Arms as interpreted by Alexander Kurov
Blazon:
Arms: Sanguine, a Lion rampant, double queued Argent, tufted Or and langued Gules holding in its paws by the bows three keys fesswise bows interlaced wards to dexter facing downwards Or and in chief a mullet of eight points Or all within a tressure Or.
Crest: Upon a wreath Or and Sanguine a griffin segreant Argent langued Gules, beaked, armed, winged and tufted Or supporting in its talons an heraldic rose Or slipped and leaved proper.
Motto: Honoris Causa (for the sake of honor)
Second Motto: (typically used with the badge) ad stellam inaccessibilem attingere (to reach the unreachable star).
Primary Badge: A Sea-Griffin erect Sanguine, armed, beaked, nimbed (haloed), dorsal and tail fins Or, langued Azure grasping in its talons a Mullet of 8 points Or. (see Other Items & Honors below)
Tartan: Tartan based on the colors in the Arms (see Other Items & Honors below)
Design Rationale:
Arms: The arms were designed in tribute to the armiger's late mother Sally (nee Fagan) and in memoriam for his father Gerald Kasparek. The use of a two-tailed (double queued) lion is an aproximation of Bruncvik's (split-tailed or queue forché) lion, first used in the 13th century Moravia. It represents the armiger's Czech ancestry. (The 'Czech lion' is most commonly 'emblazoned' or drawn in the Czech tradition as having a single tail which is split.) The three keys allude to the armiger, his brother, and sister; as well as an allusion to the armiger's three daughters. The 8 point star (sometimes referred to as the Sternberk star) is from the coat of arms of the Kašpárek's ancestral town of Zlin. All of this within a gold 'tressure', a play on the word 'treasure' which alludes to the idea that 'family is treasured' and to the myth that griffins (in the Crest) guarded treasure.
The lion standing beneath the star is an allusion to the family 'story' handed down tongue-in-cheek, of being descendants of Kaspar (Gaspar) who was one of the three magi who visited Christ in Bethlehem. Kaspar in Persian and Gisbar in Hebrew is sometimes translated as treasure bearer. The griffin in the crest is known from ancient times to be the guardian of treasure. 'Kaspar' is alternatively translated from Persian as treasured secret, the lion is standing within a tressure (treasure), and under the rose held by the griffin in the crest (sub rosa - or secret), thus alluding to treasured secret. Albeit a fanciful family tale, it does remind the armiger of the importance of the Epiphany when Christ was manifested to the gentiles represented by the Magi.
The sanguine color/stain of the shield represents the Kasparek bloodline/family and in heraldry, sanguine represents fortitude and victory in battle. It also reminds the armiger of the gemstone pyrope (Greek for fire/eye), a deep red (sanguine) member of the garnet group of gemstones commonly found in Bohemia. The Gold in the arms represents wisdom, generosity, and faith.
Crest: In the crest, the griffin is holding an heraldic rose, the griffin alludes to the Fagan side of the family as a griffin is used in the crest of well-known Fagan arms. The rose represents motherhood and is a tribute to the armiger's mother, and the 'Yellow Rose of Texas'. The griffin is also known to be a representation of Christ as it has both heavenly and earthly aspects as a creature of the air (the eagle as king of the birds) and a creature of the earth (the lion as the king of the beasts).
Badge: The domain of the Sea Griffin (grýphocampus) is of heaven (eagle), earth (lion), and sea (fish). The griffin is an ancient heraldic symbol of Christ as king of heaven and earth, the addition of the piscene tail alludes to the armiger's honorable service in the United States Navy. The halo represents the armiger's Christian faith and the 8 pointed star represents the armiger's ancestral town of Zlin, and also alludes to Heaven, the Epiphany, and Redemption as well as the quest for the unreachable star. The tincture Sanguine represents fortitude and victory in battle; Gold represents wisdom, generosity, and faith; and the Azure tongue represents truth. These elements symbolically allude to the ancient Greek elements of Earth (lion), Water (fish), Air (eagle), and Fire (the Star).
Other Registration(s):
