Arhivski vjesnik, Vol. 68 , 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.36506/av.68.9
Mohr’s Draconian Armorial Book
Željko Heimer
; Hrvatsko grboslovno i zastavoslovno društvo
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The Draconian Armorial i.e. Draconian Armorial Book is a collection of coat of arms depictions of members of the Society of Brothers of the Croatian Dragon, prepared by Viktor Mohr, as stated in a note inscribed in it. The Society has granted personal draconian coats of arms to its members in accordance with prescribed heraldic standards since its formation in 1905 until the present time, thus being one of three domains of “living heraldry” (still actively producing new armigers and coats of arms) in Croatia, besides municipal and ecclesiastic heraldry. Thus, it represents a very specific and significant part of Croatian heraldic heritage. Mohr’s Draconian Armorial is a luxuriously crafted, handwritten and illuminated collection of draconian coats of arms, encompassing the period from the Society’s formation in 1905 to its ban in 1946. It depicts 473 individual draconian coats of arms, alphabetic indexes of armigers and a smaller number of cover and blank sheets of parchment bound in four volumes. The illustrator and writer are not indicated, so it was initially assumed that it is a work of Vjera Bojničić Zamola. However, it was eventually established that the author was StjepanKukec, who skillfully imitated her handwriting from her earlier coats of arms illustrations prepared for the Society. With its unique design, contents and artistic value, its luxurious craftsmanship and its great significance for the history of the Society and Croatia, this armorial book indubitably represents a jewel of Croatian manuscript heritage of the 20th century.
Keywords
armorial book; Society of Brothers of the Croatian Dragon; draconian coat of arms; Viktor Mohr
Hrčak ID:
341825
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2025.
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