COAT OF ARMS in Thematic Philately

By – Dr. Avinash B. Jagtap, Switzerland

What is Coat of Arms?

 

It is a term used to define a heraldic design which is generally used to be worn by on the coat or tabard for the sake of identification. These were exclusively used by dignitaries of the armies as insignia of their heraldic achievements. These essentially consist of shield at the top with a crest underneath, supporter figures as animals or imaginary birds on either side, order or compartment, suggesting armorial or heraldic devices and the motto at the base. With the years these coat of arms have been so extensively simplified that they are now devoid of any armorial or feudal symbols, as they were used many centuries ago, as in case of universities, religious orders, or the banners of communes in Switzerland. However the fancy for individual- or family-crests has not diminished yet. Some artists in Europe are prepared to draw your own Crest or Coat of Arms for your family or institute, if you give them the idea how your name has been derived or what the century-old profession your family was! In case of the royal families of the feudatory or the convention states of India (like Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore Jaipur, Jind, Nabha, Patiala etc.), all these had their traditional coat of arms depicted on their postage stamps & embossed on their postal stationery items, such as flaps of envelopes.

Read complete article in Issue no.58 of “ITS Stamp News”