Using Data to Identify La Rose's Work

The seal of the Missionary District of the Philippine Islands.  Most likely designed by la Rose between 1913-1917.  Image is from DeKay (1993).

As my research on Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) progresses, I recently discovered another coat of arms within the theme of the "cross in national colors," found in the arms for the Missionary District of the Philippine Islands of the Episcopal Church.  This new discovery seemed oddly perfect for a coat of arms designed by la Rose.  Rendering the cross in various forms combining red, white, or blue is a key theme found in several designs for arms la Rose created.  For a full analysis on the theme of the "cross in national colors," please click here to the article. 

Currently, I am unable to locate any evidence as to who designed the arms and seal.  Using the data that I have been collecting since 2014, I am able to analyze several elements to render a verdict.  

Firstly, the district was formed in 1901 and its status changed in 1937--dates that all nicely fit within la Rose's lifetime.  That piece of information, however, is too easy and the researcher must dig deeper.  Yes, the engraving above is a dead-ringer of la Rose's work with the lombardic font and artistic layout.  But, we need more information!  With limited access to the district's complete series of journals online, I have pieced together the following information to inform my attribution to la Rose. 

Architectural rendering of the seal in full color. 
Image is from Wikipedia.

According to the missionary district's annual reports that are accessible, reports for the years 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913, there is no use of the seal or mention of its adoption.  However, a very interesting fact surfaced in my review of these documents.  In Missionary District of the Philippine Islands (1913), noted Boston architect Richard Clipston Sturgis (1860-1951) is mentioned twice for preparing architectural designs for St. Luke's in Manila (page 11 and 36).  

In 1910, Sturgis and la Rose worked together for the architectural rendering of arms for the Brookline Public Library in Massachusetts.  Click here to read my story about the arms of Brookline Public Library.  Thus, it is likely that if Sturgis needed a coat of arms for his architectural rendering for St. Luke's in 1913, he would have already known la Rose's capabilities.   

Date-wise, we can presume these arms were likely designed after 1913 and very probably around 1916 given la Rose's unique design for the Diocese of Maryland and it's cathedral as noted in Diocesan Convention of Maryland (1916).  Other than The Rev. John Abel Nainfa, S.S. (1878-1938) no one else in the US was designing arms using the quarterly-counterchanged cross method in the early 20th Century.  Nainfa designed the arms for the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America in 1918 (La Rose, 1918) and la Rose blazoned these arms, "argent, a cross quarterly azure and gules" (pg. 193). 

The arms of the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (Maryknoll) devised by The Reverend John A. Nainfa, S.S. in 1918.  Nainfa was a dedicated partner early on with la Rose.
Image source from La Rose (1918).

Moreover, the cathedral for the missionary district--in place and referred to in the annual reports--is named the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. John in Manila.  The silver/white star in the coat is very likely a reference to either the Philippine's status vis a vis the US or the Blessed Virgin Mary, a unique method employed by la Rose.  

In my data of more than 200 corporate coats, I have 19 diocesan coats designed by la Rose where he uses a charge or certain tinctures as a reference to the patron saint of the see's cathedral.  Another example can be found in my analysis of the arms of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.  Click here to read my analysis of the arms of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

La Rose's painting of the proposed arms for the Episcopal Diocese of New York.  The arms were never adopted.  Note the mitre.  Image is from Facebook and found in the Archives of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York.

The mitre used in the vesica piscis is unique to la Rose.  In a letter from September 3, 1912 to The Rt. Rev. David Hummell Greer (1844-1919), Episcopal Bishop of New York, la Rose provides sketches for possible arms for the Diocese of New York to consider, see above.  The letter is housed in the archives of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York.  As he closes the letter to the bishop, la Rose addresses the mitre he prefers to use as the external ornament placed above the shield:

"The mitre on my drawing [proposed coat of arms for the Episcopal Diocese of New York] is copied with very slight modification from those on the roll of peers dated 1515 in the Herald's College [College of Arms, London], a type which has crystallised and become now practically their official heraldic form for a mitre, and here we are concerned only with the mitre from the point of view of heraldry, not of archeology or liturgies" (Letter from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose to the Right Reverend David H. Greer).

When viewing la Rose's painting above for the Episcopal Diocese in New York (note that it's dated 1912), it is the exact same mitre used for the Diocese as Maryland as can be seen below.  I've added the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette (La Rose, 1923, 407-408), designed in 1923, to illustrate that la Rose did not discriminate between denominations.  La Rose would adorn countless diocesan coats with this exact mitre.  

