice, Hope etc are popular in heraldry, more modern women are also represented. The late Baroness Vickers, whose arms were probably granted c1975, chose "a female Red Cross worker in uniform" for her sinister supporter. She had been a Red Cross social worker herself, at the end of World War II.

If you would like to introduce any other heraldic ladies to the forum, please do so. All are welcome.
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Arthur Radburn

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Chris Green
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Re: International Women's Day 2018

Postby Chris Green » 08 Mar 2019, 11:37

Given that there is no "International Men's Day" (and that would never do), herewith a mermaid, but she is accompanied by a merman. Whether he is there as a patriarchal figure, her "toy-boy" or has some other purpose, is a matter for conjecture.

Image
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Re: International Women's Day 2018

Postby Chris Green » 08 Mar 2019, 11:50

One of these ladies was clearly designed with one purpose in mind. I don't suppose she would feature in any modern blazon. The other is Britannia with a cap of liberty (why a white one they are usually red - or does it have a hidden agenda?).

Image

Arms: per fess azure and vert, a young child lying naked and exposed, extending its right hand proper, in chief a crescent argent between two mullets of six points or.
Crest: a lamb argent, holding in its mouth a sprig of thyme proper.
Supporters: dexter, a terminal figure of a woman full of nipples proper with a mantle vert, the terminus argent, being the Emblem of Nature; sinister, the Emblem of Liberty, represented by Britannia holding in her right hand upon a staff proper a cap argent, and habited in a vest azure, girt with a belt or, the under garment gules.


The dexter figure supposedly represents Artemis of Ephesus

Image

The spherical objects are not however Artemis' breasts but gourds or bulls' testicles representing fertility.
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JMcMillan
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Re: International Women's Day 2018

Postby JMcMillan » 08 Mar 2019, 13:34

[quote="Arthur Radburn"]T
New York -- 1778.png

The City of New York's arms, assumed in 1778, are supported by female figures representing Liberty (dexter) and Justice (sinister). This version of Liberty is quite different from the one depicted in the statue erected in the city's harbour 108 years later.


State of New York, actually. Not many mountains for the sun to rise (or set) behind inside the limits of NYC. The city's arms are four windmill blades conjoined in saltire between two beavers and two flour barrels.

And to quibble over terminology, it seems misleading to describe arms adopted by statutory act of a sovereign as "assumed."
Joseph McMillan
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JMcMillan
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Re: International Women's Day 2018

Postby JMcMillan » 08 Mar 2019, 13:36

JMcMillan wrote:
Arthur Radburn wrote:T
New York -- 1778.png

The City of New York's arms, assumed in 1778, are supported by female figures representing Liberty (dexter) and Justice (sinister). This version of Liberty is quite different from the one depicted in the statue erected in the city's harbour 108 years later.



State of New York, actually. Not many mountains for the sun to rise (or set) behind inside the limits of NYC. The city's arms are four windmill blades conjoined in saltire between two beavers and two flour barrels.

And to quibble over terminology, it seems misleading to describe arms adopted by statutory act of a sovereign as "assumed."
Joseph McMillan
Alexandra, Virginia, USA

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JMcMillan
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Re: International Women's Day 2018

Postby JMcMillan » 08 Mar 2019, 13:44

The State of New Jersey and the City of Philadelphia also have arms with two divine female supporters.

New Jersey, adopted 1776, Liberty and Ceres:

Image

Philadelphia, adopted ca 1789, Peace and Plenty (the emblazonment by the famous portraitist Thomas Sully)

Image
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Ryan Shuflin
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Re: International Women's Day 2018

Postby Ryan Shuflin » 24 Mar 2019, 13:26

Chris Green wrote:One of these ladies was clearly designed with one purpose in mind. I don't suppose she would feature in any modern blazon. The other is Britannia with a cap of liberty (why a white one they are usually red - or does it have a hidden agenda?).

Image

Arms: per fess azure and vert, a young child lying naked and exposed, extending its right hand proper, in chief a crescent argent between two mullets of six points or.
Crest: a lamb argent, holding in its mouth a sprig of thyme proper.
Supporters: dexter, a terminal figure of a woman full of nipples proper with a mantle vert, the terminus argent, being the Emblem of Nature; sinister, the Emblem of Liberty, represented by Britannia holding in her right hand upon a staff proper a cap argent, and habited in a vest azure, girt with a belt or, the under garment gules.


The dexter figure supposedly represents Artemis of Ephesus


Whose arms are these anyway?

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Chris Green
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Re: International Women's Day 2018

Postby Chris Green » 24 Mar 2019, 15:02

Whose arms are these anyway?


The Foundling Hospital of London.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundling_Hospital
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