Achievement is a heraldic term. The armorial bearings of a person or family in heraldry consist of the escutcheon with the helmet supporting the crest above it, the supporters to the left and right, and the motto below. An achievement is a symbol that only belongs to one family (unlike a crest, which may be used by several unrelated families). Some significant pieces of silverware can be found either engraved or enamelled, and it frequently serves to establish provenance and date in addition to being ornamental and increasing the piece’s worth. An achievement comprises not only the arms displayed on the escutcheon, the central element but also the following elements surrounding it:
- Crest placed atop a:
- Torse (or Cap of Maintenance as a special honour)
- Mantling
- Helm of appropriate variety; if the holder of higher rank than a baronet, issuing from a:
- Coronet or Crown (not used by baronets), of appropriate variety.
- Supporters (if the bearer is entitled to them, generally in modern usage, not baronets), which may stand on a Compartment)
- Motto, if possessed
- Order, if possessed
- Badge, if possessed
Sources
Newman, H. (2000). An illustrated dictionary of silverware: 2,373 entries, relating to British and North American wares, decorative techniques and styles, and leading designers and makers, principally from c.1500 to the present. Thames & Hudson.
Wikipedia contributors. (2022, May 4). Achievement (heraldry). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:40, July 25, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Achievement_(heraldry)&oldid=1086123714