The Oxford Guide to Heraldry

By Thomas Woodcock

Book Overview

The fascinating art of heraldry, with its special rules and methods, its system of symbols denoting prominent families and institutions, and its display of pageantry, has intrigued people for centuries. Evidence of it exists throughout Europe on everything from stained glass to pub signs.
Lavishly illustrated with color and black and white plates, The Oxford Guide to Heraldry offers a delightful tour of the heart of medieval pagentry. The only guide to heraldry written entirely by Officers of Arms with full access to the College of Arms Library (which contains the most important heraldic records and manuscripts in the world), this beautiful, enriching volume covers the origins of heraldry, the composition of arms and their visual appearance, the use of arms as decoration, how and why arms are granted, and to whom, and much more. It also explains how coats of arms have differed from country to country, with informative sections on France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other European nations, plus a complete chapter devoted to heraldry in America. This authoritative volume is an invaluable reference for anyone interested in genealogy, history, chivalry, or the decorative arts.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192852248
• ISBN13: 9780192852243
• Release Date: September 1990
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, Incorporated
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.6" x 0.8" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

Learn about heraldry in context.

“Heraldry, defined as the systematic use of an arrangement of charges or devices on a shield, emerged at about the same moment in the mid-12th century over a wide area of Europe.” My first introduction to heraldry was military heraldry. Since then, I realized that this is an integral part of genealogical searches. What sets this book apart from others is that it tries to put heraldry into context rather than just presenting standalone statistics. And I think you will have fun just reading all the different pieces of information that describe the different heraldry.