colquhoun / calhoun arms?

[MacLowlife]

A young friend of mine- a young CALHOUN friend of mine- is getting married and would like to use the Colquhoun arms on her wedding invitations. I recognize that this may be a uniquely American request, but my hope is that some X Marker will have his or her own embossing die depicting either the Arms or Crest ( a stag's head) of this distinguished family. She is hoping to avoid paying to have such a die produced just for the occasion. Can anyone assist?

Thanks
M'll

[saharris]

It would be more proper to use the crest badge (below) rather than the Chief's arms. Your friend might have luck by contacting a Clan Colquhoun Society (such as http://www.clancolquhounsociety.co.uk/ or http://www.clancolquhoun.org).



I wish your friend luck. I was able to use my clan's tartan in my wedding as a ribbon on all of the bouquets and boutonnières - it was quite nice.

[Chas]

You could always try - Sir Malcolm Rory Colquhoun of Luss, 9th Baronet of Luss, who lives at 2 Huslep Road, London, England SW12 8ED

After all they are his personal property.

Regards

Chas

[davidlpope]

I guess I'll be the guy that makes the obligatory remark about how appropriating another person's property/identifying emblem, etc. is in bad taste, despite the fact that it is done routinely by Americans.

Because of that, MacLL, I urge you to be the "heraldry ambassador", explain that there is no such thing as a coat of arms for a surname, and encourage them to use the clan badge for the Chief of the Colquhouns, instead.

[creagdhubh]

I guess I'll be the guy that makes the obligatory remark about how appropriating another person's property/identifying emblem, etc. is in bad taste, despite the fact that it is done routinely by Americans.

Because of that, MacLL, I urge you to be the "heraldry ambassador", explain that there is no such thing as a coat of arms for a surname, and encourage them to use the clan badge for the Chief of the Colquhouns, instead.

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[creagdhubh]

You could always try - Sir Malcolm Rory Colquhoun of Luss, 9th Baronet of Luss, who lives at 2 Huslep Road, London, England SW12 8ED

After all they are his personal property.

Regards

Chas

Precisely, Chas. This would be my recommendation as well.

Cheers,

[MacLowlife]

Thanks, all.

I appreciate your advice, but I am not going to dictate matters of taste to a bride. I will, however, caution her not to invite any of you who might be offended, or at least to send you an invitation without the misappropriated arms. Meanwhile, I might just contact the Baronet on her behalf.

As I am sure you know, the arms consist of a saltire on a plain (white) field. When blind embossed without supporters, motto or crest, the shield is pretty generic. I would be surprised if even the heraldic police would recognize or take offense at an X on a shield. In addition to the Baronet, that same X could represent Scotland, St Andrew, various other saints, XMarks (it shows up as the XMarks icon) , or the letters M and V in International Code Flags.

In one of those lovely ironies, I have learned that there is a family name Saltire, but their arms ( or those of whichever armigerous Saltire presently holds them) apparently do not include the X.

[MacLowlife]

By the way, I have calculated that the Baronet is also uncle to this whisky seller named Torquil Campbell, who also seems to have something to do with tourist attractions. I hear he wears pink hose.

[Mike_Oettle]

I beg of you, MacLowlife, rather use the crest, which any Colquhoun or Calhoun may display, rather than the arms, even if you render them in embossed form.
You will no doubt hear from the baronet, expressing similar sentiments, but I do urge you to tackle things the proper way.
If a close relative of the bride (preferably her father or grandfather) has a matriculation of the chief’s arms with suitable differences, this might be more appropriate, but an annexation of someone else’s arms, especially those of the clan chief, is just not on.
Regards,
Mike

[creagdhubh]

I beg of you, MacLowlife, rather use the crest, which any Colquhoun or Calhoun may display, rather than the arms, even if you render them in embossed form.
You will no doubt hear from the baronet, expressing similar sentiments, but I do urge you to tackle things the proper way.
If a close relative of the bride (preferably her father or grandfather) has a matriculation of the chief’s arms with suitable differences, this might be more appropriate, but an annexation of someone else’s arms, especially those of the clan chief, is just not on.
Regards,
Mike

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