Le franc canton

Site dedicated to Canadian Heraldic or Crested China

Armorial, crested or heraldic china?

Teapot bearing the arms of the Dominion of Canada, the Royal Standard and the Union Flag (Union Jack), c.1905

Heraldic china, crested china or armorial china, heraldic ware, arms ware or arms china, badged ware, commemorative ware or commemorative china, royal commemorative china, crest ware or heraldic souvenir ware, fairy ware of fairy china, miniature heraldic porcelain or simply heraldic porcelain, are as many names found for an interesting phenomenon generated by the constant preoccupation of humankind with symbols and the preservation of its own identity.

These numerous names cover a number of realities: 

• heraldic or crested china refers generally to ceramic ware displaying arms;

• badged ware refers mainly to ceramic pieces bearing military insignia;

• commemorative or royal commemorative china refers to events related to the Royal family or to the historic events of a country;

• armorial china is a generic term with special reference to large table services bearing the coat of arms of a specific family;

• miniature heraldic porcelain is used in conjunction with small (miniature) items bearing coats of arms of cities and generally sold as souvenirs.

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