Iain Moncreiffe (1919–1985)

MK42PJJ3

One of the joys of my youth. I dare to hope, though with little supporting evidence, that little boys might still be intrigued with all the high-falutin' silliness of blazons and supporters and lions couchant and colours like "gules". Written with warmth and wit, and illustrated so as to make it inevitable that anyone who can hold a pencil will want to design a coat-of-arms. Thanks for the memories!

For the basics, it's a great resource. Doesn't really help with defining periods or places of historical heraldry, but then I suppose that would be a different book. Great illustrations (which are, obviously, a must for a book of this kind...)

Great introduction to heraldry