Vair
From MiddleWiki
An heraldic fur, Vair, (fr. vairé), generally written vairy when definite tinctures are named: a party-coloured fur, properly argent and azure, which tinctures are always implied when no others are mentioned; but, as will be seen, it occurs even in the early rolls of different tinctures.
The origin of the name is not clear, but the most probable conjecture is that it is derived from a little animal whose fur was much in request, the ver, or vair, differently spelt, and which appears in Latin as varus, though alternately it is said to resemble squirrel-pelts sewn together. The word seems to have been used independently of heraldry for fur.
Menu-vair is used by French heralds when there are more than four rows, the term being considered as implying a diminutive vair. It is borne much by Flemish families, possibly in connection with trade associations. The menu-vair, or as some call it, minever, was a term used in the Middle Ages for the fur lining of robes of state.
Beffroi, or gros vair, is used when there are less than four rows. The name is evidently derived from the bell-like shape of the vair, the word beffroi being anciently used in the sense of the alarm-bell of a town. It is said that when French heralds use the term vair only, that four rows exactly are intended.
In modern heraldry the figures of a shield-shape are generally drawn, though rounded forms of vair are often seen, with the division lines drawn after the same manner as nebuly.
Besides being applied to the field, it is often found applied to ordinaries and some few charges; and in some cases even to animals.
But different forms of vair occur, apart from the tincture. The term counter vair(fr. vairé contre vairé) has been adopted to signify that the shield-like forms instead of alternating singly alternate in pairs, so that each 'piece' represents a pair of shields united at their tops; but this form does not seem to have been adopted in any arms which can be said to be distinctly English, though some of the families may possibly be represented in England. The form has probably arisen only from incorrect drawing.
Again, Vair en pointe is a term applied by Nisbet to an arrangement by which the azure shield, pointing downwards, has beneath it an argent shield, also pointing downwards, and vice versa. There are one or two coats of arms so blazoned, but it is not at all clear that this is the design meant. Also, there have been instances of vair appearing with four tinctures.
Heraldic writers also speak of varry as meaning one of the pieces of which the vair is composed; they also used the terms vairy cuppy and vairy tassy for potent counter potent, perhaps from the drawings in some instances resembling cups, and that in the possible meaning of tassa. It may be said that all these variations of the ancient vair arise from mere accident(generally bad drawing), supplemented by over refinement on the part of the heraldic writers who have described them.
(This Article has been condensed from Parker's "A Glosary of Terms Used in Heraldry")
