
Terms of the Trade: Escutcheon
In the antiques trade, the term escutcheon has two different meanings depending on which specialism you apply it to.
Silverware
The etymology of the word escutcheon derives from the Norman French word ‘escuchon’, which in turn is a derivation from the Latin word ‘scutum’, meaning shield. Consequently, the first usage of the term is in its traditional heraldic sense, in which an escutcheon is the term used to signify the shield which forms the basis of a coat of arms.