Over the years, la Rose would rework and change up the mitre a bit and I have a few examples in my data of his evolving style.  Artistically, notice the curvature of the top of the shields shown in New York, Maryland, and Marquette.  Notice how the mitre fits rather snuggly on top of the escutcheon--these details are characteristic of la Rose and his obsession with decoration and elegance.  

Finally, la Rose was no stranger to the Philippines.  He devised arms for the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Tuguegarao in 1911 (La Rose, 1911, 8-9) and Zamboanga in 1917 (La Rose, 1917, 624-625).  

To review all known data for the arms of the Missionary District of the Philippine Islands:  we have the right dates for la Rose, we have the simplicity of the design, the design matches a key theme of la Rose's work, we have a named architect who la Rose worked with around the same time, we know of other arms designed in the Philippines around the time, and we have a match with the style of mitre used by la Rose.  Data does not lie.  Thus, given all of this information, I proudly give la Rose credit for the arms of Missionary District of the Philippine Islands.  

DeKay (1993) gives the blazon as, "quarterly gules and argent, a cross counterchanged, in dexter chief a mullet of the second" (pg. 87).

La Rose's painting of the arms for the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and designed in 1916.

La Rose's painting of the arms for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette in Marquette, Michigan.  Designed in 1923 (La Rose, 1923).

One prevailing criticism of DeKay's (1993) work is that it lacks citations.  At no point in his book will the reader find references to his data.  I remember receiving my copy back in 2006, and like most amateur students of heraldry, I simply loved thumbing through all the pictures.  It never once occurred to me back then to look for references. 

In DeKay (1993), there are several coats designed by la Rose in which DeKay does not mention the designer.  Those coats designed by la Rose and unattributed by DeKay (1993) are in my data and verified with sources.  Thus, here is what I find rather ironic.  In his early section which describes the heraldic artists who dominated the landscape within the Episcopal Church, DeKay writes:

"Among the seals he [la Rose] designed for dioceses of the Episcopal Church are those for the Dioceses of Springfield, Quincy, Lexington, Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts, Michigan, West Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, Spokane, and Milwaukee.  

Truly Mr. LaRose has left his mark.  These are listed in the same order as they appear in this book, so that you may browse through the diocesan section and spot them.  His style will become immediately apparent so that you will easily recognize a LaRose design when you see one..." (DeKay, 1993, 14).

Clearly, la Rose's style was not apparent to some, and I readily admit to passing over la Rose's arms for the Missionary District of the Philippine Islands many times in the past.  I was taught in my master's program at Sewanee to be kind and charitable towards all authors as a sign of respect for their work and contributions.  DeKay does give us a great overview of heraldry in the Episcopal Church as he makes an important contribution in advancing the literature on the subject.  Furthermore, we have the benefit in 2023 of a great many works digitized and easy to search.  Primary sources are readily available today thanks to the internet.  So, I will be kind.  Though, as I've said to my students in the past, cite everything.

Works Cited

DeKay, Eckford (1993).  Heraldry in the Episcopal Church.  Acorn Press. 

Diocesan Convention of Maryland (1916).  Journal of the one hundred and thirty-third annual convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Maryland.  Diocese of Maryland.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1923).  Recent episcopal arms.  In H.J. Heuser (Ed.), The Ecclesiastical Review, vol. 69(October), 407-408.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1918).  Some examples of corporate Catholic heraldry.  In H.J. Heuser (Ed.), The Ecclesiastical Review, vol. 55(February), 189-198.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1917).  Some recent episcopal coats of arms.  In H.J. Heuser (Ed.), The Ecclesiastical Review, vol. 56(June), 624-625.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1912 September 3).  Letter from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose to The Right Reverend David H. Greer.  Unpublished letter.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1911).  The arms of his Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. In H.J. Heuser (Ed.), The Ecclesiastical Review, vol. 5(45), 8-9.

Missionary District of the Philippine Islands (1913).  Journal of the tenth annual convocation of the Missionary District of the Philippine Islands.  Missionary District of the Philippine Islands.

Heraldry and Discord: A Generous Community

 

The first digital emblazonment of the arms of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) after his 1895 bookplate.  Digital rendering by "vErmines Love Supreme" and Encyclopedia Heraldica August 11, 2023. 

