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m Rollback edit(s) by Giltsbeach (talk): WP:3RR (RW 16.1)
Removed irrelevant illustration of arms that include sables in or; article is about the tincture, not the beast. Shortened account of nightshade in infobox (I endorse revet to restore info in prose: not every reader looks at infobox instead, & it's supposed to contain nothing unref'd that isn't in prose,not replace it. Left repeated ref but wouldn't oppose removing from infobox.) Piped all country names that have them to "Heraldry in ..." articles. This edit is not an endorsement of the WMF.
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|gemstone = [[Diamond]]
|gemstone = [[Diamond]]
|planet = [[Saturn]], ♄
|planet = [[Saturn]], ♄
|flower = The herb [[nightshade]], in these circumstances also called dwal<ref name="digicoll.library.wisc.edu">{{Cyclopaedia 1728|title=Dwal|url=http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/HistSciTech/HistSciTech-idx?type=turn&entity=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01.p0623&id=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01&isize=M&q1=dwal|page=257}}</ref>
|flower = The herb [[nightshade]]<ref name="digicoll.library.wisc.edu">{{Cyclopaedia 1728|title=Dwal|url=http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/HistSciTech/HistSciTech-idx?type=turn&entity=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01.p0623&id=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01&isize=M&q1=dwal|page=257}}</ref>
}}
}}
In [[heraldry]], '''sable''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|eɪ|b|əl}}) is the [[tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] [[black]], and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In [[engraving]]s and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines, or else marked with ''sa.'' as an abbreviation.
In [[heraldry]], '''sable''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|eɪ|b|əl}}) is the [[tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] [[black]], and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In [[engraving]]s and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines, or else marked with ''sa.'' as an abbreviation.
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File:Blason fam fr Boissy d'Anglas.svg|Coat of arms of [[François-Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas]].
File:Blason fam fr Boissy d'Anglas.svg|Coat of arms of [[François-Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas]].
File:Blazon of the Castelyn family of London.png|Blazon of the Castelyn family of London.
File:Blazon of the Castelyn family of London.png|Blazon of the Castelyn family of London.
File:Marek Sobola coat of arms.png|Coat of arms of [[Marek Sobola|Sobola]] family with three golden [[Sable|sables]], [[Slovakia]].
</gallery>
</gallery>


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[[Image:Coat of arms of Albania.svg|right|122px|thumb|The arms of Albania.]]
[[Image:Coat of arms of Albania.svg|right|122px|thumb|The arms of Albania.]]
[[Image:Coat of arms of Samogitia.svg|thumb|right|122 px|The historical coat of arms of [[Samogitia]] ]]
[[Image:Coat of arms of Samogitia.svg|thumb|right|122 px|The historical coat of arms of [[Samogitia]] ]]
Sable is considered a ''colour'' in British and French heraldry, and contrasts with lighter ''metals'', [[argent]] and [[or (heraldry)|Or]]. However, in the heraldry of [[Germany]], [[Polish heraldry]] and other parts of central [[Europe]], sable is not infrequently [[Rule of tincture|placed on colour fields]]. As a result, a sable cross may appear on a red shield, or a sable bird may appear on a blue or a red field, as in the arms of [[Albania]].
Sable is considered a ''colour'' in British and French heraldry, and contrasts with lighter ''metals'', [[argent]] and [[or (heraldry)|Or]]. However, in the heraldry of [[German heraldry|Germany]], [[Polish heraldry|Poland]] and other parts of [[Central Europe]], sable is not infrequently [[Rule of tincture|placed on colour fields]]. As a result, a sable cross may appear on a red shield, or a sable bird may appear on a blue or a red field, as in the arms of [[Albania]].


