Early California Antiques Shop

Spanish Royal Coat of Arms Tile in Wrought Iron Surround

Regular price $395.00

A poetic version of Spain’s Coat of Arms, the two pillars under the royal crown signify the Pillars Of Hercules that guard the straits of Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean (hence the water at their bases) and the first two letters on the banner, P and the Roman U written as a V, stand for Plus Ultra, meaning Even beyond (alluding to Columbus’s discovery of the New World) Spain’s national motto. The C and the S or I we leave for you to puzzle out. Hint: the motto was adopted from Charles V whose personal motto it was in contradiction of the legendary pillars’ imagined inscription: Nec Plus Ultra (Nothing Further Beyond). Based on that we vote for Carolus Imperator (Emperor Charles: Charles V having become the Holy Roman Emperor.)


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