Several weeks ago, a friend of mine in the heraldry community suggested that I join the Discord server in order to participate with the Heraldry group there.  Previously, my social media interactions were limited to several vibrant Facebook groups, where each group has a particular focus--American Heraldry Society, Ecclesiastical Heraldry, Scholastic Heraldry (the group I founded during the pandemic), the Royal Canadian Heraldry Society, etc.  Click here to join the Facebook group on scholastic heraldry.  I took my friend's suggestion and downloaded Discord to my phone, set up an account, and was live in the group.  Immediately, and much to my suprise, I discovered that the community on Discord was extremely active, supportive, and engaged.

Based on my experiences with both Facebook heraldry groups and now Discord, there are several notable comparisons.  Facebook heraldry groups tend to skew towards an older audience.  Typically, I've observed sharper comments regarding posts, arguments between members, etc.  Generally speaking, however, these Facebook groups stay on point for whichever heraldic topic is the focus.  Because the members are older, they do offer deeper insights to heraldic conundrums, can quickly correct an error in a blazon, and connect histories and themes for given arms.  

The arms of the Heraldry Discord Server, created on May 24, 2022 and rendered by "ET72."

Discord, so far as I've seen, is much younger.  There is a ton of digital artists who will quickly, and I mean quickly, emblazon anything.  This experience gives me the feeling that heraldry is alive, it's real, and to see folks engaging with the subject in new and creative ways is truly palpable.  As an aside, I feel like even the arms of the group as seen above, wonderfully illustrates my point.  

The arms are blazoned: Per saltire Gules and Azure, a fret between two escutcheons in pale Argent and as many bees in fess proper.  The crest is blazoned: A demi-pantheon Azure charged with a semy of estoiles Argent and gorged of a coronet of oak-leaves Or, bearing in the forelegs a torch Gules enflamed Or. And the supporters are blazoned:  Two lions rampant regardant, the dexter Argent, the sinister Gules, both armed and langued Azure and gorged of coronets of oak-leaves Or.

Even the motto is on point: "By the arms knowst thou the man."

Case in point:  I asked in one subgroup to see if anyone was willing to take a shot at emblazoning the arms of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), as I've yet to encounter a colored emblazonment (much less a digital one) anywhere.  I shared the blazon that I created based on la Rose's 1895 bookplate, an image of the bookplate, as well as my own line drawing.  For more background, please click here to read my previous post on la Rose's arms.  Within 24 hours, two members took up the challenge and rendered unique digital emblazonments.  Much to my delight, both arms look authentic, alive, and frankly beautiful.  Thank you Schnitzel, Herzog von Westfalen and vErmines Love Supreme.

The blazon that I give la Rose's arms as they appeared on his 1895 bookplate is: Azure, a lion rampant Or langued Gules and charged on the shoulder with a rose of the third barbed and seeded proper, holding in dexter arm a sword proper.  Motto:  Fortiter et Suaviter (Firmly and gently). 

So, I highly recommend joining Discord and the vibrant heraldry community there!  You won't be disappointed.  

Another digital emblazonment rendered by "Schnitzel, Herzog von Westfalen" on August 11, 2023.  I absolutely love the lion's expression.  It's almost like the lion is supplicating!  Amazing detail! 

My line drawing of la Rose's arms as they appeared in 1895, drawn on June 9, 2020.

The bookplate of Pierre de Chaignon la Rose from the Houghton Library, Harvard, 1895

Look to the Seal: An Analysis of Select Works by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose

 

The arms of Notre Dame of Maryland University as depicted in stained glass from the university's chapel.  Image source:  Notre Dame of Maryland University website.

In my ongoing research on Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941), I have learned a great deal about the art and science of heraldry.  Now going on nearly 10 years, I have trained my eyes to look for certain elements in an organizational coat to determine whether or not la Rose designed the arms in question.  Through this method, I discovered one corporate coat of arms that took me down a winding trail, only to discover that the arms were designed not long after la Rose's death by a former student.  

One "dead ringer" is finding a coat of arms within a seal matrix surrounded by the institutional name rendered in Latin, especially if the school was founded in the early part of the 20th Century.  Since many schools that la Rose rendered designs for arms have since closed and their archives scattered or lost, I am incredibly grateful that many of these seals are illustrated with hatch-work for the purpose of blazoning these arms.

Recently, I came across the seal and arms for Notre Dame of Maryland University located in Baltimore, Maryland--immediately alarm bells went off suggesting la Rose may have designed these arms.  Following an email exchange with the university's archives, I had an answer affirming my suspicion. 