In [[Hungary]], for example, one can find examples of sable on gules and azure fields as early as the sixteenth century in the arms of the family Kanizsai (granted in 1519): ''Azure, an eagle's wing sable taloned Or between a decrescent argent and a sun Or.''<ref name="straub">{{cite book
In [[Hungarian heraldry|Hungary]], for example, one can find examples of sable on gules and azure fields as early as the sixteenth century in the arms of the family Kanizsai (granted in 1519): ''Azure, an eagle's wing sable taloned Or between a decrescent argent and a sun Or.''<ref name="straub">{{cite book
| last= Nyulászi-Straub
| last= Nyulászi-Straub
| first= Éva
| first= Éva
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| isbn=963-9015-97-0 }}</ref>{{efn| In the original Hungarian: {{lang|hu|"álló, csücskös talpú tárcsapajzs kék mezejében, lebegő arany saslábon fekete sasszárny, jobbról ezüst félholdtól, balról nyolcágú arany csillagtól kísérve."}}}} Another early Hungarian example was granted in 1628 to the family Karomi Bornemisza: ''Per fess gules, an eagle displayed sable crowned Or, and azure, a buffalo's head cabossed sable maintaining in its mouth a fish (argent?)''.<ref name="straub" />{{efn| In the original Hungarian: {{lang|hu|"álló, tojásdad pajzs vágott, felső vörös mezejében jobbra fordult fejű, vágásvonalon álló, koronás fekete sas, az alsó kék mezőben fekete bölényfej, szájában hallall."}}}}
| isbn=963-9015-97-0 }}</ref>{{efn| In the original Hungarian: {{lang|hu|"álló, csücskös talpú tárcsapajzs kék mezejében, lebegő arany saslábon fekete sasszárny, jobbról ezüst félholdtól, balról nyolcágú arany csillagtól kísérve."}}}} Another early Hungarian example was granted in 1628 to the family Karomi Bornemisza: ''Per fess gules, an eagle displayed sable crowned Or, and azure, a buffalo's head cabossed sable maintaining in its mouth a fish (argent?)''.<ref name="straub" />{{efn| In the original Hungarian: {{lang|hu|"álló, tojásdad pajzs vágott, felső vörös mezejében jobbra fordult fejű, vágásvonalon álló, koronás fekete sas, az alsó kék mezőben fekete bölényfej, szájában hallall."}}}}


[[Poland|Polish]] examples abound as early as the fifteenth century. Józef Szymański<ref>{{cite book
Polish examples abound as early as the fifteenth century. Józef Szymański<ref>{{cite book
| last= Szymański
| last= Szymański
| first= Józef
| first= Józef
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| location= Warszawa
| location= Warszawa
| publisher= Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN
| publisher= Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN
| isbn=83-01-09797-3 }}</ref> includes no fewer than seven examples of sable primary charges on either gules or azure fields out of the approximately 200 shields from this period whose blazons are known. These include the arms of [[Hunyadi family#Origin of the name Corvin|Corvin]], "Azure, a raven sable with a circlet or in its beak"; Kownaty, "Gules, a trumpet sable with a cord or, a Passion cross of the same issuing from its opening"; and Słońce, "Gules, a sphere radiant sable, its centre argent." In addition to the seven major examples, he describes occasional variants for the arms of some [[Polish clan|rody]] which also use sable charges on azure or gules fields.
| isbn=83-01-09797-3 }}</ref> includes no fewer than seven examples of sable primary charges on either gules or azure fields out of the approximately 200 shields from this period whose blazons are known. These include the arms of [[Hunyadi family#Origin of the name Corvin|Corvin]], "Azure, a raven sable with a circlet or in its beak"; Kownaty, "Gules, a trumpet sable with a cord or, a Passion cross of the same issuing from its opening"; and Słońce, "Gules, a sphere radiant sable, its centre argent". In addition to the seven major examples, he describes occasional variants for the arms of some [[Polish clan|rody]] which also use sable charges on azure or gules fields.


