@maxine*j, I thought this looked like the combined coats of arms of the provinces of Canada as well.
However, when I enlarged the image, even though it's out of focus, I can see that it's just "inspired by" the provincial coats of arms. There aren't enoguh of them, and the details are not correct.
There are 10 provinces, and only 7 coats of arms are included. Some of them are similar to the provincial arms, but not quite right. For example:
- 3 of the provinces have coats of arms with the red cross of St. George on a white field at the top, but only 2 are in this piece.
- The top left coat of arms is similar to Ontario, but below the cross of St. George, there should be a spray of 3 maple leaves, and this piece has 3 stars.
- The middle row on the right is similar to Manitoba, with some kind of animal under the cross of St. George. It's supposed to be a bison (buffalo) and maybe that's what it's supposed to on this piece.
- Alberta should also have a white field with a red cross of St. George, but there isn't another one.
- The middle coat of arms is similar to New Brunswick, with the lion passant on top, but the field is supposed to be gold, not blue.
- That's the only coat of arms with a lion passant on top. Prince Edward Island should also have a red field with a gold lion passant, and Saskatchewan should have a gold field with a red lion passant on top.
- I don't recognize the 2 coats of arms with the yellow fields, or the two with white fields.
If this piece is quite old, then I suppose it might be from before 1905, when the # of provinces increased from 7 to 9.
| Provinces of Canada |
| Name | Entered Confederation |
| Ontario | July 1, 1867 |
| Quebec | July 1, 1867 |
| Nova Scotia | July 1, 1867 |
| New Brunswick | July 1, 1867 |
| Manitoba | July 15, 1870 |
| British Columbia | July 20, 1871 |
| Prince Edward Island | July 1, 1873 |
| Saskatchewan | September 1, 1905 |
| Alberta | September 1, 1905 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | March 31, 1949 |