Founded in 1873, Notre Dame of Maryland was a college at the time of la Rose's involvement in designing their seal and arms, and represents la Rose's first Roman Catholic academic commission.  La rose designed the arms first in 1914 and then created the seal by 1920 (J. Kinniff, personal communication, August 8, 2023).

Based on my data regarding la Rose's heraldic work for colleges and universities, la Rose's first commission was to provide three draft sketches of arms for the University of Chicago in 1910, followed by his second commission for a seal and arms for Rice University in 1912.  Please click here to read about mistaken identity in the arms for the University of Chicago.

Rice University was, however, la Rose's first academic seal.  His original work for the seal and arms of Rice University can be seen below, and note his signature which "authenticates" it.  If the reader is counting, Notre Dame of Maryland's arms represents la Rose's first Roman Catholic scholastic coat of arms and his third overall for colleges and universities.

In 1910, la Rose received his landmark Roman Catholic commission to design arms for the Archdioceses of Baltimore and Boston, and it most likely that this commission led to la Rose's involvement with Notre Dame of Maryland (La Rose, 1911).  Please click here to read about la Rose's commission in 1910 for the Archdioceses of Baltimore and Boston. 

The arms la Rose designed for Notre Dame of Maryland is blazoned: 

A modern rendering of
the seal and arms
of Notre Dame of Maryland.
Image source: 
Notre Dame of Maryland University
 website.

Quarterly azure and argent, a cross bottony throughout quarterly of the first and second, in dexter canton a rose barbed and seeded of the second.  

Moreover, Notre Dame of Maryland's arms illustrates one of la Rose's methods for suitably differencing a corporate coat of arms.  Please click here to learn more about la Rose's first method for showing unification and differencing in corporate heraldry.  

For Notre Dame of Maryland, la Rose used the cross bottony (from the Lord Baltimore's arms) and the colors white and blue, all found in the archdiocese's coat.  He differenced the quartering on the cross bottony and added a white rose as the symbol for the Blessed Virgin Mary, whereas in the arms for the archdiocese, la Rose used the white star to represent both the Blessed Virgin Mary as well as the state of Maryland.  

La Rose (1911) explains the star used in the arms of the Archdiocese of Baltimore:

"in addition to the cross of Faith, in this its peculiarly Baltimorean form [cross bottony], there remained Our Lady to be more definitely symbolized.  At once the star suggested itself to me, as being not only one of the titles and attributes of Our Lady, but also the accepted symbol of an American state" (5).

The colors white and blue, the cross bottony, the quartering, and the dexter canton charge ties Notre Dame of Maryland to the Archdiocese of Baltimore in a uniquely "la Rosian" style.  In my data, I have numerous examples of how la Rose would continue this method for suitably differencing institutions under the authority of another.

By definition, an organization's corporate seal serves as the signature for authenticating documents.  Within the academy, most encounter the seal on a diploma, attesting the graduate's completion of requirements for the degree earned.  Moreover, seals do not have to be heraldic either, consider the vast sea of seals of the US states.  La Rose sympathizes with the pervasive confusion that exists in most American minds believing a "seal" and a "coat of arms" to be synonymous (La Rose, 1917, 190).  

La Rose (1917) gives an example of why an organization would want to bear arms while demurring the current state of corporate heraldry at that time:

"A seminary is to be built, let us say, in traditional 'collegiate gothic.'  Above the portal the architect wishes to place several well cut shields...finally the architect clamors for the heraldry of the seminary itself.  

"'Oh yes,' muses the Rector, 'we have a seal,' and produces a stamp...[read a non-heraldic seal]" (191). 

La Rose continues in the article to describe the plight of the poor architect who now has to devise arms for the fictional seminary in order to complete the interior decoration of the building.  Through this example, we in fact learn how la Rose likely got his start as a herald.  The majority of la Rose's earlier commissions came by way of his friend Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942), the noted American architect and father of "collegiate gothic."  One limitation in my data is that I cannot explain why la Rose used gothic tracery in his seal for Notre Dame of Maryland, as no gothic buildings exist on campus. 

With an increasing interest from institutions to adopt coats of arms, La Rose (1917) adds:  

"In short, it is often useful, as well as very pleasant, to have a corporate coat-of-arms for a religious institution irrespective of whether or not it is to be used on the institution's seal.  In the first place, it is a valuable architectural decoration...where a seal would be wholly out of place.  

"And it is largely for this reason that many corporate bodies are reverting to the ancient use of corporate heraldry, not from any snobbish, 'aristocratic' impulse--for corporate heraldry as such never had any 'aristocratic' implications whatever, but from a natural desire to avail themselves of a traditional decorative means of adding to the beauty, dignity, and significance of their environment" (192).

