Would you ever wear a feather in your cap, particularly in the U.S.?

[creagdhubh]

I am armigerous. I wear a feather occasionally--not often-- especially if I am acting in any sort of official capacity. I prefer not to wear an eagle feather because my crest badge is clear evidence of my status as an armiger.

PS. I didn't vote, because there wasn't a choice that read: "Yes, as an armiger I sometimes wear an eagle feather in my bonnet."

Quite right Sandy and I agree with you!

[creagdhubh]

Foreign armigers visiting Scotland are not required to conform to Scottish heraldic practice unless they take up residency (which would include owing a holiday home) or open a business that will display their arms. In most places outside of Scotland little or no notice (official or otherwise) is taken of personal heraldry.



If the Spanish armiger is of Scottish ancestry and wearing the tartan of the clan to which he is allied by surname, then yes, as an armiger he would be considered a duine uasail within his clan and thus accorded the right to feathers. However, if Sr. Gomez showed up wearing Childers Universal Tartan (or that of a recognized clan) then he would have no entitlement to feathers as he would not be considered a duine uasail of a clan, so, in this instance it would not be appropriate for him to wear tall feathers.

That's it in a nut shell--- in the framework of Scottish cultural traditions one either respects those traditions, or one doesn't. Simple as that.

Wonderful Scott, well stated mate.

[creagdhubh]

At least the MacMillan of the bunch is "plume-less"!

David

Same with the Macpherson in the bunch!

[Cygnus]

Foreign armigers visiting Scotland are not required to conform to Scottish heraldic practice unless they take up residency (which would include owing a holiday home) or open a business that will display their arms. In most places outside of Scotland little or no notice (official or otherwise) is taken of personal heraldry.

Just out of curiosity - if the hypothetical Sr. Gomez did own a vacation home and/or business and intended to display his arms, would he be required to register said arms with Lyon Court or would the fact that his arms are registered with another (foreign) governmental heraldic office be sufficient?

[ThistleDown]

Just out of curiosity - if the hypothetical Sr. Gomez did own a vacation home and/or business and intended to display his arms, would he be required to register said arms with Lyon Court or would the fact that his arms are registered with another (foreign) governmental heraldic office be sufficient?

I'll leave Rathdown to provide a more precise answer, if he will, but I can tell you from a practical viewpoint that Lord Lyon would not. Unless a Scots armiger registered a complaint with Lyon, Sr Gomez could display his arms as a rustic carving at the entrance to his wee cottage, on his gold-embossed stationery, stencilled on the door of his Citroen Galloping Rucksack or as a very personal tattoo. Lyon Court won't require, out of the blue, that he register it. But, as I said in an earlier post, neither will the Lyon Court accept that other-jurisdiction as sufficient for registry in Scotland.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Just out of curiosity - if the hypothetical Sr. Gomez did own a vacation home and/or business and intended to display his arms, would he be required to register said arms with Lyon Court or would the fact that his arms are registered with another (foreign) governmental heraldic office be sufficient?

Generally speaking, a foreign registration of arms is not sufficient for their use in Scotland.

Broadly speaking the position of foreign registered arms in Scotland is the same as a foreign registered motorcar. If one is just passing through then there is no need to register one's car (or coat of arms) in Scotland. If, however, one takes up residence then the car (and the arms) must be registered or the owner may face statutory penalties for being in breach of the law should he use either the unregistered car or the unregistered arms in public.

(For what it's worth, and as Rex pointed out, one is apt to get into a lot more trouble over driving an unregistered Citroen Galloping Rucksack on The Queen's Highway than having an unregistered coat of arms stencilled on the door of the car. )

[Cygnus]

Thank you for your answer, MacMillan of Rathdown.

And for those who have joked about wearing ostrich feathers, I came across this passage describing the Highlanders in London involved in a procession on Dec. 18th 1820:

"In the number were several gentlemen, we understand, of very high rank in the army, and some connected with distinguished characters in the Senate, and at the Bar. They were all in full Highland dress, each having a tartan jacket and kilt, with the plaid in rich folds over the shoulder; hose, pouch, black velvet stock, and bonnet blue, decorated with the eagle plume, mingled with ostrich feathers..."
Introduction to the The Book of the Club of True Highlanders pg. ii (emphasis added)

I thought it was an interesting historical description of how and when those who were entitled to wear feathers wore them.

[beloitpiper]

Trachten hats from Austria and Bavaria traditionally will have a gamsbart, made from the lower neck hair of a chamois.

T.

My grandfather's, which I inherited, is made from badger hair.

[macwilkin]

My grandfather's, which I inherited, is made from badger hair.

Very nice, Greg. I'd love to see a photo of your grandfather's Trachten hat.

T.

[artificer]

My grandfather's, which I inherited, is made from badger hair.

You lucky devil! My uncle ended up with my Grandfather's hat (his dad, so I can't exactly hold it against him )