Gore, Gusset

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There has been some concern that gores were not actually used in period armory [but see below]. Apparently there are period heraldic tracts that describe it as "an abatement of honor" (i.e., a mark of disgrace). However, since tracts such as Legh's "Accedence of Armory", 1562, mention the gore, it's been accepted for Society use.

Guillim in A Display of Heraldry 1611 ( https://books.google.com/books?id=LbxWXIFDr30C&printsec ) also discusses gores.

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Examples:

Period:

Familienwappen des Hohen Adels, 40v, gore with flowers

Modern:

Pictorial Dictionary, 3rd edition:

• Gore; Gusset
• Gore

Vector Graphics:

• Viking Answer Lady - [[1]]

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#Sources:Sources:

Academy of St. Gabriel "Medieval Heraldry Archive" - [[2]] Archive of St. Gabriel reports - [[3]] Laurel Armory Articles - [[4]]

New Heraldic Primer (Heraldry for Non-Heralds) - [[5]] Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry (PicDic), 3rd Edition - @http://mistholme.com/pictorial-dictionary-of-heraldry (in progress) Period Armorials

Parker's Heraldry - [[6]] Riestap's Armorial Général - //http:''www.euraldic.com/lasu/bl/bl_a_aa.html

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Precedents:

Precedents of the SCA College of Arms - http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/precedents.html
Morsulus Heralds Website - http://www.morsulus.org/ (to search the LoARs and Precedents)

Use the above links to be sure any precedents listed below haven't been superseded by newer precedents.

Registerability:

(Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP)

January 2021 - On the Use of a Gore with Another Charge Directly on the Field

Since the May 2014 Cover Letter, there has been a step from period practice held for the use of a gore or a gusset with another charge directly on the field. At the time, research leading to this decision had failed to produce any evidence of gores beyond their appearance in treatises. This month, evidence of their use has now been brought to our attention: Wappen besonders von deutschen Geschlechtern, 1475-1560 German (München, BSB cod. icon. 309), f. 40v (https://app.digitale-sammlungen.de/bookshelf/bsb00002106) shows arms which we would blazon Gules, three cinquefoils and a gore argent. With this evidence, we remove the step from period practice for the use of gores or gussets with other charges directly on the field, and thank Alisoun Metron Ariston for raising the question, Iago Coquille for a timely response, and Jeanne-Marie Palimpsest for quick work in locating the original decision. https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2021/01/21-01cl.html#7

August 2019 CL - charged gores/gussets now SFCP

From Wreath: Tierces, Gores, and Gussets In the March 2019 Cover Letter, we asked commenters do discuss whether there was a reason consistent with the principles of SENA to continue the long-standing ban on charged tierces, gores, and gussets. As noted in that letter, the ban dates from the February 1991 Cover Letter, when Laurel introduced the ban due to "what is becoming overwhelming support for the idea" of banning them. With no discussion on either period practice or potential presumption, there was little guidance for considering either the intent for the initial ban, or the necessary documentation to overturn the ban.

Gunnvor Orle provided several examples of uncharged tierces with complex lines of division, both on their own and with other charges directly on the field. She also provided some examples of armory which may have either been charged tierces or marshalled armory. Due to concerns about the appearance of marshalling, charged plain-line tierces will continue to be banned. However, as a complex line of division erases the appearance of marshalling for a field divided per pale, it stands to reason that a complex line of division on a tierce would also clear the appearance of marshalling for a charged tierce.

As for gores and gussets, they are similar in nature to other peripheral ordinaries that are allowed to be charged under current rules. There are no examples of charged gores and gussets, but until further documentation can be provided that supports it, we will allow charged gores and gussets as a step from period practice, along with charged complex-line tierces.

To sum up:

Charged gores, charged gussets, and charged complex-line tierces are now allowed as a step from period practice.

Tierces with other charges directly on a field are no longer a step from period practice, due to period evidence supporting the practice.

Charged plain-line tierces are still disallowed, as they risk the appearance of marshalling. Charging an existing uncharged plain-line tierce as an augmentation will be allowed on a case-by-case basis.

https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2019/08/19-08cl.html#5

May 2014 - Tierces and Gussets and Gores, Oh My!

Also on the December 2013 Cover Letter, we asked commenters to discuss the registerability of gores, gussets, and tierces. In November 1991, Laurel banned the use of charged gores and gussets, matching the already-existing ban on charged tierces, but continued to allow the registration of uncharged gores, gussets, and tierces. In October 2012, we declared a step from period practice for the use of any other charge with a tierce.

Much of the discussion centered around our standards for armorial elements. SENA A2B1 addresses this directly:

Attested Elements: Armorial elements are registerable if they are attested in period European armory. Designs found in a period roll of arms or a treatise on armory meet this standard, even if it is unclear from the treatise if the element was used in actual heraldry. Elements used in arms, in badges, and in crests all meet this standard. Elements must be used and combined in the same ways they were used in period armory.

Under current SENA rules, gores, gussets, and tierces are all registerable charges as they are elements found in period heraldic treatises. However, SENA also requires that elements "must be used and combined in the same ways they were used in period armory," and we have no examples of these charges used in actual period armory.

After much discussion and research, for which we heartily thank all of the commenters involved, and with some thought towards both period heraldry and the leeway allowed in Society armory, we are making the following rulings:

• The use of a tierce with any other charge on the field remains a step from period practice.
• The use of gores or gussets with other charges is now a step from period practice. [but see Jan 2021 precedent above]

http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2014/05/14-05cl.html

November 1991 - charging gores, gussets (and tierces) banned:

"Based on the consensus of those commenting on this issue, the College will ban the use of charged gores and charged gussets, matching the ban on charged tierces. Uncharged gores, gussets, and tierces will continue to be registerable. Any charged gores or gussets currently pending at Laurel will be processed as having been "in the pipeline" before the ban went into effect. Therefore, after March 1, 1992, we will no longer register charged gores or gussets." [but see Aug 2019 precedent above] November 1991 LoAR Cover Letter

<Collected Precedents:

• 2nd Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (April 2011 - August 2011) - Collected Armory Precedents
• 1st Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (May 2005 - July 2008) - GORE
• 2nd Tenure of François la Flamme (October 2004 - May 2005) - Collected Armory Precedents
• The Tenure of Shauna of Carrick Point (May 2004 - August 2004) - Collected Armory Precedents
• 1st Tenure of François la Flamme (August 2001 - April 2004) - Collected Armory Precedents
• The Tenure of Elsbeth Anne Roth (June 1999 - July 2001) - Collected Armory Precedents
• The Tenure of Jaelle of Armida (June 1996 - June 1999) - Single HTML Document
• 2nd Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (November 1993 - June 1996) -
  • the 1st part (Nov 1993 - June 1994) and
  • the 2nd part (July 1994 - June 1996)
• The Tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme (June 1992 - October 1993) - Collected precedents
• 1st Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (June 1990 - June 1992) -
  • the 1st year (June 1990 - June 1991) and
  • the 2nd year (July 1991 - June 1992)
• The Tenure of Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane (September 1986 - June 1990) - Collected Precedents
• The Tenure of Baldwin of Erebor (August 1984 - August 1986) - Single HTML Document
• The Tenure of Wilhelm von Schlüssel (August 1979 - August 1984) - Collected Precedents
• The Tenure of Karina of the Far West (December 1975 - June 1979) - Collected Precedents
• The Early Days (June 1971 - June 1975) - ABATEMENT

The Ordinary :

(includes gusset, point)

• Gore