Tincture
The name given to the metals,
colours and
furs used in heraldry and classed as follows:
| Metal |
Heraldic Name |
Abbreviation |
Engraved symbol |
| Gold |
Or |
- |
Small dots. |
| Silver |
Argent |
arg |
A plain white surface. |
* Less frequently used, these colours are sometimes termed
Stains.
Fur |
Description |
Ermine |
A Semé of spots
sa on a field arg. Its reverse is
Ermines |
Ermines |
The reverse of Ermine, being a
semé of spots
arg on a field sa. Sometimes termed
Counter-ermine. |
Erminites |
A variety of Ermine with one red hair
on each side of the spots. |
Erminois |
A Semé of spots
sa on a field or. Its reverse is
Pean |
Vair |
Alternate rows of alternate Argent
and Azure hides formed like little
bell-shaped shields, the alternate shield reversed and the alternate row
also reversed. If tinctures other than
Argent and
Azure are used, then the tinctures must
be specified. |
Counter-vair |
A variety of vair but with the little shields varied so that those of the
same tincture are placed base against base and point against point. |
Vair-en-point |
Another variety of vair, the point of one little shield being placed opposite
to the base of the one below. |
Pean |
The reverse of Erminois, being
a semé of spots
or on a field sa. |
Potent, Potence |
Similar to Vair but with potents, or little
crutches, instead of shields. Tinctures other than
Argent and
Azure must also be specified. |
Counter-Potent |
A variety of Potent, but with
the little crutches varied so that those of the same tincture are placed
base against base and point against point. |
General Rules in the application of tinctures
1. Metals take precedence
over colours.
2. Metal may not be placed upon
metal, nor
colour upon
colour.
Historical Note
For a short period during the sixteenth century tinctures in the arms
of peers were blazoned by precious stones and those of princes by heavenly
bodies, as follows:
