What's your name? (A warning)

[Martin Goldstraw]

From time to time I have the rather unpleasant task of turning down an application for an entry in The Armorial Register. Occasionally it is because the armorial bearings don't meet our requirements (in which case we try to work with the applicant to remedy the problem) but more often than not it is because the applicant seeks verification of his so called title. "Proof" of the title is always called for, especially when the person refers to themselves as Lord First Name and Surname of Somewhere.

Recently we had an applicant who sent along his proof and I thought it worth sharing his Letters Patent of Nobility (I have edited the image to remove his name and so called title to save embarrassing him) because it is of some armorial interest and worth discussing; of course there is no merit to the title and the holder of it is simply the victim.

I am quite sure I have seen the main arms somewhere but can't bring it to mind; the wee group of 16 shields reminds me of images taken from Joseph Foster's Dictionary of Heraldry and have, I'm quite sure, simply been added to add some credibility to an otherwise worthless document. With the help of members of the International Heraldry Society's Facebook page (mostly Ton) we managed to identify the armorial bearings used in their Letters Patent.

According to the title vendor's website, our friend seems to have parted with over £900 for this piece of paper. Unfortunately he doesn't appear to have researched the numerous sites warning against such a purchase.

[Chris Green]

I smell the common law tort of "Passing Off" here. It is high time the College of Arms took action against this form of activity. But don't hold your breath.

[Ryan Shuflin]

Unfortunately, I think many that hear the warnings choose to ignore or disregard them. I saw on a forum for a site that offers to make one a Lord or Lady of Glencoe. It operates on the logic that Laird is Scottish for Lord, and that if one owns a small piece of land(like one square foot small), one can become Lord John. They discussed the Lord Lyon's position on the matter (that it is a scam), accused him of ignorance and being to serious. I guess that makes them happy, and I give them props for not being jealous and sharing their titles with others.

I wonder though, what one does as a private herald, when approached by a client who claims titles of various dubiousness. It seems apparent that at least some artists simply emblazon according to their client's direction.

[Chris Green]

I suppose some heraldic artists will do just anything for money, like members of most professions (lawyers spring most readily to mind for some reason).

I am not sure what my view would be of a client who asked an heraldic artist to, say, paint an achievement with supporters although both parties knew that the client had no right to them. Many of us must have wondered what our arms would look like framed by lions or wyverns.

[Martin Goldstraw]

Many of us must have wondered what our arms would look like framed by lions or wyverns.

My own arms are always displayed with their supporters........ Two chameleons Proper.

[Martin Goldstraw]

I suppose some heraldic artists will do just anything for money, like members of most professions (lawyers spring most readily to mind for some reason).

Many defense lawyers are quite transparent when in Court. It is often (but not of course always) quite easy to define whether or not they truly believe their client is innocent or not. When they truly believe what they have been told they say (for example) "My client was not present when the alleged offence took place" but when they are in some doubt the wording often subtly changes to "I am instructed by my client to inform the Court that he was not present when the alleged offence took place".

Perhaps there should be some subtle artistic trait which could be the give away but don't ask me to devise one!

[Terry Baldwin]

It is very sad that such things are possible. I do agree with Chris, waiting for action from the College would indeed cause you to turn blue from holding your breath.

[Marcus Karlsson]

Well I even think no heraldic Artist have to have bee involved as the "Document" appears to have been Copied and Pasted and created in a Computer. The wording lies close to those issued by the College of Arms but there are som hints that something is fishy, not just the hotchpotch of differnet Arms (easily spoted bu some versed in Heraldry) but the persons mentioned have no authority at all in the matter of granting Noble titles. The Arms the claimant helds also giver a distinct German flavour which makes the inclusion of reference to the Reign British Monarch rather curious.

[andrewkerensky]

Post removed.

[Edward Hillenbrand]

Laird sounds an awful lot like Esquire to me! Seriously though, there are many scam sites out there. I won't mention any particular one, but there are websites where you can pay your $30 and have your "Assumed Arms" posted with whatever title you want. These sites are not to be confused with such as the American College of Heraldry, US Heraldic Register or the Armorial Register, to name a few, which actually do provide several services and their fees are to cover that and operating costs; not just to make some sitting in daddy's basement cash.

I have noticed at several Renaissance Faires that I have gone to here in NY & Pennsylvania 'Ye Olde Bucket CoA Shoppe' are no longer welcome & have been disinvited. Whether it is because the operators of those fairs have seen the light, due to complaints or the SCA, I don't know, but this is a positive change. I am hoping next Renn Fair season to get a free booth at some of the smaller, local ones and set up an educational booth (for free of course!). I think people would be amazed at the heraldry that is around their everyday lives, even in rural UpState New York