This is a skillfully written book that describes the basic rules and grammar of heraldry observed in designing a heraldic device. As it is quite impossible for the genealogist to interpret a blazon or to design a coat of arms without full mastery of heraldic rules and grammar, this book provides all the information necessary for the prosecution of either task. Carefully explaining the unique rules and language of heraldry, and illustrating each point with a remarkable series of pen drawings, the book aims to give the genealogist and the student of design sufficient information about the structure and detail of heraldic insignia to enable him to produce well-balanced designs of coats of arms. In addition to its usefulness as a manual, this is the kind of book that many will enjoy for the color and romance of heraldic history; e.g., the stories behind the great symbols of chivalry and the explanation of the uses of heraldry in architecture and other forms of embellishment. It is an unquestionable necessity for anyone forming a heraldic library.