Creating a Library

[Edward Hillenbrand]

What book or books would members recommend for a library on heraldry? On how to blazon? For a good heraldic dictionary? While there are many great websites that cover all of these a desktop computer is not very portable nor usable in some situations.

[Chris Green]

Good question Ed.

Please reply providing the info in the following format: 1) Name of book; 2) Author; 3) Publisher; 4) ISBN number 5) Your comments.

E.G:

1) Boutell's Heraldry (revised edition 1983)

2) Rev Charles Boutell, revised by J P Brooke-Little

3) Frederick Warne (Publishers) Ltd

4) 0 7232 3093 5

5) The first book anyone interested in heraldry should buy. Used by the IAAH as the basis for its exam. A bit dated in some respects, but sets out all that the beginner needs to know (and a lot more) with masses of illustrations, blazons and explanations plus a modest heraldic dictionary. Centred on English heraldic practice with a nod to Scottish practice where different.

[Arthur Radburn]

A good publication on blazon is available in PDF format (248 KB) for downloading :

1 - A Guide to Basic Blazonry (2005).
2 - Dr Kevin Greaves.
3 - Royal Heraldry Society of Canada ( http://www.heraldry.ca/top_en/top_rhsc_books.htm )
4 - N/A
5 - Very straightforward and practical, well illustrated.

A general work :

1 - A New Dictionary of Heraldry (1987).
2 - Stephen Friar (Ed).
3 - Alphabooks / A & C Black.
4 - 0 906670 44 6
5 - An excellent book. Although English-oriented, it includes articles on Scottish, Irish, American and several other countries' heraldry too. Contributors included Lord Lyon himself, and several English officers of arms.

[Martin Goldstraw]

http://www.amazon.com/The-art-heraldry- ... 0906223342

The Art of Heraldry: An Encyclopedia of Armory: Hardcover – January 1, 1986
by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (Author)
Hardcover: 503 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Books (1986)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0906223342
ISBN-13: 978-0906223345
Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 9.4 x 2 inches


This is a reprint of the 1904 version which is available free on line here:
https://archive.org/details/artofheraldryenc00foxd

[Chris Green]

1) The Oxford Guide to Heraldry (1988)

2) Thomas Woodcock/John Martin Robinson

3) Oxford University Press

4) 0-19-211658-4

5) Another English-orientated work. More of a book to read than a reference work. Has a glossary of heraldic terms.

[Chris Green]

1) Heraldry and the Heralds (1982)

2) Rodney Dennis

3) Jonathan Cape

4) 0 224 01643 1

5) Mostly about the origins and work of the English heralds. Has interesting chapters about arms attributed to archaic heroes/biblical figures, and the heraldry of Haiti.

[JMcMillan]

It's not in Chris's requested format, but the AHS put together a "basic heraldic bookshelf" a few years ago, with members' comments.

http://www.americanheraldry.org/pages/i ... bliography

[Chris Green]

Thank you Joseph. Your link has saved us from reinventing the (catherine) wheel!

[Edward Hillenbrand]

Thank you all for your help. Now that Chris has given me the answer key maybe I'll take the test for Associate Fellow. If you have more to add please do so. While I prefer the PDFs & Kindle for my general research, there are somethings you just need a book for.

[Arthur Radburn]

A classic work, which may be available in second-hand bookshops :

1 - Simple Heraldry, Cheerfully Illustrated (1953)
2 - Iain Moncreiffe & Don Pottinger
3 - Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd
4 - Published before ISBNs were invented
5 - A very good and entertaining introduction to the subject ; written from a Scottish perspective but gives a good general overview of the subject.