From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V1 #86 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Wednesday, February 25 1998 Volume 01 : Number 086 In this issue: Re: [scribes]: Re: scribes digest V1 #73 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:19:21 +0000 (GMT) From: Barbara Webb Subject: Re: [scribes]: Re: scribes digest V1 #73 On Wed, 25 Feb 1998 EowynA@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 2/23/98 3:48:55 AM, bhw@psychology.nottingham.ac.uk wrote: > > >Except that a quill cut for writing with would no longer have any barbs. > > Of course they don't. > > No one expects this to actually be used for writing -- it is an heraldic > charge. As such, it is the most recognizable drawn form of the charge, with > the complex line of partition around the edge. I think you will find that > most "quill pens" as registered by the SCA College of Arms are feathers with a > minor variation on the tip, not solely the barrel (which would be > indistinguishable from a wide line) . At risk of digging myself into an even deeper hole here, from what was initially intended as a rather flippant comment (for which I apologise): i) Yes I know that the quill in question was a charge, ii) Yes I know most quills in SCA heraldry show barbs, iii) Yes I know the most people today wouldn't recognise a quill without barbs. iv) In period, quills (generally) did not have barbs. v) So would most people in period recognise something with barbs as a quill in period heraldry? vi) Is a quill a period charge distinct from a feather? vii) How was it drawn? Minor variation at the tip seems like too subtle a difference. I don't think I have yet seen an answer to the last question (apologies again if I have missed it). I know there are some heralds reading this list - perhaps they could pass it on to the herald's list? I'm rather curious about this now... Cheers, Caitlin ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V1 #86 ****************************