Sanguine (heraldry)

Sanguine (/ˈsæŋɡwɪn/) is a stain, or non-standard tincture in heraldry, of a blood-red colour. In the past it was sometimes taken to be equivalent to murrey, but they are now considered two distinct tinctures. It is a darker red, the colour of arterial blood.[1] A shade of red used to depict the tincture Sanguine in armorials should be around as darker than the shade used for regular Gules, as the shade of purple used for murrey should be darker than the one used for Purpure. It also should stick into red, by avoiding turning to brown (in order not to introduce confusion with tenné)

Sanguine
Class	Stain
Non-heraldic equivalent	Blood red
Monochromatic designations
Hatching pattern
Tricking abbr.
Poetic designations
Heavenly body	Dragon's Tail
Jewel	Sardonyx

Roundels of sanguine are referred to as guzes, from the Turkish göz, meaning an eye.

• 
  Arms of Clayhills : Per bend Sanguine and Vert, two greyhounds argent set in bend.
• 
  Arms of the Central Logistic Base of Serbian Army.
• 
  Coat of Arms of Latvia, featuring a lion, a quarter, a supporter and a ribbon Sanguine.

Latvia is the only nation in Christendom which uses the color Sanguine. The difference in hue between its flag's red and the regular red used in other flags, can serve as a reference for the color Sanguine.

References

1. Heraldic dictionary at Flags of the World. Accessed 14 July 2009.