Help with Morrison Crest

**McElmurry** · 3rd May 12, 07:57 AM

I volunteered my wife and myself to make a standard for Clan Morrison. I looked at other standards at the recent local games and most include the crest. I have found the crest rendered in various colors on the internet and I would like to use the correct colors. Here is a description of the crest taken from the Clan Morrison website.

…and on a Wreath of Liveries is set for crest issuant from waves of the sea Azure [blue] crested Argent [white] a Mount Vert [green], thereon an embattled wall Azure [blue], maisoned Argent [white], and issuing therefrom a cubit arm naked proper [natural], the hand grasping a dagger hilt Or [gold], and in Escrol over the same this Motto TEAGHLACH PHABBAY.

My questions are:

What color(s) is the wreath of Liveries? It is rendered many ways on the internet. I assume the liveries are in the first part of the description of the arms but I am not familiar enough with heraldry to interpret which part is the livery. The full description is here http://cmsna.x10hosting.com/public_html/chief.htm

Should the blue waves and the green mount be completely separated by the white wave crests?

Does embattled wall mean it has a battlement or it is under attack?

Does maisoned Argent mean the grout in the wall is white? Most I have seen are black.

The dagger hilt is gold. Is the dagger natural (silver)?

Should the strap be a particular color? I was thinking of using black with gold piping. The tartan will be Morrison Red ancient.

Thank you in advance for any help you might provide.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 3rd May 12, 08:39 AM

The livery colours are red and white (the first named colour (gules) and metal (argent); the wreath (or torse) is a twisted skein of cloth, of six equal sized segments, alternating white and red (ie: white, red, white, red, white, red). Normally the entire strap and buckle badge is rendered in silver-gray, representative of the "clan badge" worn on the bonnet. When reproduced in colour, the strap and buckle should be represented as proper-- the colour of leather with either a brass (or) or steel (argent) buckle and tab. The strap and motto are sometimes seen rendered in the livery colours (strap in colour, motto in metal).

Some chiefs have definite opinions regarding how their crest is depicted on banners and such, and in that instance I'd suggest that you send colour approval sketches to your chief for his input before you commit to making the banner.

**Chas** · 3rd May 12, 10:18 AM

This is a fair use, copyright free image of the Clan Morrison clan crest badge for reference and/or information, but is not allowed to be used for any commercial purposes.

The colouring of the torse is incorrect as is the masoning in the tower, but it could be used for accurate proportions.

Regards

Chas

**McElmurry** · 3rd May 12, 01:00 PM

Yes, I plan on sending a sketch up the chain of communication for approval. Is this one possible representation? I would have it redrawn using this as an example.

**Chas** · 7th May 12, 11:07 AM

Sorry to be tardy on this.

Yes, your example will work fine. The thing to remember with heraldry is that unless an item is specified 'exactly' then artistic licence is allowed. But even then, there can be great leeway - all blues are Azure and all reds are Gules. Strictly speaking the strap should be leather, but men learned over a thousand years ago how to dye it. So the colour is up to you. The buckle and furniture should be brass, but again, yours could be made out of silver or even gold.

This sounds like a fun exercise. It would be nice to see a photo-journal of it being made - step by step.

Regards

Chas

**McElmurry** · 8th May 12, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by Chas

This sounds like a fun exercise. It would be nice to see a photo-journal of it being made - step by step.

Regards

Chas

Step one is to make a pattern. I started with the crest badge from the banner on the Clan Morrison website, which is black and white, and I am in the process of adding color. The pattern doesn’t have to be perfect it just has to provide the general outline for the pieces but it does give a sense for how the final product will look. This is definitely stretching my nearly non-existent artistic abilities. Luckily, for this project, fine detail is not needed at this point. The hardest part so far has been the hand; a real hand can’t actually be positioned the way it is shown on the original. Here is the progress so far. I have mostly been working on the crest so the belt is still pretty fuzzy.

**McElmurry** · 14th May 12, 08:00 AM

OK, here is the general idea so far. We have a choice of tartans but this is the one the chiefs have worn. Now it is off to the fabric store to find material to make the crest badge.

**azwildcat96** · 14th May 12, 09:58 AM

As a Morrison, I would be interested in marching with this banner, or helping out at a Clan tent. I currently attend several games in Arizona, Nevada, and Southern California, but may be expanding to some of the Northern California games, so maybe our paths will cross in the future.

**georgeetta** · 20th May 12, 12:52 PM

hello and greetings,
ma was a morrison. The old old badge I always saw (I think he gave to her in 50's when she came to USA) was 3 heads ..saracens they were called ..many of the morrison groups on east side of scotland use that badge ..fyi . motto: prudentia prae- prestat ..roughly perks after labor . ..I mind my granda talking to her about it ..we grew up ..just with the blue green taran now called ancient ..'s what i grew with ..so that's that .

the southern (west) morrisons are said to be irish near Harris ..the Lewis ones are norse so they say ..the easterners are said to be ..old stock (pictish/lowland) or some say french ..be nice to see the dna reports they into in the clan project thing ..

have a nice day .
Dave

**McElmurry** · 22nd May 12, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by azwildcat96

As a Morrison, I would be interested in marching with this banner, or helping out at a Clan tent. I currently attend several games in Arizona, Nevada, and Southern California, but may be expanding to some of the Northern California games, so maybe our paths will cross in the future.

The clan currently has a tent at two events in Northern California, Woodland at the end of April and Pleasanton at the beginning of September. This is the second year for the new conveners in Northern California and I am sure they would appreciate any help. Their contact info is in the newsletter or you can PM me. My wife and I will be attending Pleasanton in the fall so maybe we will see you there. I hope your transition back to the Golden State is as smooth as possible.