Vair

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Bailleul, commune of

Gules, a cross vair.

Gules, a cross vair.

Escudo de gules, una cruz de veros.

Coat of arms interpreted with: a semicircular (round) base; the field in flat tincture of Gules; the vair illuminated and outlined in Sable; and the whole with a roughened finish.

The commune of Bailleul is located in the district of Dunkirk, in the Nord department, in the Nord–Pas-de-Calais region of France.

The coat of arms of Bailleul, called «Belle» in Flemish, is similar to that of the heraldist Gonzalo Argote de Molina, differing in that the commune’s arms bear vair, while the heraldist’s arms bear rounded vair in the ancient style.


Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Gules, Argent, Azure, Cross and Vair.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Rough.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms and Kingdom of France.

Bearer: Bailleul, commune of.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Design with a fess between 4 water-bougets

Design ideas

The heraldic art often involves resolving design challenges while maintaining both aesthetic balance and adherence to tradition. The coat of arms illustrated here draws inspiration from the Dethick-Dethicke family arms of Derbyshire, though it features distinct differences. This design explores the placement of water-bougets, a medieval water vessel, in a 2+2 arrangement, with a fess vair.

One key consideration when arranging charges in heraldry is proportionality. In this case, the fess occupies 1/3 of the coat of arms's width and is positioned 1/3 of the height from the chief, rather than at the exact center, allowing the charges to balance harmoniously. The shape of the shield itself also plays a role: rounded shields can accommodate a 2+2 arrangement more comfortably than shields with a pointed base, which are better suited to 2+1 arrangements, this is de case of Dethick's arms.

Another challenge in heraldic design is asymmetry. To address the natural curves of the shield, the water-bougets may vary slightly in size or placement. This intentional asymmetry can help create a visually appealing composition that respects both tradition and the unique constraints of each design, because, heraldry is not only about rules but also about creativity.

Gules, a fess vair between four water-bougets Or, two in chief and two in base.

Gules, a fess vair between four water-bougets Or, two in chief and two in base.

Escudo de gules, una faja de veros acompañada de cuatro pares de odres de oro, dos en jefe y dos en punta.

Water-bouget

In German, they are called «Wasserschlauch» in English «water-bougets» or «oges», and in French «bouses» or «chantepleures».

There is no specific heraldic term for them in Castilian. Based on «chantepleures», one could use «cantimploras», which are metallic or at least rigid. On the other hand, «oges» could translate as «odres», as they are typically made of leather as in this case. Additionally, since «water-bouget» are designed as a pair to be carried by a donkey or other animal, I have decided to use «par de odres» to convey the idea of one on each side of the animal.

In English, when there is a single charge, that is, a pair of water vessels, it is written in singular as «water-bouget», as can be seen in [Fox-Davies, A. C.; 1909; figure 551]. [Friar, S.; 1987; page 68] defines «bouget» as «...a stylized representation of a yoke supporting two leather waterbags».


Blazon keywords: Gules, One, Fess, Vair, Between, Four, Water-bouget, Or, Two, In chief and In base.

Style keywords: Ratio, Outlined, Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Freehand.

Classification: Interpreted, Schema and Coat of arms.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, Fernando

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias].

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias].

Escudo cuartelado: 1o de gules, un palo de oro sostenido de seis ondas de azur y plata, una bordura de oro cargada de ocho cabezas de león arrancadas de gules [de Durán]; 2o de azur, un creciente ranversado de plata, en la diestra del jefe una flor de lis de oro, una bordura de gules [de Alpoim]; 3o de plata, dos cabras en palo de púrpura, acornadas de sable [de Cabral]; 4o de gules, una cruz doble y plena de oro cantonada de seis bezantes de plata, una bordura de oro [de Melo]; un escusón cuartelado: 1o y 4o de plata, cinco escudetes en cruz de azur, cada uno cargado de cinco bezantes en sotuer de plata; una bordura de gules, cargada de siete castillos de oro, 3, 1 y 3; [de Portugal] brisado de un bastón de sable; 2o y 3o de plata, mantelado en punta de gules, en jefe, dos leones afrontados de púrpura, armados y lampasados de gules [de León], en punta un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable [de Castilla]; una bordura componada de dieciocho compones de oro y veros [de Álvarez de las Asturias].

