Are these designs taken?

[Daniel Gill]

I apologise for the rather broad inquiry, but this was a special request from a DAR client. His name translate to "white mountain", and he wanted to use this in his arms. He lives in a nation that has no heraldic authority and no significant tradition as it is a relatively young nation. He developed simple cant design, but is concern that the design is taken already somewhere in the world. I've told him that there is no central depository for armorial bearings that would cover all jurisdictions so it may not be possible to eliminate all possibility of there being a duplicate design, but he still wanted to try to be sure he's not usurping anyone else's arms. I've provided several blazons that more or less look the same, so as to cast as large a net as possible. I would appreciate your help.

Does anyone know if any of the following are already used by someone in your country or elsewhere?

1) Per chevron azure and argent
2) Azure a pile inverted argent
3) Azure a mount argent

[Chris Green]

Heavens Daniel. You only ask the easy questions don't you! I doubt if the answers are readily to be found for any jurisdiction except those so recently founded that they have complete (and accessible) records.

My feeling is that you should steer away from a CoA quite so simple, if only on the grounds that if there is someone out there with that CoA already he is probably of a family both ancient and influential, and will really not appreciate someone seeming to appropriate his arms. It would be like finding one's arms in the catalogue of a bucket shop - most unpleasant.

There are any number of ways one can provide the client with a simple and effective CoA without risking offending someone unintentionally.Of course if the client has his heart set on "bare bones" heraldry, he will have to accept any potential consequences. You will have given him fair warning of course.

[Jeremy Kudlick]

The CHA currently lists three grants of Azure on a pile reversed Argent ..., the simplest shield being the arms of His Honour David Charles Onley OOnt, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

I must agree with Chris that without being able to scour the records of every heraldic authority in the world, it will be impossible to determine whether any person can claim such simple arms. I also believe it would be best to encourage the client to add a charge/charges to the shield to make them less simple.

[Chas Charles-Dunne]

snip ... Does anyone know if any of the following are already used by someone in your country or elsewhere?

1) Per chevron azure and argent ... snip

Papworth, does not have any listing for this blazon (with or without charges). Page 372, refers.

[Chas Charles-Dunne]

snip ... Does anyone know if any of the following are already used by someone in your country or elsewhere?

2) Azure a pile inverted argent
3) Azure a mount argent

Papworth calls it 'a pile issuing from base', but has only one listing for such and it is of different colours and is 'issuing from base bendy sinister'.

Papworth has no listings for 'mount', but does have 'rock and mountain' and' 'hill and hillock'. Again, no listings.

[Ryan Shuflin]

One is most likely to find such a coat in geographic regions with mountains that are covered in snow. Most British coat of arms have vert or proper mountains, so you would have better chance of finding one outside of English language sources. Fox-Davies has the exact blazon listed in The Art of Heraldry, but does not make clear if it is just an example, or an actual coat.

[Claus K Berntsen]

How about Argent, a chief per mount Azure, or something like that? A bit more unusual, but still quite easily recognizable as a mountain.

[Chas Charles-Dunne]

How about Argent, a chief per mount Azure, or something like that? A bit more unusual, but still quite easily recognizable as a mountain.

I think we can say with all certainty that, that blazon is not taken!