Here's some stuff I came up with over the week:

(a little heavy on the heraldry, but some interesting nonetheless)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Some thoughts on Heraldic Devices
------------------------------------------------------------------

from http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bdurie/helmet.htm:

"The helmet in Heraldry indicates rank and has a complex set of
rules associated with it.

*A King or Queen and Princes of the blood have a barred helmet
 Or (gold) facing affronty (to the front).
*A peer has a helmet of Argent (silver) with a grille of five bars
 Or (gold) and faces dexter (to its right, the viewer's left).
*Knights and Baronets (a sort of hereditary knighthood) have steel
 helmets placed affronty (facing front) with the visor raised.
*Esquires and gentlemen (people of no particular rank, in other
 words) have a barrel helmet of steel, the Esquire's garnished
 with gold."

Also:
"In addition to the standard shield, there are often Coronets (caps
 of rank, such as the helmet, Supporters (often fabulous animals) to
 either side and a motto usually in an "escrol". Sometimes the
 shield stands upon a Ground or Compartment, typically made to
 represent a grassy mound or seascape and often, in Scotland, with
 the Clan or family plant badge depicted."

(I tried looking up www.coronet.com with no luck.....:)

*****************************************

Per the attached JPG: [see here] more proof that the Riddle may be
more of a Jest:(from http://www.abs.net/~jimh/crest1.htm)

"The coat of arms shown is the one most commonly referred to as the
 "Riddle" coat of arms. It is a version of the "Riddell of Riddell"
 and is the one that is provided by many commercial heraldry companies
 in the United States such as The Sanson Institute of Heraldry of
 Boston, Massachusetts, or Halberts of Bath, Ohio. This illustration
 was reproduced from "Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of
 Peerage Baronetage and Knightage", 1971 edition. 

 Sir John(3-16) Riddell.X1Riddell, Sir John(3-16)/, of the Riddells
 of Roxburghshire, Scotland was the oldest son of Andrew(2-15). He
 was a man of considerable talent. He was knighted at an early age
 during his fathers lifetime. The title of baronet was conferred
 on the 14th  of May, 1628 under the rule of Charles I, King of
 England and Scotland. Sir John(3-16) is recognized as the 1st Baron
 of the "Riddell of Riddell". 

 The Baronet of Riddell remains with the Riddell family today, under
 Sir John Charles Buchanan(15-27) Riddell.X1Riddell, Sir John Charles
 Buchanan(15-27)/, 13th Bt. of Riddell. Sir John Charles succeeded
 his father in 1934. "

Note [see image])the helmet facing "dexter", to the viewers left,
with a 5-barred (presumably silver w/gold bars) helmet: for a
"Peer", poss a duke or baron. The only corresponding helm in +ORC's
riddle is the Steel, with visor closed in profile for a squire or
gentleman. (This conflicts with my source, but not with yours...)

******************************************

What this may be implying is that the Riddle helm is a gentleman's
helm (it is not, he is a baron) and therefore the correct choice of
the five? There is some conflict in sources...the Riddle crest is
a baron or a gentleman according to all sources but +ORC, in whose
it is just a gentleman.

_m

+B
31 May 1997