The Single Eagle Feather

[Woot22]

Just a quick question about something that sort of popped in my head the other day. First let me say that although I think coats of arms and what not are really neat, I have absolutely no plans on attaining one myself. So this question is strictly academic in nature. If someone attained a coat of arms through legit means, that is to say, the Lord Lyon or some other sanctioned body. And now you can wear the single eagle feather on your bonnet, can you only wear the feather behind the the badge that is related to your new coat of arms? That is to say, if you were wearing a Forbes clan badge, or which ever clan badge, before you had a coat of arms, can you now wear the eagle feather behind your clan badge as well? Just curious if that was considered okay or if once you had your own coat of arms you no longer wore the clan badge. Hope that is not too confusing, it all makes sense in my own head I promise.

[cessna152towser]

One you have your personal Arms, it is unlikely you would wish to wear your clan badge on your cap in preference to your personal Arms, so the question is indeed probably academic.
As it is illegal to purchase eagle feathers here in Scotland, I got a cap badge specially made which incorporates my Personal Arms and an ornamental silver small eagle feather, as is normal practice nowadays with Armigers appointed in recent times.

[Woot22]

But could you, I guess legally speaking, wear an eagle feather behind your clan badge? I just it seemed interesting is all, that you might be "allowed" to wear an eagle feather with a clan badge that you may only have very negligible association with, for instance if you were one of the many sept family names under a larger clan.

[Carlo]

From what I read, the eagle feather says that the wearer does have his own arms.
If he wears his own arms/badge why would he nead a feather? The badge would show it.
On the other hand you might want to be recognisable as a member of a clan and therefore wear the clan badge. At that time it makes sense to wear the feather to show that you would have your own arms.

Obviously I might be wrong. What I'm saying is, that from my point of view the feather makes more sense when worn with the clan badge.

[Woot22]

From what I read, the eagle feather says that the wearer does have his own arms.
If he wears his own arms/badge why would he nead a feather? The badge would show it.
On the other hand you might want to be recognisable as a member of a clan and therefore wear the clan badge. At that time it makes sense to wear the feather to show that you would have your own arms.

Obviously I might be wrong. What I'm saying is, that from my point of view the feather makes more sense when worn with the clan badge.

Yeah, actually that does make sense putting it that. I always just thought it would seem odd to wear the feather with a clan badge because of the ambiguous nature as to the history of septs and extended families in clans. But when you put it like that I agree it actually makes more sense to wear it with a clan badge.

[Hawk]

Let me add just a tidbit of info here in reference wearing one here in the "states".
Unless you are an Indigenous Tribal person and have the right to have with you or use a Eagle Feather in the practice of your tribal religion/traditions, you can be fined ($10,000 plus) and even jailed for possessing one. So, simply, unless you are in the above category, don't even consider it. On the other hand, if you have a representation of a eagle feather ( ie, artificial/faux ) that's up to whatever cultural rules that apply to you otherwise ( ie, Scottish, Wales, French, Australian, or whatever...).

Just my 2 cents as a traditional native man.....

Hawk

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Just a quick question about something that sort of popped in my head the other day. First let me say that although I think coats of arms and what not are really neat, I have absolutely no plans on attaining one myself. So this question is strictly academic in nature. If someone attained a coat of arms through legit means, that is to say, the Lord Lyon or some other sanctioned body. And now you can wear the single eagle feather on your bonnet, can you only wear the feather behind the the badge that is related to your new coat of arms?

No, you may wear a real feather behind your clan badge if you so choose.

That is to say, if you were wearing a Forbes clan badge, or which ever clan badge, before you had a coat of arms, can you now wear the eagle feather behind your clan badge as well? Just curious if that was considered okay or if once you had your own coat of arms you no longer wore the clan badge. Hope that is not too confusing, it all makes sense in my own head I promise.

An armiger has two options when it comes to the badge worn on his bonnet. He may wear his own badge, with or without an attached metal feather, or he may wear an ordinary clan badge. What he should not do is affix a small metal feather to the clan badge, although he may, when appropriate, wear an actual feather behind either the clan badge or his personal crest badge.

[creagdhubh]

No, you may wear a real feather behind your clan badge if you so choose.


An armiger has two options when it comes to the badge worn on his bonnet. He may wear his own badge, with or without an attached metal feather, or he may wear an ordinary clan badge. What he should not do is affix a small metal feather to the clan badge, although he may, when appropriate, wear an actual feather behind either the clan badge or his personal crest badge.

I have also seen armigers and clan chiefs wear only their crest and wreath (in metal form, obviously) on their bonnet with the appropriate number of real feathers tucked behind it.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I have also seen armigers and clan chiefs wear only their crest and wreath (in metal form, obviously) on their bonnet with the appropriate number of real feathers tucked behind it.

Some of the seriously expensive badges have feathers than can be removed when real feathers are called for.

[Harold Cannon]

I have also noticed too that many chiefs wear their crest badge with metal feathers along with real feathers behind it.