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Count’s coronet over an escutcheon:a sphinx under a cross
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 9:03 am
by lukebgi
Looking for help with identifying the arms below:
Count’s coronet over an escutcheon showing a sphinx under a cross
c. 1850
Re: Count’s coronet over an escutcheon:a sphinx under a cross
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 3:01 pm
by Sasropakis
That appears to be the coat of arms of Count Anton von Prokesch-Osten.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_von_Prokesch-Osten
Re: Count’s coronet over an escutcheon:a sphinx under a cross
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 2:32 am
by lukebgi
That's excellent! Thank you so much! :)
The only difference is the direction the sphinx is facing, but could this be down to the engraver/graphic artist knowing the convention of which way the charges should face?
All best wishes,
Luke
Re: Count’s coronet over an escutcheon:a sphinx under a cross
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 8:37 am
by Sasropakis
I noticed the direction of the sphinx but I don't think it has any specific meaning here. Usually in heraldry the charges are facing right (from the point of view of the holder of the shield). If they are facing left it should be specified in the blazon. On the other hand the charges of coat of arms placed side by side can be "flipped" to face each other. But it would be highly unlikely that there would be two different coats of arms with such charges as sphinx and the cross of Jerusalem with only difference that the sphinx is facing right or left.