A Complete Guide to HeraldryFox-Davies, Arthur Charles
History
A Complete Guide to Heraldry
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles
Heraldry -- Great Britain
Another coat is that granted in 1874 to Augustus Beaty Bradbury of
Edinburgh, which was: "Argent, on a mount in base vert, a Bengal tiger
passant proper, on a chief of the second two other tigers dormant also
proper." A _tigress_ is said to be occasionally met with, and when so, is
sometimes represented with a mirror, in relation to the legend that
ascribes to her such personal vanity that her young ones might be taken
from under her charge if she had the counter attraction of a hand-glass! At
least so say the heraldry books, but I have not yet come across such a
case.
The leopard (Figs. 326, 327, and 328) has to a certain extent been referred
to already. Doubtless it is the peculiar cat-like and stealthy walk which
is so characteristic of the leopard which led to any animal in that
position being considered a leopard; but the leopard in its natural state
was of course known to Europeans in the early days of heraldry, and appears
amongst the lists of heraldic animals apart from its existence as "a lion
passant." The animal, {193} however, except as a supporter or crest, is by
no means common in English heraldry. It will be found, however, in the
crests of some number of families; for example, Taylor and Potts.
[Illustration: FIG. 329.--Leopard's head erased.]
[Illustration: FIG. 330.--Leopard's head erased and affronté.]
[Illustration: FIG. 331.--Leopard's face.]
[Illustration: FIG. 332.--Leopard's face jessant-de-lis.]
A very similar animal is the ounce, which for heraldic purposes is in no
way altered from the leopard. Parts of the latter will be found in use as
in the case of the lion. As a crest the demi-leopard, the leopard's head
(Fig. 329), and the leopard's head affronté (Fig. 330) are often to be met
with. In both cases it should be noticed that _the neck is visible_, and
this should be borne in mind, because this constitutes the difference
between the leopard's head and the leopard's face (Fig. 331). The leopard's
face is by far the most usual form in which the leopard will be found in
armory, and can be traced back to quite an early period in heraldry. The
leopard's face shows no neck at all, the head being removed close behind
the ears. It is then represented affronté. For some unfathomable reason
these charges when they occur in the arms of Shrewsbury are usually
referred to locally as "loggerheads." They were perpetuated in the arms of
the county in its recent grant. A curious development or use of the
leopard's face occurs when it is jessant-de-lis (Fig. 332). This will be
found referred to at greater length under the heading of the Fleur-de-lis.
{194}
[Illustration: FIG. 333.--Arms of Styria. (Drawn by Hans Burgkmair, 1523.)]
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