Coat of arms interpreted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee outer contour and with a freehand finishing.

Arms of Fernando Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim y Ayala-Schiaffino, certified by Dr. Alfonso Ceballos-Escalera Gila, Chronicler of Arms of Castile and León. This certification also establishes that his daughters are entitled to bear these same arms in the same form. I have had the honour of illustrating coats of arms for this certification.


Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, One, Two, Six, Seven, Eight, Eighteen, Quarterly, Pale, Upon, Wave, Bordure, Charged, Lion, Head, Erased, Crescent, Reversed, In the dexter chief, Fleur de lis, Goat, In pale, Horned, Double cross throughout, Cantoned, Plate, Inescutcheon, Escutcheon, In cross, In saltire, Castle, Triple-towered, Cadency, Baston, Party per chevron, In chief, Combatant, Armed, Langued, In base, Port and windows, Masoned, Compony and Vair.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Lineage, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, Fernando.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Fernando Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, scheme of 6 coats of arms

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias].

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias].

Scheme of the arms of Fernando Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim y Ayala-Schiaffino. These arms have been certified by Dr. Alfonso Ceballos-Escalera Gila, Chronicler of Arms of Castile and León. Both the scheme and the arms have been emblazoned by me. This plate shows this coat of arms and, around it, the coats of arms that compose it, arranged radially so as to make their integration into the greater shield clearly visible. These are the arms of the Durán, Alpoim, Cabral, and Melo lineages, together with the central inescutcheon, which is the coat of arms of the House of Noronha.


Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, One, Two, Six, Seven, Eight, Eighteen, Quarterly, Pale, Upon, Wave, Bordure, Charged, Lion, Head, Erased, Crescent, Reversed, In the dexter chief, Fleur de lis, Goat, In pale, Horned, Double cross throughout, Cantoned, Plate, Inescutcheon, Escutcheon, In cross, In saltire, Castle, Triple-towered, Cadency, Baston, Party per chevron, In chief, Combatant, Armed, Langued, In base, Port and windows, Masoned, Compony and Vair.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Ogee.

Classification: Personal, Lineage, Interpreted, Schema, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, Fernando.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

John de Beauchamp

Vair.

Joan de Beauchamp ~ John de Beauchamp.

Vair.

Escudo de veros.

Interpreted coat of arms, the shape of the shield is triangular and curved plain tinctures metal Argent and color Azure, outlined in sable; and a free hand finishing.

Included in [Vincent, MS; 1285; number 64] also known as [St. George's Roll; 1285; number 64].


Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Vair, Argent and Azure.

Style keywords: Triangular curved, Plain tincture and Outlined in sable.

Classification: Interpreted and Personal.

Bearer: Juan de Beauchamp.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Marquis Prato di Arnesano, schema 3x2

Or, three pallets Vair.

Or, three pallets Vair.

The coat of arms of the Marquis Prato di Arnesano, requested by Andrea Tamburelli Lanzara and painted by me. When a field is charged with 3 pallets, it results in 7 vertical areas: 4 belong to the field, 1 on the dexter, 2 between the pallets, and 1 on the sinister, and 3 correspond to the pallets themselves. In most cases, and especially in the present one, it is ideal that these 7 areas be of equal width. This allows me to apply a fur pattern like vair using a 7 columns structure, with 7 little bells of vair in the chief, so that each pallet contains the same vair arrangement. In this case, for greater harmony, I have also arranged the vair in 7 rows, although this is not required. The figure illustrates this concept.


Blazon keywords: Or, Three, Pale and Vair.

Style keywords: Outlined, Outlined in sable, Plain tincture and Ogee.

Classification: Personal, Interpreted, Schema, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Prato di Arnesano, Marquis.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Noronha, House of

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias].

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias].

