Historical Origins of Armorial Devices

This chapter sets the scene for the identification of the first recorded English armorial porcelain service on imported Chinese porcelain decorated in China and its forerunners of Chinese armorial porcelain artefacts and ornaments. The difficulties apparent for the correct representation and reproduction of Western heraldic coats-of-arms and devices by decorators in China are reviewed and the successful use of ex-libris bookplates in addressing this need is noted. Several specific examples of armorial services are considered and the input of genealogical research into the correct attribution of the heraldic devices to an armigerous family or person is reviewed. The underlying meaning of armorial devices used on ceramics is considered along with the crests and heraldic tinctures used.