-
7 July 2006: Registration No. 20060707B, U.S. Heraldic Registry.
-
20 February 2012: Registration No. 0222 (Vol.2), The Armorial Register - International Register of Arms.
-
9 May 2012: Registration No. 325, the International Association of Amateur Heralds.
-
28 November 2017: (Tartan) Registration No. 11995, the Scottish Register of Tartans.
-
1 January 2018: O Projektu Heraldický Registr (Czech Republic) under Rick Edward Kasparek
-
13 January 2018: Heraldry of the World Website, under Rick Edward Kasparek
-
International Association of Amateur Heralds, as Associate Fellow
-
15 August 2018: Arms Certified by Don Alfonso de Ceballos-Escalera y Gila, Cronista de armas de Castilla y León (No. 31/2018)
Other Interpretations of the Blazon:
Other Items & Honors
 | Badge: A Sea-Griffin erect Sanguine, armed, beaked, nimbed (haloed), dorsal and tail fins Or, langued Azure grasping in its talons a Mullet of 8 points Or (as emblazoned by Quentin Peacock). The domain of the Sea Griffin (grýphocampus) is of heaven (eagle), earth (lion), and sea (fish). The griffin is an ancient heraldic symbol of Christ as king of heaven and earth, the addition of the piscene tail alludes to the armiger's honorable service in the United States Navy. The halo represents the armiger's Christian faith and the 8 pointed star represents the armiger's ancestral town of Zlin, and also alludes to Heaven, the Epiphany, and Redemption as well as the quest for the unreachable star. The tincture Sanguine represents fortitude and victory in battle; Gold represents wisdom, generosity, and faith; and the Azure tongue represents truth. These elements symbolically allude to the ancient Greek elements of Earth (lion), Water (fish), Air (eagle), and Fire (the Star). |
 | Standard: The armiger's standard as emblazoned by Antonio Salmerón Cabañas. On the fly, the arms; followed by the badge, the crest and the badge, with the motto 'honoris causa' (for the sake of honor). |
 | Personal Tartan: Registered 28 November 2017: Registration No.:11995, the Scottish Register of Tartans. The Sanguine field represents fortitude and victory in battle, the Gold represents wisdom, generosity and faith, and in three strands represents the Trinity and the armiger's three daughters, the Sable (black) represents strength, power, and authority And Argent (white) represents truth, sincerity, peace, and purity. |
 | Royal Order of Kamehameha I: On 1 June 2021, the armiger was appointed as, and bestowed the title and honor of, Knight Commander (KCK) 1 of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I (Kamehameha I e Hookanaka) by H.R.H. Prince Darrick Lane Hoapili Liloa Kamakahelei Baker of Hawaii, USA. Prince Darrick is a direct descendant of the Royal Kings of Hawai'i (Ali'i nui), and as such is styled as Prince (Ali'i) as a member of a former ruling family. He is considered a pretender to the throne of Hawaii (a pretender is an aspirant or claimant to a throne that either has been abolished, suspended, occupied or usurped by another), and is Head of the House of Kamakahele. |
 | Royal Order of Kalakaua I: On 5 July 2018, the armiger was appointed as, and bestowed the title and honor of, Knight Grand Officer (KGOK) 1 of the Royal Order of Kalakaua I (Kalakaua I e Hookanaka) by H.R.H. Prince Darrick Lane Hoapili Liloa Kamakahelei Baker of Hawaii, USA. Prince Darrick is a direct descendant of the Royal Kings of Hawai'i (Ali'i nui), and as such is styled as Prince (Ali'i) as a member of a former ruling family. He is considered a pretender to the throne of Hawaii (a pretender is an aspirant or claimant to a throne that either has been abolished, suspended, occupied or usurped by another), and is Head of the House of Kamakahele. On 24 February 2019, the armiger was promoted to Knight Grand Cross (KGCK) 1, 2 of the Royal Order of Kalakaua I. |
 | Royal Order of the Star of Oceania: On 11 November 2017, the armiger was appointed as, and bestowed the title and honor of, Knight Commander (KCO) 1 of the Royal Order of the Star of Oceania (Ka Hoku o Osiania e Hookanaka) by H.R.H. Prince Darrick Lane Hoapili Liloa Kamakahelei Baker of Hawaii, USA. Prince Darrick is a direct descendant of the Royal Kings of Hawai'i (Ali'i nui), and as such is styled as Prince (Ali'i) as a member of a former ruling family. He is considered a pretender to the throne of Hawaii (a pretender is an aspirant or claimant to a throne that either has been abolished, suspended, occupied or usurped by another), and is Head of the House of Kamakahele. On 24 February 2019, the armiger was promoted to Knight Grand Cross (KGCO) 1, 3 of the Royal Order of the Star of Oceania. |
 | Royal Order of the Lion of Rwanda: On 28 January 2019, the armiger was appointed as, and bestowed the title and honor of, Knight Commander (KCLR)1, 4 of the Royal Order of the Lion of Rwanda by H.M. King Yuhi VI of de jure Kingdom of Rwanda. |
 | Honorary Admiral Commission in the Texas Navy: On 11 June 2019, the Armiger was commissioned as an Honorary Admiral 1 in the Texas Navy by Texas Governor Greg Abbot. Texas became its own country, called the Republic of Texas, from 1836 until it agreed to join the United States in 1845. In 1836 the Texas Navy was born. The Texas Navy was essential to the Republic of Texas' independence from Mexico, allowing Texas to control the sea lanes along its coast. In 1958 Governor Price Daniel Sr., reactivated the Texas Navy. The current version of the Texas Navy is designed to assure the survival of Texas Naval history, and preserve the rights, boundaries, water resources and defense of Texas. |
Notes & References
- Award has been verified by Brevet.
- As Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Kalakaua I, the recipient is entitled to use the postnomial letters KGCK (which is a higher honor than that of KGCO).
- As Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Star of Oceania, the recipient is entitled to use the postnomial letters KGCO.
- As Knight Commander of the Royal Order of the Lion of Rwanda, the recipient is entitled to use the prenomial Chevalier and the postnomial letters KCLR.