Escudo cuartelado: 1o y 4o de plata, cinco escudetes en cruz de azur, cada uno cargado de cinco bezantes en sotuer de plata; una bordura de gules, cargada de siete castillos de oro, 3, 1 y 3; [de Portugal] brisado de un bastón de sable; 2o y 3o de plata, mantelado en punta de gules, en jefe, dos leones afrontados de púrpura, armados y lampasados de gules [de León], en punta un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable [de Castilla]; una bordura componada de dieciocho compones de oro y veros [de Álvarez de las Asturias].

Arms depicted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a metal beaten finish.

Coat of arms of the House of Noronha in Portugal, a lineage of dual royal origin. The House of Noronha originated with Alfonso Enríquez of Castile, Count of Noreña and Gijón, the natural son of King Henry II of Castile, founder of the Trastámara dynasty, and of Elvira Íñiguez. The lineage became linked to the Portuguese Royal House through the marriage of Alfonso Enríquez to Isabel of Portugal, the natural daughter of King Ferdinand I of Portugal, an alliance arranged in the context of the Treaty of Santarém of 1373, which brought an end to the Fernandine Wars, during which Ferdinand I of Portugal confronted the kings of the House of Trastámara over the throne of Castile following the murder of Peter I at the hands of his half-brother Henry. The House of Noronha became established in Portugal, and its arms quarter those of the Kingdom of Portugal, differenced by a brisure consisting of a baston Sable, and those of the House of Trastámara. This coat of arms has been emblazoned for Fernando Durán Cabral de Mello d’Alpoim by me as a preparatory work for his armorial bearings, his coat of arms has a inescutcheon with the arms of the House of Noronha.


Blazon keywords: Argent, Azure, Gules, Or, Sable, Purpure, One, Two, Five, Seven, Eighteen, Quarterly, Escutcheon, In cross, Charged, Plate, In saltire, Bordure, Castle, Triple-towered, Cadency, Baston, Party per chevron, In chief, Lion, Combatant, Armed, Langued, In base, Port and windows, Masoned, Compony and Vair.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Metal beaten.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Noronha, House of.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Odysseus of Ithaca

Party per pale: 1 Vair; 2 Sable, a barn owl Argent, the eyes Sable, beaked and armed Or.

Party per pale: 1 Vair; 2 Sable, a barn owl Argent, the eyes Sable, beaked and armed Or.

Escudo partido: 1o de veros; 2o de sable, una lechuza de plata, encendida de sable, picada y armada de oro.


Blazon keywords: Party per pale, Argent, Azure, Vair, Sable, Or, Barn owl, The eyes, Beaked and Armed.

Style keywords: Rounded, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Parchment.

Classification: Created, Imaginary, Coat of arms and Greco-Roman antiquity.

Imaginary bearer: Odysseus of Ithaca.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Prato di Arnesano, Marquis

Or, three pallets Vair.

Or, three pallets Vair.

Escudo de oro, tres palos de veros.

Coat of arms interpreted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finishing.

The coat of arms of the Marquis Prato di Arnesano, requested by Andrea Tamburelli Lanzara and painted by me.


Blazon keywords: Or, Three, Pale and Vair.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Prato di Arnesano, Marquis.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Renaud de Vichiers

Vair. Behind the shield an eight-pointed cross patty Gules.

Vair. Behind the shield an eight-pointed cross patty Gules.


Blazon keywords: Vair, Behind the shield, One, Eight-pointed cross, Cross couped and Gules.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Freehand.

Classification: Religious, Military, Knights Templar, Interpreted and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Vichiers, Renaud de.

Separador heráldico
Escudo de Castilla y León

Vichiers, Renaud de

Vair.

Vair.

Escudo de veros.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me with a semi-circular shape, illuminated, and with a freehand finishing.

You can consult how to paint a veros fur in [Costa y Turell, M.; 1858; page 37, plate 1, illustrations 17 and 18].


Blazon keywords: Vair.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Freehand.

Classification: Religious, Military, Knights Templar, Interpreted and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Vichiers, Renaud de.

 

Dr. Antonio Salmerón y Cabañas,
,
Paseo de la Castellana 135, 7th floor,
28046 Madrid, Spain.