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cormacFrom reading comments in other LJs, it seems like there's some confusion over the design history of some Caidan order badges. So I've done some minor research and would like to take this opportunity to share it with you all.
First, for those non-Caidans out there, Caid has 10 armigerous orders, split evenly into those that carry an Award of Arms and those that carry a Grant of Arms. These are:
The first of these orders registered were the Harp Argent and the Dolphin, both registered in 1981. The badge for the Dolphin, however, was not registered until 1982. The orignal badges for each pf these orders were remarkable in that they were patterned off of the kingdom arms, replacing the crown and laurel wreath with a harp and a dolphin embowed uriant to sinister, respectively, but otherwise keeping the azure background and argent crescents and bordure.
The designs were scrapped in 1985 in favor of the current registered badges. The dolphin embowed uriant to sinister was plucked from the old design and placed on its own in a blue field, while the silver harp maintained not only the blue background but the silver embattled bordure as well. However, it should be noted that the medallions used by the kingdom do not include this bordure.
The following year, the Crescent Sword was registered. The ceremony describes it as a silver "sword surmounting a crescent of silver,
displayed upon a blue medallion." The ceremony omits the embattled bordure, but the medallion properly includes it. In 1989, the kingdom registered its first armigerous award for archers, the Argent Arrow. The design is straightforward enough: "Argent, an arrow between two crescents argent."
1994 was a big year for Caidan order registrations. In March, names and armory were registered for the first Caidan GoA-level awards, the Orders of the Crescent, Lux Caidis, and Gauntlet. Each of these has a blue background and embattled white border, with a set of three crescents, a sunburst, and a gauntlet holding a sword by its blade, respectively. Later that year, the rapier fighters registered their first kingdom award, the Order of the Duellist.
Of all the Caidan armory designs, the Duellist stands out for originality. Rather than a blue background and white border, the field is split in pale with a counterchanged blue and white background and border, with two rapiers likewise counterchanged. While the dexter side of the medallion looks entirely Caidan, the sinister side is foreign and odd, giving the badge a rather jarring cant on the order name.
Finally, in 1997, the kingdom registered its final two Grant-level Orders, the White Scarf and Chiron. While the inter-kingdom rapier order does not yet have a badge in Caid, the Order of Chiron kept to the traditional design of a blue background, white border, and icon appropriate to the order (in this case, a centaur drawing a bow).
Whether any of these awards had previous designs that could not pass Laurel muster is not at this time known to me. However, this is the information on the registered, and therefore "official" badges of the armigerous Caidan orders.
In completely unrelated news, I finally got my third project page up on the Poore House site. It shows how to design your own tablet weaving pattern from an existing image, and can be found at http://poore-house.com/projects.html. Check it out!
First, for those non-Caidans out there, Caid has 10 armigerous orders, split evenly into those that carry an Award of Arms and those that carry a Grant of Arms. These are:
| Reason | Award-Level | Grant-Level |
| Service | Dolphin | Crescent |
| Arts/Sciences | Harp Argent | Lux Caidis |
| Armored Combat | Crescent Sword | Gauntlet |
| Rapier Combat | Duellist | White Scarf of Caid |
| Archery | Argent Arrow | Chiron |
The first of these orders registered were the Harp Argent and the Dolphin, both registered in 1981. The badge for the Dolphin, however, was not registered until 1982. The orignal badges for each pf these orders were remarkable in that they were patterned off of the kingdom arms, replacing the crown and laurel wreath with a harp and a dolphin embowed uriant to sinister, respectively, but otherwise keeping the azure background and argent crescents and bordure.
The designs were scrapped in 1985 in favor of the current registered badges. The dolphin embowed uriant to sinister was plucked from the old design and placed on its own in a blue field, while the silver harp maintained not only the blue background but the silver embattled bordure as well. However, it should be noted that the medallions used by the kingdom do not include this bordure.
The following year, the Crescent Sword was registered. The ceremony describes it as a silver "sword surmounting a crescent of silver,
displayed upon a blue medallion." The ceremony omits the embattled bordure, but the medallion properly includes it. In 1989, the kingdom registered its first armigerous award for archers, the Argent Arrow. The design is straightforward enough: "Argent, an arrow between two crescents argent."
1994 was a big year for Caidan order registrations. In March, names and armory were registered for the first Caidan GoA-level awards, the Orders of the Crescent, Lux Caidis, and Gauntlet. Each of these has a blue background and embattled white border, with a set of three crescents, a sunburst, and a gauntlet holding a sword by its blade, respectively. Later that year, the rapier fighters registered their first kingdom award, the Order of the Duellist.
Of all the Caidan armory designs, the Duellist stands out for originality. Rather than a blue background and white border, the field is split in pale with a counterchanged blue and white background and border, with two rapiers likewise counterchanged. While the dexter side of the medallion looks entirely Caidan, the sinister side is foreign and odd, giving the badge a rather jarring cant on the order name.
Finally, in 1997, the kingdom registered its final two Grant-level Orders, the White Scarf and Chiron. While the inter-kingdom rapier order does not yet have a badge in Caid, the Order of Chiron kept to the traditional design of a blue background, white border, and icon appropriate to the order (in this case, a centaur drawing a bow).
Whether any of these awards had previous designs that could not pass Laurel muster is not at this time known to me. However, this is the information on the registered, and therefore "official" badges of the armigerous Caidan orders.
In completely unrelated news, I finally got my third project page up on the Poore House site. It shows how to design your own tablet weaving pattern from an existing image, and can be found at http://poore-house.com/projects.html. Check it out!
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no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 12:09 am (UTC)I suppose too many people would consider it heresy but I'd love to see a redesign of these medallions with consideration given to making the symbols more period (and do something, anything, with the baked potato!)
no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 12:15 am (UTC)I completely agree with you that the artwork for some of the badges needs some major work. What we have registered is pretty good period style. It just needs to be done by a heraldic artist, is all.
By the way, if you check out my Caidan tablet patterns (on the same projects page as referenced above), I did my best to de-potato the sunburst. Thoughts?
no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 12:39 am (UTC)There are good traditions out there that should be kept, but that is not an excuse or reason or rationale for keeping BAD traditions when we now know better (don't even get me started on "autocrat" "troll" or worst of all "removes"!!!).
We know that is a post-period harp.
We know what a period harp looks like.
Why on earth have we a post-period harp on the medallion?
Your version is far less 'baked potato'. I suppose some would complain it was a bit too like the Aten Sun, but I can deal with that and it is FAR better than the current design (which also goes by the name 'steaming pile').
Question, since you seem to be quite informed on all this...is there any reason one could not make one's own medallions in a more period manner? I do know that Drachenstein sell their version of several of the Caiden awards, what I don't know is is there a set of hoops to jump through, or could one just make something more persona-appropriate for themselves?
no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 01:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 07:26 pm (UTC)There's absolutely no reason at all why someone couldn't make their own medallions and wear them, so long as they're entitled to wear the regalia for said order. Despite my dislike for hand-towel favors, I thought it might be cool to display the awards you've received in woven format, hanging from your belt (though Njall would probably trip over his).