Hammer

Hammer

Hammer, (fr. marteau): hammers of several kinds occur as charges. There are the Plasterers' and the Wrights' hammer especially named. The device is usually represented as if clawed(as shewn in the margin), although it be not so specified. It will be seen that it occurs in the ancient rolls under the term martel, and one or two French families of the name of MARTEL still bear this charge.

Sir Adam MARTEL de sable a iij martels de argent--Roll, temp. ED. II.

Azure, on a chevron engrailed or, between in chief two plasterer's hammers argent handled of the second, and in base a treble flat-brush of the third handle upward like the third; a rose gules seeded or barbed vert, enclosed by two fleurs-de-lis of the first; in chief a trowel fesswise, handle to the sinister as the third--Company of PLASTERERS, London[Inc. 1501].

Sable, a chevron or between three hammers argent handled of the second, ducally crowned of the last--Company of BLACKSMITHS and SPURRIERS[Inc. 1579].

Azure, a hammer erect in pale argent ensigned with a ducal coronet or--Company of HAMMERMEN, Edinburgh.

Sable, a chevron argent between three hammers or ducally crowned of the last--SMITHS' Company, Exeter.

Azure, a chevron between three lathing-hammers argent, handled or--SLATERS' Company, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Or, three hammers sable--HAMERTON.

Gules, a fesse between three hammers or--PIGOTT.

Gules, three hammers with claws argent--MARTELL.

Argent, a bend of six lozenges conjoined between as many mattocks, with the clawed ends to the dexter, sable--BOLRON, co. Chester.

Gules, three wright's hammers clawed argent--PURSER,

Gules, a dexter hand couped proper holding a sword paleways argent between two broken hammers or--NASMYTH.

D'or, a trois marteaux de gules--MARTEL, Normandy.

With the hammer may be associated the mallet(fr. maillet), used by masons and others. It is usually figured as in the arms of FORTE, but sometimes with a square head, while a figure like that in the margin above is found in the insignia of the MARBLERS' Company. (See the arms given under Chipping-axe).

Argent, three mallets gules--FORTE, co. Somerset[ancient arms of DE FORTIBUS].

Gules, a chevron between three mallets or--SOAME, [Bart., 1684].

Sable, three square hammers[i.e. mallets] argent--BROWNE, co. Rutland.

Argent, a fesse between three mallets sable--BROWNE.

Argent, a fesse between three mallets, the handles reversed gules--BLOODMAN.