About the heraldic color pallet

[Sir Didymous]

I am now in the off season for my reenactment troop (We take the entire holiday season off to avoid scheduling conflicts). However recently a suggestion was made to expand our allowed colors in heraldic use. The recommendations were made to allow Tawny, Brunatre, Murrey, Sanguine, and Blau de Celest. I have been holding the traditionalist perspective of only the basics of Sable, Gules, Azure, Purpure, Vert, Or, and Argent. My logic is that Tawny, Murrey, and Sanguine are all considered stains and are only acceptable for use as livery colors. Brunatre is a color that should only be used in things that are best blazoned "proper"; or at least that's my opinion. Blau de Celest is a rather modern occurrence, and the only use I can find is some rowing team that has two oars in saltire one bladed regular blue and one light blue. There has also been a recommendation to use grey to represent anything blazoned as silver and white as the representation for argent, which just makes my brain scream. The idea is to allow a greater variety to our heraldic compositions, but I like the basic pallet. I don't want to seem mean, but most of these suggestions sound like they were made by people who are less than well studied on the subject. Does anyone here have any thoughts on the matter?

[SlackerDrummer]

Hold the line, Sir Didymous, hold the line!!

[Chas]

There is more than one point here.

The points are Time and Place. What time frame is being re-enacted and in what place?

Every Heraldic Authority throughout history has interpreted the very loosely constructed 'rules' in their own way. If a group is after accuracy then it must find out when the extra colours were introduced. The Canadian Heraldic Authority introduced Copper as a new metal - but only within the last 20 years! Any shield, supposedly from the 14th century with Copper charges would just look silly and deserve the laughter that it would undoubtedly receive.

Likewise is Place. Denmark, for example, does not recognise any stain. A friend of mine has a sanguine field to his shield. In his country it is blazoned as Gules and he has some emblazonments which are rusty red and some that are maroon. Anglo-centric countries use the 5 colour + 2 metal pallet, European nations have broadened it. But not in all directions - what was used in France was not used in the Germanic States.

Accuracy depends on Time and Place.

As an aside, Proper is usually improperly used. If it is important that a speckled or rainbow trout is depicted, rather than a common or brown trout then Proper should be used. If it is not important then it should not be used. An heraldic dolphin is always going to look better on a shield than 'a dolphin Proper'.

Bleu Celeste is often used by those who have Air Force connections. I would direct you to my avatar.