Chapter 2
Why does the Rottkamp coat of arms lack authenticity?
1.
On page 618 of Volume II of the Planches de l'Armorial General where one would expect to find Rottkamp surname listed in the alphabetic order of the reference work, we find it does not exist. Alternative spelling variations of Rotkamp, Ruttkamp, Rudkamp, and using 'c' in place of the 'k' as well provide no valid entries.2.
None of the reports from the 'Sanson Institute of Heraldry' for several different family surnames reviewed by the writer indicate any page citation from a reference work. This practice that does not meet accepted standards for research on historical and factual matters. It makes it difficult for another party to check for accuracy and thus this practice is inappropriate for historical and factual research. An example of the nonspecific citation from a 1975 Sanson Institute certificate for another surname is shown below.
3.
The wording of the
'Sanson Institute' reports and authetication statements contain phrases
that obscure the nature of their research and facts and that are legally escapist.
For example, in the 1975 "Certificate of Authenticity" shown above:
1. they no longer call the drawing they rendered 'a coat of arms' but rather 'armorial bearings' for a surname; this means the drawing's elements have been used but not necessarily in the form and combination of elements being applied to the surname Reckinger.
2. the drawing of the 'armorial bearings' may be for a "onomatological variant"; this means a name with different spellings and sounds from the surname on the certificate.
3. they "judge" as to whether the different name that may have been used is validly connected to the name of the customer on the ceritificate.
4. "No genealogical representation intended or implied" is the small print of the last line.
5. Pseudo-legal wording "In witness whereof..." and the use of a seal suggests an institution of learning and art with credentials in order to impress customers to buy into the legitimacy of the certificate presented and obscure the Sanson Institute as the profit making marketing corporation it was.
The certificates changed in form and content over the years 1963 to 1975, the life span the heraldic Sanson Institute. Some of these changes may have been from government pressure on the nature of marketing, advertising and the use of the US Post Office mails to deliver both advertising and product.
N.B. The writer has been unable to locate the surname Reckinger in the cited Rietstap reference work. 1975 was the last year of operation of the Sanson Institute before creditors forced its liquidation, so levels of care were probably even lower than in the prosperous years.
For example, in the 1975 "Certificate of Authenticity" shown above:
1. they no longer call the drawing they rendered 'a coat of arms' but rather 'armorial bearings' for a surname; this means the drawing's elements have been used but not necessarily in the form and combination of elements being applied to the surname Reckinger.
2. the drawing of the 'armorial bearings' may be for a "onomatological variant"; this means a name with different spellings and sounds from the surname on the certificate.
3. they "judge" as to whether the different name that may have been used is validly connected to the name of the customer on the ceritificate.
4. "No genealogical representation intended or implied" is the small print of the last line.
5. Pseudo-legal wording "In witness whereof..." and the use of a seal suggests an institution of learning and art with credentials in order to impress customers to buy into the legitimacy of the certificate presented and obscure the Sanson Institute as the profit making marketing corporation it was.
The certificates changed in form and content over the years 1963 to 1975, the life span the heraldic Sanson Institute. Some of these changes may have been from government pressure on the nature of marketing, advertising and the use of the US Post Office mails to deliver both advertising and product.
N.B. The writer has been unable to locate the surname Reckinger in the cited Rietstap reference work. 1975 was the last year of operation of the Sanson Institute before creditors forced its liquidation, so levels of care were probably even lower than in the prosperous years.
4.
Sanson Institute of Heraldry was founded as a direct
marketing profit making enterprise to sell not only the appearance of
family prestige to status hungry indiviudals but also items such as
prints, plaques and other physical objects emblazoned with the emblems
of a "coat of arms" or "armorial bearings" as they were later
called. As such, validity of facts and history were of lesser
importance than the promotional techniques and emotional appeals of the
sales tactics employed.
See the Chapter 4, Business and Marketing History of the Sanson Institute.
See the Chapter 4, Business and Marketing History of the Sanson Institute.
Email: edwesnofske@optimum.net