Fire steel (heraldry)
The fire steel is a rare common figure in heraldry . In descriptions of coats of arms , the fire steel is also called fire iron or rake iron . The term fire steel has been proven in heraldry as a name for the moon .
Two forms of representation of the fire steel have become established in heraldry: the first resembles a sloping crown, the second a pointed oval shape with or without a horizontal stripe.
The fire steel is already proven in the medal of the Golden Fleece of the Austrian order and also in the Spanish order of the same name. The motto of the order “Ante ferit quam flamma micat” (it hits before the spark sprays) refers to the fire steel. Various interpretations, such as a tool for trimming a horse's hoof, cannot be proven.
An example of a talking coat of arms is the coat of arms of the Fürstein or Feurstein and Feuerstein family, which in the upper coat of arms shows a fire steel held by a chamois .
Examples
Old coat of arms of Kauhava (Finland)
Alastaro Coat of Arms (Finland)
Porvoo coat of arms (Finland)
Coat of arms of Jarville-la-Malgrange (France)
Coat of arms of Lavau (France)
Clerval coat of arms (France)
Coat of arms of Voiteur (France)
See also
Web links
literature
- Ottfried Neubecker , Karl-August Wirth: Fire steel. In: Real Lexicon on German Art History . Volume 8: Rose window - varnish. Beck, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-406-14197-8 , Sp. 498-521, in particular Section II: Heraldik , Sp. 504 f.