Vair

  One of the furs of heraldry, composed of a number of pieces or hides cut to resemble little bell-shaped shields, and arranged alternately argent and azure. It is not usual to mention the tinctures but, when of different  metal or colour, it is then termed vairy of such particular tinctures, e.g. vairy arg and vert. Some authors term the separate hides as varries.

  The  source is somewhat obscure but the name may be derived from a small beast called varus, having a bluish gray back and a white belly and may to be traced to the manner whereby furriers fashioned vair to line garments using it in small pieces in such a way as to alternate the blue fur with the white fur.

  Vair has two variations:

Vair-en-point: where the point of one shield is placed opposite to the base of the one below

Counter-vair: where those of the same colour are placed base to base and point to point.

Some ancient authors contended that vair should be formed of four rows, or ranks, and, when less, that it should be specified; the fewest, being of three rows, was called beffroy de vair; and the most, being of five, or six rows, was termed menu of vair. The beffroy being also known by the first part or piece of which it is formed, on the dexter side, being always of metal, and made in the shape of a belt.

See Tincture.