Heraldic Beasts?

[Mike_Oettle]

Like Rathdown, I suspect that what Mark E is describing is a coat of arms, rather than a crest.
Although the word crest is commonly used to describe anything remotely heraldic, it is actually the topmost part of a heraldic achievement.
It sits on the helmet, which is why it has a crest-wreath (or torse) below it, or alternatively a crown or coronet of some sort.
This was because the crest was actually modelled and bolted to the helmet, and something was needed to conceal the bolts.
Crests are on occasion quite detailed (although that is usually the outcome of bad heraldic design), but generally they comprise a single charge, which can be animal, vegetable or mineral, and is quite often human (a head, a hand, sometimes a whole body, but more usually part of a body – the head and shoulders, or from the waist up).
The crest is commonly put on signets because it is a small emblem (by comparison with the shield and other elements in an achievement) and can more effectively be rendered at that size.
The more familiar use of the crest in Scottish dress is as a badge – when worn within a strap and buckle it is the sign of a clansman, and wearing it signifies submission to the authority of the chief whose crest it is.
Regards,
Mike

[Bugbear]

All right, as suggested by MacMillan of Rathdown, this site has reprinted extracts from W. Cecil Wade's The Symbolisms of Heraldry or A Treatise on the Meanings and Derivations of Armorial Bearings.
Symbolisms of Heraldry - Deeper Meanings of Heraldic Tinctures, Lines and Charges
And here is the full text over at Internet Archive:
Full text of "The symbolisms of heraldry : or, A treatise on the meanings and derivations of armorial bearings," by W. Cecil Wade. (IA)
That is to the page that comes up on a google search.

[Bugbear]

Hmmm, I wonder if anyone has used a blue maltese tiger...

* Sorry, now that I think about it, that might be a little like asking if anyone has used a sasquach on their arms.

I've been looking up some of the beasts in the Cecil Wade book,; it's very interesting. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Mike_Oettle]

Well, Bugbear, since you mention a blue tiger (Maltese, at that!), I thought I would mention that my crest is a blue kudu.
The kudu (also called the greater kudu, or Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a popular charge in South African arms, and to avoid the possibility that I was duplicating someone else’s crest, I used armorial rather than natural colours. My kudu’s horns are gold. The pair of kudu horns I have lying on my roof is almost black.
Regards,
Mike

[Bugbear]

Well, Bugbear, since you mention a blue tiger (Maltese, at that!), I thought I would mention that my crest is a blue kudu.
The kudu (also called the greater kudu, or Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a popular charge in South African arms, and to avoid the possibility that I was duplicating someone else’s crest, I used armorial rather than natural colours. My kudu’s horns are gold. The pair of kudu horns I have lying on my roof is almost black.
Regards,
Mike

Cecil Wade's book says gold is associated with "generosity and elevation of mind" and blue is associated with "loyalty and truth." It looks like that is on page 26 at that link I posted back there; the scan of the book is not pristine...

[Downunder Kilt]

I would like to wager a florin that a Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine) has never been used as an heraldic beast.

[Mike_Oettle]

Well, Mike, I think you might lose your florin, but I cannot call a devil charge to mind at the moment.
(For those who don’t know, a florin was the name given to a two-shilling silver coin. Originally it referred to a silver coin minted in Florence.)
I know someone who has a numbat in his arms.

And Bugbear, that symbolism for the colour blue rings true. I knew there had to be a reason why it is my favourite colour!
Regards,
Mike

[Bugbear]

Well, I guess that settles the Tasmanian tiger controversy.

Tiger Colours -- The maltese or blue tiger
That is the blue maltese tiger to which I refered. Not a tiger from the island of Malta, just in case my post was confusing.

[Bugbear]

I have relatives who hunt mudbugs...

Here's the story of why MacLowlife has a lobster on his crest.

MacLowlife takes his hot date to a seafood restaurant one evening, and there is an aquarium in which two lobsters await their grim fait. One lobster seems to be taking up the middle of the aquarium and the other, who looks a little skinny, is huddled up in a corner with his little eyes pressed to the glass.

MacLowlife's date says, "oh, that's so sad, look at the lobsters..."

So MacLowlife steps up to the aquarium, taps the glass, and points to the skinny lobster in the corner, saying, "I'm going to eat you, grrrr," then shows him his teeth: chop, chop, chop!

MacLowlife's date gasps!
The skinny lobster screams and says, "oh no! The Big blurry monster is going to eat me," and the big lobster in the middle of the aquarium laughs, "ha ha! Their going to eat you. Their going to boil you alive and pull your skinny little legs off."

The Skinny lobster says, "oh no..." and faints; just then the cook steps up behind the aquarium with the lobster tongs, clicking them with a fiendish grin.

MacLowlife's date says, "did you hear what that lobster said? Bad lobster! We'll have the big one in the middle of the tank., and make sure you pull his legs off before you boil him!"

As MacLowlife and his date walk away to be seated, He turns back to the skinny lobster and gives a thumbs up. The lobster winks back as he stretches out across the middle of the tank.


Thus the lounging lobster crest.

[MacLowlife]

Yeah and it was GOOD, but I didn't eat any of the little legs. Well, only one or two. If memory serves, there is a bar in Waterville , Ireland, with a big sign out front featuring a lobster hoisting a big brown pint. A crustacean after my own heart.