Fimbriation

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Definition:

Glossary of Terms - Outlining a charge in a contrasting tincture. In general, a simple geometric charge such as a pale, roundel, or heart may be fimbriated, while a charge with a more complex outline such as a lion cannot. Fimbriation is only allowed for charges in the center of the field. See also Voiding.

• http://heraldry.sca.org/coagloss.html

NOTE: All single edged peripheral ordinaries (chief, flaunches, base, bordure, etc) are affected by this rule, as they do not pass thru the center of the design.

Illustrations:

Period sources:

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Heraldic Primer:

Fimbriation - http://heraldry.sca.org/primer/variants.html#fimbriate Fimbriation is a narrow edging around plain-line ordinaries and other simple geometric charges. It is used primarily to seperate a charge and the field of the same type of tincture (metal/metal or color/color).

Sable, a fess gules fimbriated argent	Sable, a chevron gules fimbriated argent.	Or, a pale argent fimbriated sable.
http://heraldry.sca.org/primer/afessfimbriated.gif%7C84x117px%7Ccenter]]	http://heraldry.sca.org/primer/achevronfimbriated.gif%7C84x117px%7Ccenter]]	http://heraldry.sca.org/primer/apalefimbriated.gif%7C83x115px%7Ccenter]]

SENA A.3.C.

C. Voiding and Fimbriation: Voiding and fimbriation are terms that describe the situation in which the interior of the charge is a different color than a strip around the outside of the charge. The term voiding is used for the case in which the interior part of the charge is the same color as the field. The term fimbriation is used for the case in which the interior part of the charge is of a different color than the field.

Voiding and fimbriation may only be used with ordinaries or simple geometric charges when they are part of a primary charge group. Peripheral ordinaries may not be voided or fimbriated, nor may other secondary, tertiary, or overall charges. All central ordinaries may be fimbriated, even those with complex lines, as long as there are no breaks in the outline of the ordinary. All central ordinaries with more than two ends, such as palls//, //crosses//, and //saltires, may be voided, even those with complex lines, as long as there are no breaks in the outline of the ordinary. As central ordinaries with two ends which are voided would give the unmistakable appearance of being multiple ordinaries, they may not be voided.

For example, both a cross// and //a cross engrailed// may be either voided or fimbriated. However, //a fess// may only be fimbriated; a design that appears to be a fess voided must be blazoned as //two bars//. For example, //a pale rayonny// and //a fess dancetty// may be fimbriated, while //a chevron rompu// or //a bend bevilled may not be fimbriated, as the latter are broken in their outlines.

A simple geometric charge is a charge that, when drawn at a smaller scale, will continue to match the outline of the larger charge closely. Simple geometric charges include lozenges//, //roundels//, //delfs//, and //mullets//. However, as counter examples, //estoiles// and //suns are not simple.

Voiding and fimbriation is generally used with a single central charge. For this reason, using voiding or fimbriation with charge groups that contain more than three charges will only be registered with documentation of such a pattern. Additionally, voided charges may not be registered in fieldless designs, as they do not have a field that can show through the voided portion of the charge.

For example, a design such as Azure, three delfs voided Or// would be registered, but //Azure semy of delfs voided Or// would not be. Also, while //Azure, a mullet voided argent// is registerable, //(Fieldless) A mullet voided argent is not, as the voided area would not have a defined tincture.

Charges which are voided as part of their type, such as mascles// or //mullets voided and interlaced, are not affected by these restrictions. They may even be tertiary charges or maintained charges, and may be used in fieldless designs. Armorial designs with voided or fimbriated charges must be considered for purposes of conflict as equivalent to multiple designs.

See A.5.C for confirmation and further details.

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:

(includes defaults, proper tinctures, blazoning)

Registerability:

(Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP)

May 2003 LoAR - field divisions cannot be fimbriated:

"...only charges may be fimbriated, not field divisions." May 2003 LoAR

April 1999 LoAR - only used with simple, central geometric charges:

"RfS VIII.3. notes that 'Voiding and fimbriation may only be used with simple geometric charges placed in the center of the design.' While a heart is simple enough to fimbriate as a sole primary charge, as a tertiary it is so small as to lose identifiability when fimbriated."April 1999 LoAR

>September 1997 LoAR - cannot fimbriate secondary or tertiary charges

"Per pale gules and purpure, a unicorn passant reguardant argent, armed and crined Or between three voided western crowns Or. This is being returned for violating VIII.3. Armorial Identifiability. It states Voiding and fimbriation may only be used with simple geometric charges placed in the center of the design. This has been taken to mean that we void primary charges only; the crowns in this submission are clearly secondaries."September 1997 LoAR

October 1996 - cannot fimbriate tertiary charges:

"According to RfS VIII.3 'Voiding and fimbriation may only be used with simple geometric charges placed in the center of the design.' This does not apply to tertiary charges." October 1996 LoAR

August 1993 - voided and fimbriated bordures not allowed:

Lisette de Ville. Device. Per fess purpure and vert, a dove displayed, wings inverted within a bordure argent charged with a tressure per fess purpure and vert. "The submission caused us a few minutes of heartburn. The equal width of the outer three stripes, and the fact that the central stripe is of the field, gave this the appearance of a bordure voided, not of an orle within a bordure. Bordures voided and fimbriated have been disallowed since Aug 83. Playing with the widths a bit, to make this a bordure cotised, would be equally unacceptable. On the other hand, a bordure charged with a tressure is a perfectly legal design. In the end, we decided that the latter blazon is the most accurate and reproducible description of the submitted emblazon -- and since it appears to be legal, we've accepted it. It also guarantees the device to be clear of Wampage (//Azure, an eagle displayed within a double tressure argent).

• http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/1993/08/lar.html

Conflict:

September 1991 - bend vs bend fimbriated no difference

[A bend vs. a bend fimbriated] "[There is] nothing for the fimbriation of the bend." September 1991 LoAR

November 1989 adding fimbriation or changing tincture no difference

Indeed, in view of the minimal visual impact of fimbriation, even when drawn properly, it is very difficult to imagine a situation where the addition of fimbriation or the change of the tincture of fimbriation should contribute to difference." November 1989 LoAR

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) - FIMBRIATED and VOIDED CHARGES
• The 2nd Tenure of François la Flamme (October 2004 - May 2005) - FIMBRIATED and VOIDED CHARGES
• 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) - Collected Precedents

The Ordinary:

• see the individual charge being fimbriated