Heraldry- Powdering

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Sometimes you see a single charge repeated over and over. I think this is called "powdering." My question is this- is a powdered pattern random or does it only consist of rows?

* * * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * * *

[Cet]

As far as I can tell it doesn't imply any specific pattern, just that the ground is covered fairly evenly with the device. For example, have a look at the punch patterns on the quaterings of the BP shield especially the blue- diagonal lines in some areas and random in others.

[Effingham]

The term you often see is "semy of ----".

IT depends largely on the period, the locale, and the charge.

For example, it's *generally* a grid on alternating levels (e.g.:

OXOXOXOXOX
XOXOXOXOXO
OXOXOXOXOX
XOXOXOXOXO

Where O is the field and X is the charge.

The question of "cutoffs at the edge" occurs. The classic example is France Ancient (azure, semy-de-lys or), where the fleurs overhanging the edge were cut off. Ermine fields are usually done the same way. But if there is something like a bordure ermine, rather than have random XOXOX placement with half a charge here and half there, they are "arranged" to fill up the available space.

What exactly are you thinking of?

Effingham

[Konstantin the Red]

Powdered is a rather rarely used synonym for semy/semé. Either is understood, though I think the SCA style leans heavily to using "semy." Some heralds a little more ignorant of French than they ought to be put it "a semy of..." which isn't right, as the term is an adjective; "semy of..." does just fine; the concept is "seeded." The more swiftly we can nip that solecism in the bud, the better blazon we'll have, and the sooner.

[Tailoress]

The term "powdering" probably originated in the fur industry, where the practice consisted of cutting holes in a skin, inserting a contrasting-colored tail (like the black-tipped ermine tail) or bit of fur, and sewing in place. This is how the classic black spots appear on ermine fur. A cheaper and popular alternative to using actual tails was to take long-ish lengths of black lamb fur from the legs of lambs and powder them on a field of white fur, in imitation of the black-tipped ermine tails.

This information gleaned and extrapolated from Elspeth Veale's The English Fur Trade in the Later Middle Ages.

I would also comment that instead of a square-grid pattern, go for a diamond grid pattern, and it'll look more like the "powdering" of fur and heraldry.

-Tasha

Edited to change "fabric" to "fur" ("ermine fabric"... uh... no.)

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Effingham, thanks for the info.