A short-list of useful reference works on heraldry, compiled for the benefit of University of Stirling postgraduate students attending the “Introduction to Heraldry” workshop on 26 September 2022.
Europe
- Johannes Baptist Rietstap. Armorial général, 2 vols. Gouda: G. B. van Goor. Vol. 1. Vol. 2.
- Victor and Henri Rolland. Armorial général de J. B. Rietstap, Supplément, 7 vols. La Haye: M. Nijhoff, 1926-54.
- Victor Rolland. Armoiries des familles contenues dans l’Armorial général de J. B. Rietstap, 6 vols. Paris: Institut Héraldique Universel, 1903-1926.
- Comte Théodore de Renesse. Dictionnaire des figures héraldiques, 7 vols. Bruxelles: O. Schepens, 1894-1903.
Britain
- Sir Bernard Burke. The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. London: Harrison, 1884.
- Sir James Balfour Paul. An Ordinary of Arms Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, 2nd ed. Edinburgh: William Green and Sons, 1903.
- D. H. B. Chesshyre, et al. Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary, 4 vols. London: Society of Antiquaries, 1992-2014. Vol. 1. Vol. 2. Vol. 3. Vol. 4.
France
- See generally the excellent bibliography at heraldica.org.
- d’Hozier, Armorial général, indexed here and accessible on Gallica.
- Henri Jougla de Moreans. Grand Armorial de France, 7 vols. Paris: Société du Grand Armorial de France, 1939-1952. PDF versions here.
Germany (Holy Roman Empire)
- Neuer Siebmacher (index to digitisations here).
- CERL’s Siebmacher index.
Italy
- Giovanni Battista di Crollalanza. Dizionario storico-blasonico delle famiglie nobili e notabili italiane estinte e fiorenti, 3 vols. Pisa: Presso la direzione de Giornale araldico, 1886-1890.
Identifying Armorial Supralibros
- British Armorial Bindings (the “Toronto Database”).
- Eugène Olivier, et al. Manuel de l’amateur de reliures armoriées françaises, 30 vols. Paris: Bosse, 1924-1938.
- Joannis Guigard. Armorial du bibliophile, 2 vols. Paris: Librairie Bachelin-Deflorenne, 1870-1871. Vol. 1. Vol. 2.
- Joannis Guigard. Nouvel armorial du bibliophile, 2 vols. Paris: Émile Rondeau, 1890. Vol. 1. Vol. 2.
Kelsey Jackson Williams 
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