This very ornate German escutcheon is made of carved and painted wood. It has several layered parts. The center and focal point is a shield with a series of five rows and four columns of squares each with a single dynastic symbol; there are Greek crosses, crossed keys, a rearing lion, winged animals painted in red or black against contrasting red, black, blue or gold backgrounds. The shield is concave on the sides, convex on the top and bottom, with two notches near the lateral sides of bottom border. The shield is placed on top of undulating leaf-like carvings painted black on the lateral edges and lower portions of the escutcheon and red on the sides next to the shield. Surrounding the top of the shield are nine miniature helmets and steel collars for suits of armor. They are painted dark grey with gold edges; all but one wears a gold and red crown. Protruding outward and upward from each crown, creating a curved arc, are nine distinct figures from left to right: a red rearing lion holding crossed keys; a black, gold-crowned, two-tailed lion sitting on a lyre, a three ribbed olive-green feather with gold circles, perhaps in imitation of peacocks’ feathers, a spread-winged eagle with a gold collar and feet replacing the one missing crown thus standing directly on the miniature armor helmet with two widely spread wings each with a short gold stem at its base; a large bird with a very long curved neck next to a small, upward gazing bird; a black animal face with a long snout, red lips and a red crown, backed by a multi-lobed, olive-green feather with gold circles; an armored arm and bare hand holding a short, curved dagger; and finally a snake-like armored creature with a dogs’ head and a long red tongue.