The Heraldic Institute has launched its Otto Hupp-style calendar:  https://www.heraldicinstitute.com/news/launch-of-otto-hupp-style-calendar

One of the artists represented  is the eminent Scottish armorist, Kevin Greig, whose masterly painting of the arms of the Heraldry Society of Scotland with its newly-granted supporters, is featured in the calendar.

  

 

orans out...

 

Bishop John Keenan of Paisley

Here is the Apostolic Succession of Bishop Keenan of Paisley:

Like c95% of living bishops, the Succession can be traced no further than 1541 as it has been impossible to say for certain who was the principal consecrator of the Sicialan prelate, Scipione Rebiba. It is assumed he was consecrated by Cardinal Gian Pietro Carafa, later Pope Paul IV, but this cannot be conclusively proved.

All of the other Scottish bishops, except for Bishop Toal of Motherwell, are in the line through Pope John Paul II which has two non-armigerous Polish prelates who were non-armigers.

 

 

HSS Supporters

 The Heraldry Society of Scotland gave its first view of its newly-granted supporters today at the AGM in Perth. While the Letters Patent are still being prepared, Kevin Greig has done a splendid painting of the achievement in advance. The supporters were the brainchild of the late Mark Dennis, to whom Kevin's version of the crest bears more than a passing resemblance.

  

Heraldic Badges

 

Linlithgow Pursuivant Extraordinary

Unicorn Pursuivant

Rothesay Herald 

New Garter appointed

 The King has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 1 July 2026 to appoint James van Someren Peill, Esquire, lately Richmond Herald, to the office of Garter Principal King of Arms, vacant by the retirement of Sir David White, KCVO.

James Peill was appointed Bluemantle Pursuivant in 2024.

The Elizabeth Sword again

 The Elizabeth Sword was first designed by Mark Dennis as "The Thistle Sword" for the late Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 but the project only came to fruition in 2023 culminating in the Sword's presentation to The King with the Honours of Scotland, of which it is now a constituent.

  

Baz Manning's Bookplate

 The famous heraldic artist, Baz Manning, showed us recently the bookplate Mark Dennis painted for him 20 years ago:

 

International Heraldry Day

  Today, June 10th is International Heraldry Day!

To mark this, here are some portraits of Scottish knights in the service of the King of Sweden:

Sir James Macmillan made a Knight of the Thistle

Huge congratulations to Sir James Macmillan on his appointment by the King to the Order of the Thistle. The photograph shows Sir James in the Armoury of Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, where The Sixteen has performed his music as part of their choral pilgrimage. 

 The Armoury organ was bought in 1609 as part of a consignment of luxury goods from the Dutch merchant John Haan. Its maker is unknown, but it is currently thought to be English. It was set up by Thomas Dallam at Hatfield in 1611 when it received its lavish decoration by the artist Rowland Buckett for £26 13s 4d. It was substantially rebuilt by Robert Gray in 1738.

The 1609 organ at Hatfield House
(Photo  PictureThisuk.org
"limited cc" (Creative Commons License))

The central coat of arms is that of Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury and his wife Elizabeth Brooke, the daughter of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham by his second wife, Frances Newton.

The left coat is that of their daughter, Lady Francis Cecil (1593–1644) and her husband Henry Clifford, 5th Earl of Cumberland.

The coat of arms on the far right is their son, William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury and his wife Lady Catherine Howard (daughter of the 1st Earl of Suffolk) whom he married in 1608.

New Grant of Arms

  On Tuesday 26 May, the Lord Lyon was pleased to present Letters Patent to John Vernon Dent MBE, son of George Vernon Dent MBE, accompanied by his son, John David Vernon Dent MBE, they both enjoyed a tour of the Office and viewed the Public Register of all Arms and Bearings where the arms already reside. The artist is Adel Gaspar.

The blazon is: "Or on a bend Azure three lozenges Ermine in chief two swords in saltire points upwards Proper and in base a jackdaw Proper."

Dr Joseph Scott

 Dr Joseph Scott (1870-1939) was born in Campbeltown and went to Glasgow University, graduating in medicine in 1894. He was for a short time medical officer of health in Basra, and then moved to Tehran in the late 1890s to act as surgeon to the Royal Hospital and the British Legation. He made an important study of the Tehran cholera epidemic in the 1920s and was a great promoter of vaccination and revaccination. Decorated by the Shah, Scott was granted arms in 1920 including a clever emblazoning of the Persian flag.

Or on a bend Azure a mullet between two crescents of the First, in the sinister chief an Aescalapian Rod  Proper, on a chief parted per fess Vert and Gules a bar Argent.  

Only in England......

 Spotted in a newspaper.....

Maybe he told it to "button it."