1951 Chiffre sur Lion Heraldique 40 Cents Stamp ~ Used

This is one of the rare stamps “Chiffre sur Lion Heraldique” Olive Belgium 40 cents (with cancellation 2.5.52) 15 February 1951.

In heraldry , the lion and the leopard denote the same animal, but with a different head position.
With the head in profile, it is a lion .
With the head facing, this is a leopard .
Body position does not affect the name, but the two "twins" have preferred positions: and the lion is "rampant" (standing), the leopard is "passing" (extended). The lion's tail is traditionally turned inward, the outward leopard, leopard is less bearded the lion ... but it seems that this is only vanity illustrators.
The "king of beasts", with its reputation for strength, courage, nobility, so true to the medieval ideal, could only attract those who wanted to choose arms. And made ??the lion and his alter ego leopard are very numerous, especially in the Anglo-Norman ( Plantagenet ). The success of the lion is the cause of its own trivialization well illustrated by the "heraldic saying" who "does not shield bears a lion" .
In fact, the heraldic leopard finds its origin in the "lion (leo) panther (pa)-Bastard (ard)", which was the medieval idea of ??the leopard: bastard so bad. But the "leopards" Plantagenet are not for that ignore English heraldry and blazoned "lion passant looking." Royal home as any lion, they are seen bastards and bad on the other side of the Channel.
Having lost his ability identity, the lion is rated a series of features to try to recover. We are faced with an overwhelming number of lions that differ sometimes by tiny details like the color of the claws, or the position of the legs (if the right hind leg is raised, it is "skipping" and not " creep "). It is far from the rule that the furniture are clearly identifiable from afar ... but it is also true that the more time passes, their function away the dust of mixed.