First day cover of the Laird of Transcamster Bog Silhouette issue (click on the image for a larger image)
Transcamster Bog's latest issue is a set of two stamps (35 p, 50 p) showing my silhouette and the description "Laird of Transcamster Bog".
There are companies that sell souvenir plots of land and tell customers that they can call themselves "Laird of Camster" or "Laird of John O'Groats" or laird of an area. However, I've never used the title "Laird of Camster" because there can only be one laird of any particular territorial designation.
What is a laird? Contrary to what some land vendors may say or imply, a laird is not lord or lady or a member of the nobility. A laird is simply a landowner. It's not really a title either. The Lord Lyon, Scotland's officer of state for heraldry, royal genealogy, and state ceremonies, says that laird is actually a description rather than a title (http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/776.html).
There are landowners who want the Lord Lyon to recognize their territorial designations so that the Letters Patents of their coats of arms refer to them as, for example, McTavish of Auchenschoogle. Then they will use the title Laird, e.g., Laird of Auchenshoogle. If you inherit a property that has had a name (territorial designation) recognized by Lord Lyon for decades, that's easy. However, there are no hard and fast rules on when Lord Lyon recognizes a name on a property that was previously unnamed. In 2010, the Lord Lyon wrote that "some years of ownership under a suitable name would seem appropriate before a territorial designation can be recognized. Note that he does not specify the number of years or other criteria for recognition of a territorial designation. (http://www.scotarmigers.net/pdfs/information-leaflet-20-Territorial-Designations.pdf).
Lord Lyon also writes that "it is not appropriate for the owner of a normal residential property, far less the owner of a small souvenir plot of land" to call himself a laird. But I counter that since laird is a description rather than a title, there is really no prohibition on any landowner, no matter how minor his property, to call himself a laird. Except for titles and designations regulated by law (e.g., medical doctor, chartered accountant), anyone can describe himself however he wishes, whether it be as a proprietor, shepherd, chief cook, bottle washer, or even town drunk.
Hence, I have assumed the description and courtesy title of "Laird of Transcamster Bog". I'm not seeking Lord Lyon's recognition of a territorial designation. However, note that I am not calling myself "Derwin Mak of Transcamster Bog" because the preposition "of" in a name can be interpreted as a noble title, which would require the approval of Lord Lyon (The British, including and especially the Scots, have the most complicated rules on names, titles, and styles in all Europe, if not the world).
An anonymous silhouette artist cut the silhouette on paper for me in Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida, several years ago. The circular design and white silhouette are reminiscent of the early British embossed stamps and the postal stationery of Britain and the United States.
Silhouettes cut from paper, generally in profile, were a major form of popular portraiture in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The art form died out in the Victorian era when photography developed, but it continues in amusement parks and fairgrounds today.
The stamps are imperforate and ungummed (requires glue).
Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in U.K. pounds on U.K. eBay:
If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:
If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:
