Lots and Lots of Letters ... and Heraldry

This afternoon, I received a very interesting email from Jon von Briesen of New Jersey.  Earlier this summer, as he went into the James A. Farley Post Office on Eighth Avenue, Manhattan (or, as I know it, the main post office), Jon took pictures of the ceiling medallions.

He reports, "In June, I was in the city to catch a train. I had some bill payments that needed to be mailed in a hurry. I took the opportunity to post them at the central post office, across from Penn Station/ Madison Square Garden. Recessed medallions on the ceiling each held arms of some nation. The display is pretty eurocentric. As far as I can see, the heraldry is correct. France might have gotten some more pictorial treatment --- fasces, perhaps."

Readers:  Would you like to help identify the shields captioned with numbers only?

Here are Jon's photos.  Perhaps next time you're in the neighborhood, you'll stop and look up!  Many thanks for getting in touch, Jon!  Please send us more heraldic photos from your travels in and out of town.

Belgium

Netherlands

Italy

Republic of France

Great Britain

United States of America

German Empire

Russian Empire

Spain

Austro-Hungarian Empire

#11:  Medallions in Context