Beauty, dignity, and significance are three extremely great reasons for a corporate body to possess arms.  Many schools and universities employ their seals on souvenirs as a decoration, even when seemingly inappropriate.  

An example of a non-heraldic corporate
seal set within a vesica piscis, that of
Sewanee: The University of the South.
Note the descending dove.
Image source:
The University of the South website.

In 1956, Richard Bland Mitchell (1887-1961), the Episcopal Bishop of Arkansas, pressured Sewanee: The University of the South to stop using the legal corporate seal to, "validate souvenir china" (McCrady, 1982, page 29).  The bishop was successful in rallying the university's governing board to his cause and stated that the board, "objected to the Holy Ghost descending into beer mugs" (McCrady, 1982, page 29).  

Sewanee's corporate and non-heraldic seal contains a descending dove representing the Holy Ghost.  Undoubtedly, Dr. James Warring McCrady (b.1938) used the bishop's argument to devise arms for the university in 1981.  Please click here to learn about Dr. McCrady's designs for the heraldry of The University of the South.  It's funny to read the bishop's objection now in 2023, but a great reason for institutions to use heraldry as a decoration rather than the legal corporate seal.

Below is a snippet of seals designed by la Rose in chronological order.  I have endeavored to find as close as possible la Rose's submitted design work, as opposed to any modern digital creations.  Again, notice the heraldic hatching which helps guide the blazoning of arms.  

Based on my experience so far, a lot of these institutions have either lost, modernized their arms for marketing purposes, or simply do not have a blazon in their archives.  Alas, heraldic hatching saves students of heraldry the headache of attempting to interpret the coat as the designer intended.  

The seal of Rice University in Houston, TX designed in 1912.  After his sketches for the University of Chicago in 1910, Rice was la Rose's second academic coat, but his first academic seal.

Azure, two chevronels argent between as many Athenian Owls of the second

The seal of St. Mary's Seminary and University (Roman Catholic) in Baltimore, MD designed in 1917 (La Rose, 1918). Note how la Rose went with a new scheme for displaying the cross bottony.

Per bend or and sable, on a bend argent three crosses bottonny of the second; on a chief azure, between two stars of six points argent, the Badge of the Society of Saint Sulpice in the United States

The seal of St. John's Seminary (Roman Catholic) in Boston, MA designed in 1917 (La Rose, 1918).  The "aureoled" eagle is a symbol for St. John.  The trimount in base is la Rose's way of canting Boston.  La Rose (1911) offers this: "Boston at one time having been called, in early Chancery documents, Tremontinensis" (5).  The trimount can found in countless Boston-area arms devised by la Rose.

Gules, an eagle displayed argent, aureoled or, above a trimount of the last

The seal of Boston College in Boston, MA designed in 1917 (La Rose, 1918).  Boston College's arms are the only coat la Rose employed Greek for the text on the open book.  There are a few examples of Greek letters, such as "alpha" and "omega" that he used for other coats.

Gules, above a trimount in base or, an open book argent edged of the second, thereon an inscription (in Greek, "ever to excel"); on a chief sable between two crowns composed of alternate crosses patty and fleurs-de-lis or, the badge of the Society of Jesus

The seal of Notre Dame of Maryland University designed in 1920.  According to Dougherty (1949), the seal of the college, "was adapted in 1920" (page 18) and this date has been confirmed by the university (J. Kinniff, personal communication, August 8, 2023). La Rose's first Roman Catholic academic institutional coat and his third scholastic coat designed.  This image of the seal is from Dougherty's (1949) master's thesis.

Quarterly azure and argent, a cross bottonnee throughout quarterly of the first and second, in dexter canton a rose barbed and seeded of the second

The seal of St. Benedict's College in Atchinson, KS designed in the 1920s.  I am waiting on confirmation from the institution.  The cross moline is a heraldic symbol for St. Benedict.  

Argent, a cross moline sable, on a chief embattled azure an open book with two clasps or thereupon inscribed VIA VERITAS VITA ("the way, truth, and life")

An example of how la Rose differenced the arms of St. Benedict's College from those of St. Benedict's Abbey, both in Atchinson, KS.  For the abbey, la Rose used a white crescent, and for the college an inscribed open book.  The abbey founded both the college and St. Scholastica.  I am waiting on confirmation from the institution.  Dom Wilfried Bayne, OSB (1893-1974), a student of la Rose and respected herald in his own right, offered this blazon: 

Argent, a cross moline sable, on a chief embattled azure a crescent argent

The seal of the College of St. Scholastica (now St. Benedict's College) in Atchinson, KS designed in the 1920s.  This was the sister school to St. Benedict's.  I am waiting on confirmation from the institution.  

