Editing Proper Tincture

'''WARNING: Do not cite this page as a reference. This page is on this wikispace only to make the content "searchable" and easier to find. If you find the information you seek here, go to the original sources as linked below to verify the information and use them for your documentation.'''

=Definition:= 
==Glossary of Terms:== 
(1) Specifying that a charge appears in its natural hues. A zebra proper has the zebra's characteristic pattern of black and white stripes; a tree proper has a brown trunk and green leaves. Proper should not be used to indicate colorings that can be easily described in terms of the usual heraldic tinctures: a raven proper is better blazoned as a raven sable. It should also be used only if a competent artist will be able to draw the animal correctly without extensive research

(2) Indicates a standard set of tinctures for a standard heraldic charge, such as a sword proper, which has an argent blade and Or hilt and quillons, or a rose proper, which is a rose gules, barbed vert and seeded Or. See Table 3, Conventional Proper Colorings for a listing of proper tinctures defined in precedent.
http://heraldry.sca.org/coagloss.html
----
==A Heraldic Primer (old version): == 
Proper Tinctures - http://heraldry.sca.org/primer/proper.html

In addition to the aforementioned tinctures, there is a special consideration termed 'proper'. The term is used when a charge is emblazoned in a manner as it appears in nature and is considered heraldic shorthand. Thus, instead of saying A pine tree vert, trunked brun, one blazons it A pine tree proper

{| class="wikitable"
| A pomegranate proper || A fox proper || A pine tree proper 
|-
| [[File:Pomegranateproper.gif]] || [[File:Fproper.gif]] || [[File:PTreeproper.gif]] 
|}

==Article "On Proper... " ==

http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/lessons/lesson06.html

We will begin with the definition given in the glossary to the Rules for Submissions:<

Proper – Used in blazon to specify that a charge appears in its natural colors. "A zebra proper" has the zebra’s characteristic pattern of black and white stripes. "A tree proper" has a brown trunk and green leaves. Sometimes "proper" is used to indicate a standard set of tinctures for a standard heraldic charge, like "a sword proper", which has an argent blade and Or hilt and quillons, or "a rose proper", which is "a rose gules, barbed vert and seeded Or". The term "proper" should only be used to indicate colorings that cannot be described in the usual heraldic language. "A raven proper" is just "a raven sable". "Proper" should also only be used if a competent artist will be able to draw the animal correctly without extensive research.

The definition gives two types of proper:The natural colors of the object, and a heraldic shorthand.

Proper as the natural colors of a charge must be unambiguous. For example, a robin proper, or a brown bear proper, or a tree proper. If the charge comes in different colors, do not call it proper. Consider a horse. How many different colors and color patterns do horses come in? The words must describe the picture so that a competent artist can recreate the picture without having to do extensive research.

If it is necessary to name the species to define what is proper, then you cannot use proper. If described as "an American Kestrel proper", most people would have to go scrambling for a bird book to check the colors, even if they recognized that the Kestrel is a falcon. Being more precise and including the species (Falco sparverius) doesn’t help.

One of the examples was "a brown bear proper". Anyone can visualize that. However, consider "a snowshoe hare in summer phase". "A brown rabbit proper" says the same thing in words that anyone can visualize. The fine distinction between a generic "rabbit" and a "snowshoe hare" is insignificant in the heraldic sense.

As heraldic shorthand, proper has limited application. There are only a few objects, which have a "proper" coloration. They include:
* <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A sword (argent, hilted and pommelled Or)
* <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A rose (gules, barbed vert, seeded Or)
* <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A thistle (purpure, slipped and leaved vert in the SCA; gules, slipped and leaved vertin mundane)
* <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A mount (vert in mundane, no default in SCA)
* <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A popinjay (vert, beaked gules)
* <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A rainbow (heraldic) (four bands, either Or, gules, vert, argent, clouds argent when on a dark field; or azure, vert, Or, and gules, clouds to be specified when on a light field)
* <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A ford (a base barry wavy azure and argent or argent and azure)

Note that each can be blazoned without resorting to proper. If you have any doubts whether "proper" is applicable, don’t use it.

