Slitherine

Just back from sunny Roma ( yes yes Italia venti-tre Scozia venti ) and am now inspired to build the Condotta.
Figures are not a problem... will use Mirliton for most with a few Essex and others to fill out the army.

However, I am struggling to find a solid resource for Italian heraldry. As there are potentially 36 bases of knights totalling 108 figures - that equals a lot of colour!
I wont be making every figure a Condottieri ( oh the joy ) ... but I'm struggling to find even 10 examples of Milan, Papal, Venice, et al to paint the figures in ( at least ) a vaguely historical manner.

As reality produces far more amazing things than my imagination will ever do, I am hoping for some kind soul to point me in a resource-rich direction.
Having searched 12 pages deep in google with a variety of keywords ... I ain't getting nowhere fast.

Any Condotta Italian Heraldry experts out there ?
Alan.

Try:

http://www.krigsspil.dk/download/download_2.html

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/

http://www.warflag.com/flags/select.shtml

Searching around these may throw up some flags that even if not 100% are plausible.

Mirliton have some 15mm flags as well, but I've never seen them. Perhaps Vexillia could help you out?

Rgds,
Peter

Hi Alan,
great choice, Mirlinto figures are fantastic (I've bought some Condottieri and also a lot of Communal Italian).
I've also get some 15mm flags relative to this period and they are perfect with Kn's.
I guess the best idea is to write to Mirlinton in order to help you. The owner is an expert of medieval history.
The only problem is, in order to avoid copying flags, on the Mirlinton website you cannot see any flags.
Sergio

a small introduction to Italian heraldry:
http://www.regalis.com/reg/medherald.htm

photos of heraldic things in Italy (some in color):
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/nationa ... uring1.htm

This should be enough for anybody:
http://www.cafepress.com/familycoats/566710

Just click on any letter, you'll get more than enough ideas.

All of that said, if you're doing a mid-late 15th century army, there's very little heraldry evident if paintings like Ucello's "Battle of San Romano" is anything to go by.

Many thanks for all that info everyone! Greatly appreciated.

Will crack open a bottle of wine and peruse that lot this evening at leisure.

Sergio, I agree that the Mirliton figures are superb. Painted up a few of them many years ago and enjoyed every minute. Looking forward to building this army.

Thanks again,
Alan.

A few years ago I came across a small tourist booklet about Siena, with a number of pictures of the annual festival and race, and illustrations of period art & architecture. A large amount of heraldry is illustrated, both in flags and costume, dating back to the early Renaissance and sometimes medieval periods.

The booklet listed heraldry for seventeen districts of the city, each with a flag illustration and photograph of the flag bearer in period dress. I used these as inspiration for several different units and shield patterns for the men-at-arms. They are illustrated online here: http://www.ilpaliodisiena.com/ITALIA/SI ... ntrade.htm Click on the flag icons to move to the district's race page, which shows the shield pattern.

I usually look to original period art for uniform and heraldic information, but until I bumped into this publication I had not thought to look at tourist guides!

The particulars: "Siena and Surroundings, A new artistic guide" Loretta Santini. Esclusivista di Vendita Romboni Mario, Via Biagio Di Montluc 41-43 TEL. 283263, Siena c. 1985 by Plurigraf Narni-Terni.

Mark S