Sable charges on gules fields also appear in the armory used in [[Lithuania]]. This is not surprising, since a significant fraction of Lithuania's personal coats of arms are of Polish origin,<ref>{{cite book
Sable charges on gules fields also appear in the armory used in [[Lithuania]]. This is not surprising, since a significant fraction of Lithuania's personal coats of arms are of Polish origin,<ref>{{cite book
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| location= Vilnius
| location= Vilnius
| publisher= Versus Aureus
| publisher= Versus Aureus
| isbn=9955-601-73-6 }}</ref> so there is a certain similarity of style. Among these coats are those of [[Eldership of Samogitia|Great Žemaitija]]: "a black bear with an argent chain on its neck on a field gules."
| isbn=9955-601-73-6 }}</ref> so there is a certain similarity of style. Among these coats are those of [[Eldership of Samogitia|Great Žemaitija]]: "a black bear with an argent chain on its neck on a field gules".


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 08:23, 1 April 2023

Sable
 
ClassColour
Non-heraldic equivalentBlack
Monochromatic designations
Hatching pattern 
Tricking abbr.s., Sa.
Poetic designations
Heavenly bodySaturn, ♄
JewelDiamond
FlowerThe herb nightshade[1]

In heraldry, sable (/ˈsbəl/) is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines, or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.

The name derives from the black fur of the sable, a species of marten.

Poetic meanings

Centuries ago, arms were often described poetically and the tinctures were connected to different gemstones, flowers and heavenly bodies. Sable usually represented the following:

Sable in Central Europe

The arms of Albania.
The historical coat of arms of Samogitia

Sable is considered a colour in British and French heraldry, and contrasts with lighter metals, argent and Or. However, in the heraldry of Germany, Poland and other parts of Central Europe, sable is not infrequently placed on colour fields. As a result, a sable cross may appear on a red shield, or a sable bird may appear on a blue or a red field, as in the arms of Albania.

In Hungary, for example, one can find examples of sable on gules and azure fields as early as the sixteenth century in the arms of the family Kanizsai (granted in 1519): Azure, an eagle's wing sable taloned Or between a decrescent argent and a sun Or.[3][a] Another early Hungarian example was granted in 1628 to the family Karomi Bornemisza: Per fess gules, an eagle displayed sable crowned Or, and azure, a buffalo's head cabossed sable maintaining in its mouth a fish (argent?).[3][b]

Polish examples abound as early as the fifteenth century. Józef Szymański[4] includes no fewer than seven examples of sable primary charges on either gules or azure fields out of the approximately 200 shields from this period whose blazons are known. These include the arms of Corvin, "Azure, a raven sable with a circlet or in its beak"; Kownaty, "Gules, a trumpet sable with a cord or, a Passion cross of the same issuing from its opening"; and Słońce, "Gules, a sphere radiant sable, its centre argent". In addition to the seven major examples, he describes occasional variants for the arms of some rody which also use sable charges on azure or gules fields.

Sable charges on gules fields also appear in the armory used in Lithuania. This is not surprising, since a significant fraction of Lithuania's personal coats of arms are of Polish origin,[5] so there is a certain similarity of style. Among these coats are those of Great Žemaitija: "a black bear with an argent chain on its neck on a field gules".

References

  1. ^ a b Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Dwal". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. p. 257.
  2. ^ a b Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Sable". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. p. 257.
  3. ^ a b Nyulászi-Straub, Éva (1999). Öt évszázad címerei (Wappen aus fünf Jahrhunderten). Szekszárd: Babits Kiadó. ISBN 963-9015-97-0.
  4. ^ Szymański, Józef (1993). Herbarz: Średniowiecznego Rycerstwa Polskiego. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN. ISBN 83-01-09797-3.
  5. ^ Rimša, Edmundas (2005). Heraldry: past to present. Vilnius: Versus Aureus. ISBN 9955-601-73-6.

Notes

  1. ^ In the original Hungarian: "álló, csücskös talpú tárcsapajzs kék mezejében, lebegő arany saslábon fekete sasszárny, jobbról ezüst félholdtól, balról nyolcágú arany csillagtól kísérve."
  2. ^ In the original Hungarian: "álló, tojásdad pajzs vágott, felső vörös mezejében jobbra fordult fejű, vágásvonalon álló, koronás fekete sas, az alsó kék mezőben fekete bölényfej, szájában hallall."

The dictionary definition of sable at Wiktionary