This is an extremely useful and comprehensive illustrated dictionary of heraldic terms, a necessity whether one's interest is that of an artist, engraver, heraldist, librarian, or genealogist. Elvin's book is as useful today as it was 110 years ago when the author wrote that the "aim of the present work is not to furnish an account of the antiquity and progress of Heraldry, but to provide as succinctly as possible, and in Alphabetical order, a list of the terms met with in the Science, with their appropriate Illustrations."
The outstanding feature of this book is the set of 47 plates (done by Elvin) depicting over 2,500 illustations of the various heraldic charges, with blazonings, arranged by subject headings such as "Badges," "Bend," "Chevron," "Cross," and the like, thus providing a complete dictionary of terms, each term having an exact reference to a matching illustration. As a result, the identification of unrecognized charges is easy.