Rules for Submission VIII.4.c – Natural Depiction says "Excessively naturalistic use of otherwise acceptable charges may not be registered." It further notes: "Excessively natural designs include those that overuse proper, depict animate objects in unheraldic postures, or use several charges in their natural forms, especially when heraldic equivalents exist." You cannot have a rabbit proper between three robins proper and on a chief azure two rattlesnakes proper. That is excessive use of proper. Armory should contain no more than one charge blazoned as proper, in the natural sense. Heraldic flora and fauna are normally stylized to some degree.

Perhaps the commonest reason to use proper is to get a brown something. For example, a tree proper has a brown trunk. Since we do not recognize brown as a heraldic tincture by name, the only way to get a brown object is to blazon it proper, if brown is the proper color.

We are heralds, not botanists!

You cannot use proper to cheat on the rule of tincture. Charges blazoned as proper are still either light or dark, and must be placed on an appropriate tincture. A tree blasted proper is still a dark color (brown) and cannot be placed on a color.</span>

=Table of Proper Colorings=
==Glossary of Terms:== 

Conventional "Proper" Colorings - http://heraldry.sca.org/coagloss.html#proper

Most monsters, e.g., griffins, unicorns, sea-lions, etc., being mythical creatures, have no "proper" coloration. Natural animals which are frequently found as brown but also commonly appear in other tinctures in the natural world may be registered as a brown [animal name] proper (e. g., brown hound proper, brown horse proper).

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Charge || '''Tincture or Blazon || '''Tincture Class ''' || '''Source''' (if not noted, source is Glossary of Terms)
|-
| Acorn || Brown || Color 
|-
| Animals || Varies by specific animal || n/a 
|-
| Antler/Ivory || White or light yellow brown || Metal 
|-
| Apple Blossom || Argent seeded Or || Metal || University of Antlantia badge
|-
| Arrow || Brown shaft, black head, tincture of fletching specified || Color 
|-
| Axe || No defined proper tincture</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Barbed and seeded || Green sepals, yellow seeds</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Ignored</span> 
|-
| Bear || No default; must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Bees || sable and Or winged argent || neutral? || [http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2005/03/05-03cl.html March 2005 Cover Letter]
|-
| Boar || Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Bread || Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Bull/Cow || No default; must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Camel || No default; must be specified || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Carrot || No defined proper tincture< || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Cherub || No defined proper tincture || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Chough || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Black with red beak and legs</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Cloves || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Dark brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Daisy || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Argent seeded Or</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| Deer/Stag || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Dog/Wolf || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">No default; must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Dolphin || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Green with red fins</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Dolphin, natural</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Gray</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Dove</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">White with pink or red beak and legs</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Elephant</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Gray with white tusks</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Falcon</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Fire/flame</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Alternately red and yellow or yellow and red</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Neutral</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Ford</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A base wavy barry wavy blue and white</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Neutral</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Fountain</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">A roundel barry wavy blue and white</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Neutral</span> 
|-
| Fox || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Red with black "socks" and white at tip of tail</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Grapes || fruit purpure and leaved vert|| color  || [http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2005/03/05-03cl.html March 2005 Cover Letter]
|-
| Hammer || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Sable shafted of brown wood</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Hare || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Harp</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Horse</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">No default; must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Humans/human parts || No defined proper tincture per Jan 2021 CL (See also Moor) || Color or Metal
|-
| Ibex || Brown || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Ladybug || No defined proper tincture || n/a
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Lavender</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Purple flowers, green leaves and stem</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Leaf || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Green (sometimes with a brown stem)</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Leather/leather items</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Mermaid</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Caucasian human with green tail and yellow hair</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Neutral</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Monster</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Most have no proper tincture</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Moor</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown with black hair</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Moose</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Mouse</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">No default; must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Owl</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">No default; must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Parchment</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Tan or yellow</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Peacock</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Mostly blue and green with "eyes" in the tail</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Pickaxe</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Black, shafted brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Plants</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Green, sometimes with brown stems</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Pomegranate</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Green, seeded red</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Popinjay</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Green with red details</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Pretzel</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Rabbit</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Rainbow (on color field: from top to bottom)</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Yellow, red, green, white; white clouds</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
|^ (on metal field from top to bottom)   || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Blue, green, gold, red; cloud color must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Rainbow, natural</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">(from top to bottom) Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, white clouds</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Neutral</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Raven</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Sable</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Sable</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Rose</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Red, barbed green and seeded yellow</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Saracen</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">As a default Human</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Seraph</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Caucasian skin, red hair, multicolored wings</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Ship</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown, sails must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Slipped and leaved</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown or green stem and green leaves</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Stone/stone items</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Gray</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Sword</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">White with yellow hilt and quillons</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Tai-chi</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Per fess embowed counter-embowed argent and sable</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Neutral</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Thistle</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Green sepals, stem, leaves; purple or red flower</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Tiger</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">No default; must be specified</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">n/a</span> 
|-
| Tree || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown trunk, green leaves</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Turnip || top half purpure and bottom half argent leaved vert|| neutral (leaves do not count for difference)  || [http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2006/02/06-02lar.html February 2006 LoAR]
|-
| Urchin (hedgehog) || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown with white face and belly</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Weaver's slea< || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| Wood/wooden items || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Brown</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Color</span> 
|-
| <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Zebra</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">White striped black</span> || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">Metal</span> 
|-
|----
|}

