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Swan $5
The swan, although a symbol of grace and beauty, is one of the fiercer
animals. This badge bears the motto "Beware", and warns us not to
judge a book by its cover.
Medieval Pin Back (size 39mm
X 39mm)
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The Cat and Mouse $5
Reproduction. This cat has just caught a mouse and the caption beneath her
reads VISI MUS, or "voici mus", which would have been acceptable
French in the 14th century. The cat and mouse appear frequently in stone
carving and margin drawing. They symbolized the Devil and Sinner.
Medieval Pin Back (size 32mm X 25mm)
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The Cock $5
Reproduction. The rooster is a talisman against evil. The sound of the cock
crow was reputed to banish evil, and frighten the dragons back to their
lairs. The cock is a symbol of forthrightness and vigilance.
Medieval Pin Back (size 35mm X 33mm)
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The Flying Cock $5
Reproduction. This splendid fellow is crowned and belled for a night out on
the town. The phallus is a common theme in Dutch badges in the 14th through
16th centuries, and the winged phallus dates back to Roman times.
Medieval Pin Back (size 39mm
X 36mm)
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The French Dolphin
$5
Reproduction. This stylized fish is based on a piece in a private
collection. It is thought to be a heraldic pun for the Dauphin, the heir to
the French throne.
Medieval Pin Back
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The Horse $5
Reproduction. Based on a badge in the Museum of Salisbury, this horse
celebrates the carefree time of being sent to pasture.
Medieval Pin Back (size 39mm X 24mm)
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The Rose of Chivalry
$5
This badge represents the bond which exists between a fighter and his lady.
The Knights' belt surrounds a rose. A symbol of honour in battle.
Medieval Pin Back (size 38mm X 49mm)
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The Sword $5
This charm depicts a double-sided sheathed sword with suspension loop. The
sword was one of the most enduring symbols of nobility in the medieval
period and charms such as this were quite popular.
Charm Style
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The Unicorn $5
Once of the most popular of the mythical beasts, the unicorn was a symbol
of purity and virginity. Its horn was highly prized as a remedy to poison.
Its association with honour made it a popular heraldic charge.
Medieval Pin Back
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The War Horse $5
The powerful war horse, shown here in chamfron and crinet, was the ultimate
symbol of knightly wealth and power.
Charm Style
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The Wildman / Doctor $5
Reproduction. The Wildman is depicted urinating in a mortar and pestle
while standing on a fish. He is a common 15th century badge and is believed
to parody medieval apothecaries.
Medieval Pin Back (size 30mm X 46mm)
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Yorkist Sun
$5
Reproduction. The splendid "blazing sun of York", was closely
associated with King Edward IV as his personal badge and became an early
symbol of the House of York.
Medieval Pin Back (size 33mm X 37mm)
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Talbot $5
Reproduction. A popular style of
badge, this talbot is shown in an obedient seated pose. A powerful and much
prized hunting hound, the talbot is characterized by his hanging ears and
curled tail. The dog has long been a symbol of loyalty and platonic love.
Medieval Pin Back
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Laurel
Wreath $5
The Laurel Wreath has been a symbol of
excellence since Roman times and well
into the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Medieval Pin Back
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Crusader's
Cross $5 
Medieval Pin Back (size 28mm X 28mm)
Reproduction. Also known as the Jerusalem cross, this was the emblem of the
Templar Crusaders. The Jerusalem cross has four arms at equal
distance,symbolizing the four directions, and the belief that Jerusalem was
at the center of the World.
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Heraldic Dragon $5
Medieval pin back (size 38mm X 34mm)
Based on dragons common in heraldry
and stone carving during the medieval and renaissance periods. The Dragon
was a powerful symbol of strength, both good and evil. The dragon is
featured on the coat of arms of Wales and appears in many tales of valour
of medieval heroes and saints. St. Martha, St. George and St. Michael all
did battle with dragons. A Dragon's only natural enemy is the elephant.
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Crossbow Charm $5
Charm Style (size 45mm X
43mm)
Reproduction. Based on several
examples from Rotterdam c 1350 to1450, this charming crossbow shows a
stylized version of the popular weapon.
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Axe Charm $5
Charm style, double sided
(size 48mm X 20mm)
Reproduction. Taken from an example
in Rotterdam c 1350 to1450. A common symbol of St. Olaf this axe is a
popular shape for the period. The axe was an everyday tool for most
medieval people, and was generally considered to be the weapon of choice
for the common man. Despite its humble origins, the English used the axe
for executions of those considered too important for hanging. Anne Boleyn
personally requested a swordsman from Saint-Omer for her execution, so she
would not be beheaded with what the French still considered a
"base" weapon.
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Prisoner of Love $3
Charm Style (size 32mm X 13mm)
Reproduction. This little phallus is
either all locked up or perhaps caught in a trap. Either way, he is a
prisoner of love, but still looks pretty happy about it!
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Pecker
on Pecker $5
Medieval Pin Back (size 40mm X 28mm)
This jaunty little phallus is giving a ride to a small bird who is giving
him a peck for his troubles! This badge is believed to be a play on the
word "seed". The bird might get a bit of a surprise, as this is
not the sort of seed he is looking for...
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Memento Mori $5
Medieval Pin Back (size 34mm X 28mm)
The rough translation of the Latin
phrase "Memento Mori" is "remember you are mortal".
This was reputed to be whispered to triumphant generals as they rode their
chariots in victory in ancient Rome. Although often associated with pirates
who adopted this symbol in the 1700, the skull and bones were popular
symbols of Mortality and feature prominently in Christian Renaissance
paintings and statuary. The Church with its strong emphasis on divine judgment,
wished to remind people that death was inevitable and that their salvation
lay in thoughts of the afterworld. To the Christian, the prospect of death
serves to emphasize the emptiness and fleetingness of earthly pleasures,
luxuries, and achievements, and thus the skull was often used as a symbol
of vanity. The skull and crossed bones was often used to decorate
cemeteries and is a modern symbol for poison.
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Love Token $5
Medieval Pin Back (size 28mm X 34mm)
Reproduction. The most popular and
enduring of love tokens, the crowned heart pierced with Cupid's arrow has
been exchanged by lovers since the early Middle Ages. This version contains
a banner, threaded through the heart itself which read AMOURS or
"Loves".
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St. Peter's Key $5
Charm Style double-sided (size 15mm X 43mm)
This charm was based on two extant
St. Peter's tokens. The first badge was a very plain single key, but I
chose to style this key on the more attractive key depicted as a pair of
crossed keys in another badge. St. Peter was chief of Jesus's apostles and
is said to possess the "key to heaven", thus the key is his most
common symbol. St. Peter is the patron saint of fishermen, masons, bakers
and locksmiths, and his aid is sought in ailments of the feet. The Pope is
believed to be St. Peter's successor.
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