1951, 15 February, “Chiffre sur Lion Heraldique” (rampant) Lila Belgium 20 cents

“Chiffre sur Lion Heraldique” (rampant) Lila Belgium 20 cents 15 February 1951

Text:  Belgie Belgieque 20 cents

Condition: Ø = used/cancelled

Title:   Digit on heraldic lion

Face value:     20

Country/area:            BelgiumIcon-information

Year:   1951

Set:     1951 Heraldic lion 

Stamp number in set:          1

Basic colour:  Lilac

Exact colour:  Lilac carmine

Usage:            Franking

Type:   Stamp

Theme:           Heraldry, Heraldic animals

Perforation:    K 13½ : 14

Watermark:   Without watermark

Luminescence:          None

Printing:         Letter-press printing

Designer:        Goffin, William

Michel number:         889 x A

Yvert number:           851

Scott number:            409

Stanley Gibbons number:     1339

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15 February 1951 “Chiffre sur Lion Heraldique” 20 cents, May 1951  5, 10, 20, 25, 40, 50, 60, 65, 80 and 90 cents and 1franc. 1 October 1957 2, 3, 15,  30 and 50 cents and 1 franc (Large format 50 cents and 1 franc). 31 March 1966 25, 60 and 75 cents (Large format 60 cents). 19 January 1968 2 francs. 14 November 1969 1.50 francs. 25 August 1970 2.50 and 3 francs. 1973 Modified design 2 francs. 14 January 1974 4 francs. 30 September 1974 5 cents.16 December 4,50 francs. 17 March 1975. Some stamps subsequently surcharged or used in 

Lion (heraldry)

In heraldry , the lion and the leopard denote the same animal, but with a different head position.

With the head in profile, it is a lion .

With the head facing, this is a leopard .

Body position does not affect the name, but the two "twins" have preferred positions: and the lion is "rampant" (standing), the leopard is "passing" (extended). The lion's tail is traditionally turned inward, the outward leopard, leopard is less bearded the lion ... but it seems that this is only vanity illustrators.

The "king of beasts", with its reputation for strength, courage, nobility, so true to the medieval ideal, could only attract those who wanted to choose arms. And made ​​the lion and his alter ego leopard are very numerous, especially in the Anglo-Norman ( Plantagenet ). The success of the lion is the cause of its own trivialization well illustrated by the "heraldic saying" who "does not shield bears a lion" .

In fact, the heraldic leopard finds its origin in the "lion (leo) panther (pa)-Bastard (ard)", which was the medieval idea of ​​the leopard: bastard so bad. But the "leopards" Plantagenet are not for that ignore English heraldry and blazoned "lion passant looking." Royal home as any lion, they are seen bastards and bad on the other side of the Channel.

Having lost his ability identity, the lion is rated a series of features to try to recover. We are faced with an overwhelming number of lions that differ sometimes by tiny details like the color of the claws, or the position of the legs (if the right hind leg is raised, it is "skipping" and not " creep "). It is far from the rule that the furniture are clearly identifiable from afar ... but it is also true that the more time passes, their function away the dust of mixed .

Lion and Lion passant

Lion default is rampant , which means he is in a position where it seems to climb a hill (= ramp). (Sens primitive crawling, from the old Frankish (h) rampon "climbing with claws"). We often find another explanation: the lion is not crawling (= climb), but in the process of catching something with three members raised, balancing on his hind leg which occupies the tip of the shield. The word would then rapiens , which has the same root as abduction . This etymology long restraint now seems unfounded.The lion is said passant when passing , position of the leopard, the head always in profile (which is the defining characteristic of the lion).