Firebird, Simurgh

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The Russian firebird is no longer registerable, per the November 2014 Cover Letter, as no period use has yet been found. See Precedents: Registerability, below. [Suggest registering an appropriately-colored peacock instead, possibly Irradiated or Enflamed.]

Illustrations:

Period source/s:

An Ordinary of Siebmacher's Wappenbuch - http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/heraldry/siebmacher/f-siebmacher.html

Modern

Pictorial Dictionary of SCA Heraldry (3rd edition):

• Firebird, Russian
• Peacock
• Simurgh

Vector Graphics:

Book of Traceable Heraldic Art

Sources:

• Academy of St. Gabriel "Medieval Heraldry Archive" - http://www.s-gabriel.org/heraldry/
• Archive of St. Gabriel reports - [[1]]
• Laurel Armory Articles - http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/armory_articles.html

• New Heraldic Primer (Heraldry for Non-Heralds) - http://heraldry.sca.org/armory/newprimer/
• Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry (PicDic), 3rd Edition - http://mistholme.com/pictorial-dictionary-of-heraldry
• Period Armorials

• Parker's Heraldry - http://karlwilcox.com/parker/
• Riestap's Armorial Général - //http:www.euraldic.com/lasu/bl/bl_a_aa.html

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Use the above links to be sure any precedents listed below haven't been superseded by newer precedents.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

November 2006 - Russian firebird tail and head crest

Syban Khal. Device. Sable, on a plate a Russian firebird volant palewise head to sinister gules within a bordure rayonny argent. "This device is returned for a redraw. Blazoned on the LoI as a Russian firebird, it does not match the other Russian firebirds we've registered. Those all have multi-plumed tails, rather like peacock tails only not in a fan, and they all have head crests. The illustration at http://www.auburn.edu/academic/liberal_arts/foreign/russian/art/bilibin/bilibin27.html is typical of SCA registrations. ..."

• http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2006/11/06-11lar.html

=August 1993 - Russian firebird = peacock

The Russian firebird is a creature of Eastern European folklore, represented in art from the late 16th and early 17th Centuries. Heraldically, it is indistinguishable from a peacock. (Krzysia Wanda Kazimirova, August, 1993, pg. 6)

• http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/bruce/charge-documentable.html

December 1992 - firebird is not a bird made of flame

[A "firebird"] The ...charge does not appear to be a valid period usage. It is not a Russian firebird; that is essentially a variant of peacock, is found in period art, and has been accepted for SCA use. As drawn here, the bird is composed of flame, which is unattested in either period art or period armory. Since it is so easily confused with either a bird or a flame, I must rule this "firebird" unacceptable, pending solid evidence of its period use [returned also for conflict] (Katharina von der Waldwiese, December, 1992, pg. 18)

• http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/bruce/bird-misc.html

Registerability:

(Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP)

November 2014 = Russian firebird no longer registerable

From Wreath: the end of the Russian firebird

• This month a submission prompted us to revisit the question of Russian firebirds as a charge. Not only is there no clearly defined depiction for a Russian firebird in Society armory, but it appears that the charge itself is post-period with the earliest descriptions dating only to the 1800s. Therefore, pending period documentation, we will not register Russian firebirds after the July 2015 meeting.<

http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2014/11/14-11cl.html#2

==September 2007 = Russian firebird as SFPP Syban Khal. Device. Sable, on a plate a Russian firebird volant palewise, facing sinister and wings displayed gules, all within a bordure rayonny argent. "The use of a Russian firebird is a step from period practice. However, since they are almost invariably drawn in the Society with wings spread, the fact that it is also effectively displayed here is not a second step from period practice. The firebird as drawn here lacks feet and thus cannot be blazoned as displayed."

• http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2007/09/07-09lar.html

Conflict:

July 1997 - oriental phoenix similar to Russian firebird

Uggedei Mighan Nidun. Badge. (Fieldless) An oriental phoenix rising, wings displayed and tail pavonated, maintaining in its talons a sprig of basil, gules.This badge had several problems. While blazoned as an oriental phoenix, it is quite similar to a Russian Firebird, and we would have no problem with reblazoning it as one. However, the bird was not in any blazonable position. Please advise the submitter when resubmitting to be avoid conflicting with John Milton (important non­SCA arms) Argent a double­headed eagle displayed gules., and Brandenberg, Argent, an eagle displayed gules, crowned Or. (07/1997)

• http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/jaelleret.html

September 1996 - phoenix might conflict with firebird

Colin Tyndall de ffrayser. Device. Gules, a phoenix within a double tressure Or. "This is being returned for a redraw. The tressure is far too thin, too thin for an instruction to the submitter to redraw the tressure. A possible conflict was called with Bogdan Borodets (SCA), Gules, a Russian firebird displayed Or, crested and its six tail-feathers each charged with a heart, all azure. Since this was returned for a redraw, that issue was not addressed." (09/1996) http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/jaelleret.html

April 1992 - no difference for firebird vs peacock:

[Firebird vs. Peacock] "After comparing the two emblazons, we found we could only grant one CD for the change to the posture [leaving no difference for type]" (LoAR 4/92 p.21).

• http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/daud/daud1bb.html

Identifiability:

September 2007 - displayed needs feet:

Syban Khal. Device. Sable, on a plate a Russian firebird volant palewise, facing sinister and wings displayed gules, all within a bordure rayonny argent. "...The firebird as drawn here lacks feet and thus cannot be blazoned as displayed." http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2007/09/07-09lar.html

December 1992 - bird composed of flame confused with bird and flame

[A "firebird"] The ...charge does not appear to be a valid period usage. It is not a Russian firebird; that is essentially a variant of peacock, is found in period art, and has been accepted for SCA use. As drawn here, the bird is composed of flame, which is unattested in either period art or period armory. Since it is so easily confused with either a bird or a flame, I must rule this "firebird" unacceptable, pending solid evidence of its period use [returned also for conflict] (Katharina von der Waldwiese, December, 1992, pg. 18) http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/bruce/bird-misc.html

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) - Collected Armory Precedents
• 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) - Collected Precedents

The [Ordinary:

• Firebird - see [Monster - Phoenix]