Family Crests Make Great Family Heirlooms
Do you have something special in your family that has been passed down from generation to generation? If you do, you already know how special it can be. If you don’t have a special family heirloom and would like to start one, you might consider having a family crest made out of traditional stained glass.
A stained glass family crest could not only represent your family, but could also be handed down from generation to generation. Many people don’t know much about their ancestry, and have never even considered a family crest. They have no idea if there ever was one in their family’s history or not, or even what the whole idea of a family crest is about.
According to the website HowStuffWorks.com, “Heralds, or announcers, would introduce knights at competitions, and spectators could distinguish each knight by the design adorning his shield, helmet, and armor. This design was his crest. Medieval illustrations of knights and their horses show that the horses’ gear was often decorated with the same design, too [source: Powell].”
If you were a knight with a crest, that crest would be passed down to your firstborn male child. If you had other sons, they would frequently embellish this crest to create one that was similar yet different, to represent their families. This tradition was called cadency.
In the Scottish tradition, the crest badge was worn to show allegiance to a particular individual or to indicate membership in a specific Scottish clan. These types of family crest badges consist of a crest and a motto/slogan.
At Kansas City Stained Glass, because we are from the Scottish tradition, we have a fair amount of knowledge about Scottish crest badges and would be delighted to create one for your family that would become a valued heirloom. Of course, if you are not of Scottish heritage, and you cannot trace your ancestry back to the middle ages, we could still design a family crest that would symbolize your family using any imagery you choose.
Whether traditional or modern, the family crest is about you and your family. Each of our stained glass family crests is custom designed for you, no two will ever be alike.
To see some examples of family crests we’ve created for clients, click here.
Your custom crest can either be a panel that is installed in a window, or it can hang from chains in a window. Family crests are fantastic behind the bar, in the living room, in your office or family room. They add beauty, significance, and a bold pop of color to your space.
Typically, the family crests that we design in the Scottish style are 24″ by 24″ and octagonal, but that is not set in stone – or glass. Your crest can be the way you desire it. Why not contact us today for a free design consultation on creating a family crest that will be sure to become a family heirloom?
Martin Faith
Martin Faith is from Glasgow, Scotland, the stained glass capital of the world. Martin has been practicing the art of making stained glass windows for over thirty years and is a collector of antique works. His excellent craftmanship and extensive knowledge of the art form, including the required techniques for glassmaking, styles, and history of stained glass make him an expert in his field. Martin owns one of the largest stained glass window studios in the country. The company specializes in stained glass repair and restoration, religious stained glass, commercial stained glass, and custom residential stained and leaded glass. Together, Martin and his team have created hundreds of stained glass windows for homes and buildings in the Kansas City area.
