These Clan Crest Badges are authentic representations taken from the Arms
of the Chiefs of the Clans, or the Heads of Considerable Families. Every
Clan Chief or Family Head has a Coat of Arms Granted or confirmed by the
Lord Lyon King of Arms, and these Arms are matriculated in the Public Register
of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. The Register which was established
in 1592 is kept in the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh, and is acknowledged
as being the most magnificent heraldic manuscript in Europe. Each of the
Clan Crest Badge designs has been checked against the Lyon Register and
subsequently Approved by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs.
In Ancient times it was the custom for Chiefs to give their followers a metal
plate of their crest to wear as a badge to show their clan allegiance, and
it was affixed to their clothing by a strap and buckle. When not in use this
was coiled round the crest and this convention constitutes the present form
of the Clan Crest Badge: the strap and buckle with Chief's motto inscribed
thereon denoting a clansman or clanswoman. Only a Chief, Chieftain or Armiger
may wear his Crest Badge without the strap and buckle.
Clan Septs and Dependents comprise those who were descended from the Chief
through the female line and consequently bore a different surname; and those
who sought and obtained the protection of the Clan and became dependents.
Therefore anyone who has an ancestor bearing a Sept name, or of course the
Clan name itself, has the privilege of wearing or displaying the Crest Badge,
and indeed only they may legitimately wear this authentic Scottish Ancient
Device.
Because for many years the demand for artifacts bearing Clan Crest Badges
has increased greatly we felt it right to make available generally our wide
knowledge, as manufacturers, on this subject. So here we have condensed detailed
illustrations of the Crest Badges of the main Highland Clans and Considerable
Scottish Families.