==Worksheet of other Proper Tinctures from Precedent==
''To be incorporated into above table when done coding''
{| class="wikitable"
| '''Charge || '''Tincture or Blazon || '''Tincture Class ''' || '''Precedent/Source '''
|-
| Example || Argent seeded Or || Metal || University of Antlantia badge
|-
| Example || sable and Or winged argent || neutral? || [http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2005/03/05-03cl.html March 2005 Cover Letter]
|-
|}

=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.'' '''


==Definition:== 
===June 2021 - From Wreath: New Proper Definitions===
The Glossary of Terms Table 4, Conventional "Proper" Colorings will be updated in the next day or two based on the changes proposed on Palimpsest's March 6th Rules Letter and feedback from the College. When updating the table, it was noted that some items had been registered in the past with an assumed proper but that proper was never explicitly defined. The following definitions have been added to (or modified in) the table:

Axe: An axe proper has a sable blade and a brown haft or handle; the tincture is taken from the blade. An axe <tincture> hafted proper has a brown (wooden) handle.

Barrel: Barrels are generally wooden and thus are brown when proper.

Bear: Research by Iago Boar has shown that most bears in period heraldry are either a standard heraldic tincture or brown. Therefore we are defining a bear proper to be brown.

Bow: Whether used by archers or musicians, bows are generally wooden and thus are brown when proper. Their string is generally sable but the tincture is not blazoned.

Frauenadler: Like harpies, frauenadler have their human portions as defined under Human/Human Parts on Table 4 of the Glossary of Terms and brown plumage. The tincture is taken from the plumage even though the human portion is blazoned first.

Hautboy or Shawm: A period instrument, this is generally made of wood and thus brown when proper.

Grapes: Precedent (03/2005 CL) states "When blazoned proper the leaves should be vert, the fruit purpure." To that we are adding that the stem may be either vert or brown, in line with the defined proper for slipped and leaved and for vines.

Hawk: Hawks come in a variety of tinctures but most of the ones registered as proper are primarily brown, sometimes with lighter brown/tan details. We are therefore defining a hawk proper as brown. The lighter details are unblazoned artistic details.

Holly: Holly proper has vert leaves and gules berries.

Monarch butterfly: When proper these butterflies are orange to reddish-orange, their wings outlined in sable (with optional argent markings), and a sable body. A monarch butterfly proper is granted no difference from a butterfly gules.

Nest: A nest is primarily made of branches, therefore a nest proper is defined as brown.

Otter: An otter proper is brown.

Pickaxe: A pickaxe proper has a sable head and a brown haft. Its tincture is taken from the head. A pickaxe proper will thus be considered a color and it will conflict with a pickaxe sable. A pickaxe argent hafted proper has an argent head and a brown haft; it is considered argent for purposes of conflict and contrast.

Puffin: A puffin's beak is brightly colored but not in a standard pattern nor in heraldic tinctures. A puffin proper is sable, bellied and marked argent, and considered neutral in tincture. The tincture of its beak and legs is an unblazoned artistic detail.

Rose Bush: A rose bush (or rosebush) proper has a vert trunk and branches, and roses that are proper (gules petals, vert barbs, Or seeds). The tincture of a rose bush is taken from its trunk and branches.