In Kerr (1956), we find a transcription from one of la Rose's letters to the school detailing the design rationale for the arms:

"So I propose: A red shield, thereon a gold lion holding a book in profile (for the college) with a silver dove resting for a moment on the top edge of the book. The dove, of course, represents the spirit of Saint Scholastics, as Saint Benedict saw it ascending, at her death. This, I think, will make as choice a bit of heraldic symbolism as that very restricted art permits, and I think I can make a handsome shield of it" (29).

Gules a lion rampant supporting a closed book with three clasps all or perched thereon a dove argent 

The seal of The Lenox School in Lenox, MA (now closed) designed between 1925-1930.

Sable, on a cross saltire or an open book edged of the second and inscribed NON MINISTRARI SED MINISTRARE ("not to be ministered unto but to minister"), between as many roses barbed and seeded with a martin in chief all or  

The seal of the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY designed in the 1920s.  Albany was la Rose's hometown.  La Rose varied the shield's shape, and he placed the roses in semme, a design technique he rarely used with corporate coats.  This image of the seal is from Dougherty's (1949) master's thesis.

Argent, a semme of roses barbed and seeded gules, on a chief azure three lilies of the first

The seal of St. Thomas Seminary (Roman Catholic) in Hartford, CT designed between 1930-1934.  The colors gold and red represent St. Thomas Aquinas.  Is the lion argent or proper?  I say argent, based on similar techniques la Rose used.     

 Bendy or and gules a lion rampant argent  

 

The seal of St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, IN designed in 1934.  La Rose rarely used bordures in his heraldry, and note the use of "gutty de sanguine" to honor the Fathers of the Precious Blood which opened the school.  Very little information on these arms.  This is my educated guess at this point.

Azure within a bordure argent eight gutty de sanguine a chevron between as many lillies seeded of the second

The seal of Trinity Washington College, now Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC designed in 1935.  According to Doughtery (1949),"upon the triangle is placed an open book, gold-edged and bound in gold, bearing the motto of the College" (15).  For a further analysis on the arms of Trinity Washington College, please click here.

Gules, on a triangle inverted and void of the field an open book with three clasps all or inscribed SCIENTA ANCILLA FIDEI ("knowledge the handmaid of faith"), on a chief azure three stars argent

Works Cited

Dougherty, Margaret (1949).  A Study of the significance of the Symbols and other items comprising the coat of arms and seals of girls Catholic colleges in the north and middle Atlantic states [Master's thesis, Canisius College].  ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1911).  The arms of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. In H.J. Heuser (Ed.), The Ecclesiastical Review, 45(July), pp. 2-5.

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1918).  Some examples of corporate Catholic heraldry.  In H.J. Heuser (Ed.),  The Ecclesiastical Review, 55(Feburary), pp. 189-198.

Kerr, Mare E. (1956).  A study of the significance of the symbols and other items comprising the coat of arms and seals of girls Catholic colleges in the north central states of the United States [Master's thesis, Canisius College].  ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. 

McCrady, J. (1983).  After 125 years completing the university's heraldry. The Sewanee News, vol 49(1), 30.

Looking back at old designs

Proposed arms for an Episcopal parish in Maryland. 
The parish, named in honor of St. Andrew, still uses the old warden's wands placed in saltire with the cross bottony from Maryland surrounding them.  Never adopted, designed in 2014.

Sometimes it's fun to go back through the old files and take a look at my old designs.  Many of these designs which I've posted here were never adopted.  Nonetheless, I had fun putting them together.  Enjoy.

Literally just had fun adding the priest's gallero. Never adopted.  Designed in 2014.

Draft of personal arms, never adopted.  Designed in 2020.

Proposed arms for a university's school of business in Tennessee. 
Never adopted. Designed in 2020.

Draft of a number of designs for personal arms, never adopted.
Designed in 2014.

Proposed arms for a gentlemen's hunting & fishing club,
never adopted.  The crew were primarily Hampden-Sydney men (hence the pheon) and did a ton of trout fishing.  I loved this one. Designed in 2020.

Crest for new arminger, and it was adopted!  Shield is below.
Designed in 2014.

Arms adopted by the new arminger, designed in 2014.  His crest is above.