Slipped and Leaved: Charges that are slipped and leaved proper have a brown or vert stem and vert leaves; in most cases the slip and leaves do not contribute to the heraldic difference or affect the tincture class of the charge they are attached to.

Staff (including ragged staves): Staves are made of wood and thus are brown when blazoned as proper.

Trebuchet and catapult: These are made of wood and thus are brown when blazoned as proper.

Zebra: Zebras proper are argent striped sable or sable striped argent; they are considered neutral charges.

At this time we are declaring that there is no defined proper for dogs, wolves, horses, ravens, or t'ai-chi. Also, proper is not defined for a leaf, though it is defined for slipped and leaved as noted above. In general, proper is used to simplify what would otherwise be complex tincturing, or to permit the use of brown, and as such will not be defined merely to alias a simple heraldic tincture such as argent or vert.

https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2021/06/21-06cl.html#6


===January 2021 CL - On Humans Proper===
Effective immediately, we are retiring Caucasian as the definition of the proper color of human skin for any registrations made on or after this date. This affects not just humans as charges, but human body parts such as arms, as well as monsters composed from human parts, such as centaurs and mermaids.

Going forward, we will require specification of the intended flesh color. The use of existing charges such as the Turk and the Saracen, both of which include skin tincture as part of their definitions, remains unaffected. However, the following terms are also available, and represent the basic approach which we will build upon as needed for future submissions:

* Black or dark-skinned: Sable or a shade of black or dark brown; hair tincture must be specified. Due to the overlap in possible shades, no difference is granted between brown-skinned and dark-skinned humans or human parts. For purposes of contrast, this tincture is considered a color.
* Brown or brown-skinned: Any shade of brown except light tan (which is considered light-skinned); hair tincture must be specified. Due to the overlap in possible shades, no difference is granted between brown-skinned and dark-skinned humans or human parts. For purposes of contrast, this tincture is considered a color.
* White or light-skinned: Argent, light pink or light tan; hair tincture must be specified. For purposes of contrast, this tincture is considered a metal.
* Any standard heraldic tincture.

Following existing practice, the use of a term other than a standard tincture will entail the use of the term proper. We will also capitalize Black, Brown, and White when used on their own as terms describing human skin. For example, each of the following pairs are equivalent to each other:
* a dark-skinned human arm proper, or a Black human arm proper
* a light-skinned maiden proper crined Or, or a White maiden proper crined Or
* a brown-skinned seraph proper crined gules, or a Brown seraph proper crined gules

Because of the large number of existing registrations this affects, we do not plan to undertake a bulk reblazoning project for this and instead will reblazon opportunistically, as time allows and need demands.

https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2021/01/21-01cl.html#3

===February 2006 - proper turnip===
"Proper for a turnip is the top half of the turnip purpure and the bottom half argent (with a somewhat wavy line of division) with vert leaves; neither the purpure nor the argent should predominate. The argent tip on a purpure turnip need not be blazoned, nor does a purpure cap on an argent turnip as both are considered artistic details." and "The turnip leaves should be about a quarter to a half of the total charge. Due to the variability in size of the leaves, the tincture of the leaves does not contribute to tincture difference. This is similar to our treatment of a rose's slip and leaves." Note: therefore a turnip "proper" is a neutral charge as neither the purpure nor the argent predominates.
[http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2006/02/06-02lar.html February 2006 LoAR]

===March 2005 - grapes proper===
Regarding grapes, A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, by James Parker, says on p. 602 (s.n. Vine),
"When blazoned proper the leaves should be vert, the fruit purpure."
[http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2005/03/05-03cl.html March 2005 Cover Letter]

===March 2005 - bees proper===
"...The proper tincture for bees is defined in precedent as "sable and Or, with argent wings" (Aideen the Audacious, September 1993)..."
[http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2005/03/05-03cl.html March 2005 Cover Letter]

===October 1995 - using brown proper===
When using brown, defined as "proper", the entire charge/creature is tinctured brown. As per:
"PRECEDENT: Henceforward, and more in line with period heraldic practice, animals which are normally brown may be registered simply as an {X} proper (e.g., boar proper, hare proper). Animals which are frequently found as brown but also commonly appear in other tinctures in the natural world may be registered as a brown {X} proper (e.g., brown hound proper, brown horse proper). This precedent does not, however, loosen the ban on "Linnaean proper" (Cover Letter, May 13, 1991); proper tinctures for flora and fauna which require the Linnaean genus and species to know how to color them. For example, a falcon proper will be considered to be all brown, not brown head, wings and back, buff breast with darker spots, and a tail striped with black; a hare proper will be considered to be all brown, not brown with white underbelly and tail and pink ears. This also appears to be more in keeping with period heraldic practice."
[http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/1995/10/cvr.html October 1995 Cover Letter]

==Registerability:== 
(Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP)

===February 2007 - pink flamingos proper===
In April 1985 (q.v., Cherie Ruadh MhicRath of Locksley) Laurel ruled, "The color of a flamingo's feathers is apparently dependent on its diet, so there really is no 'proper' color." This has been interpreted to mean that flamingos proper could not be registered; however, pink flamingos proper have been registered since that time, including as recently as April 2006. The 1985 precedent is hereby overturned; a pink flamingo proper is registerable. It is dark pink while the tincture of its beak and legs are treated as artistic license. Its tincture is a color, not a metal.
[http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2007/02/07-02lar.html February 2007 LoAR]

===October 1995 - brown proper===
When using brown, defined as "proper", the entire charge/creature is tinctured brown. As per:
"PRECEDENT: Henceforward, and more in line with period heraldic practice, animals which are normally brown may be registered simply as an {X} proper (e.g., boar proper, hare proper). Animals which are frequently found as brown but also commonly appear in other tinctures in the natural world may be registered as a brown {X} proper (e.g., brown hound proper, brown horse proper). This precedent does not, however, loosen the ban on "Linnaean proper" (Cover Letter, May 13, 1991); proper tinctures for flora and fauna which require the Linnaean genus and species to know how to color them. For example, a falcon proper will be considered to be all brown, not brown head, wings and back, buff breast with darker spots, and a tail striped with black; a hare proper will be considered to be all brown, not brown with white underbelly and tail and pink ears. This also appears to be more in keeping with period heraldic practice."
[http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/1995/10/cvr.html October 1995 Cover Letter]


==Conflict:== 


==Identifiability:== 



==Collected Precedents:== 
* 2nd Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (April 2011 - August 2011) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/elisabeth/armory2.html Collected Armory Precedents]
* 1st Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (May 2005 - July 2008) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/elisabeth/armory.html#PROPER PROPER]
* The 2nd Tenure of François la Flamme (October 2004 - May 2005) - [http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/sca/armoryprec.html#PROPER PROPER]
* The Tenure of Shauna of Carrick Point (May 2004 - August 2004) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/shauna/armory.html Collected Armory Precedents]
* 1st Tenure of François la Flamme (August 2001 - April 2004) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/francois/wreath.html Collected Armory Precedents]
* The Tenure of Elsbeth Anne Roth (June 1999 - July 2001) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/elsbeth/armory.html Collected Armory Precedents]
* The Tenure of Jaelle of Armida (June 1996 - June 1999) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/jaeprec.html Single HTML Document]
* 2nd Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (November 1993 - June 1996) -
** [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/daud2/volume3.html the 1st part (Nov 1993 - June 1994)] and 
** [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/daud2/daudIITOC.html the 2nd part (July 1994 - June 1996)]
* The Tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme (June 1992 - October 1993) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/bruce/ Collected precedents]
* 1st Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (June 1990 - June 1992) -
**  [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/daud/daud1toc.html the 1st year (June 1990 - June 1991)] and
**  [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/daud/daud1btoc.html the 2nd year (July 1991 - June 1992)]
* The Tenure of Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane (September 1986 - June 1990) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/alisoun/AMETOP.html Collected Precedents]
* The Tenure of Baldwin of Erebor (August 1984 - August 1986) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/baldwin.html Single HTML Document]
* The Tenure of Wilhelm von Schlüssel (August 1979 - August 1984) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/wilhelm/volume3.html Collected Precedents]
* The Tenure of Karina of the Far West (December 1975 - June 1979) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/karina/volume2.html Collected Precedents]
* The Early Days (June 1971 - June 1975) - [http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/early/volume1.html Collected Precedents]


[[Category:Armory]] [[Category:Tinctures]]