The red, gold, and black is from the Italian T's. The ship represents the Kouli Kan, the bell is the bronze family handbell, and symbolizes "reunion". The book stands for the Bible, as so many T's hewed to it and were members of the clergy, or a book standing for the importance of education and knowledge in our lives, (lots of teachers in the family, too). The two mattoxes stand for the hard work of the two brothers, and the motto means "we shall never forget". On the shield: top left and bottom right quarter backgrounds are red, top right and bottom left backgrounds are black. All figures are gold. Ship (on the helmet) has gold sails, red pennants, black hull. Silver (gray) helmet. The twists (there are six twists) in the torse which is the rope-looking thing that ties the mantling on--just under the ship is gold followed by red. The mantling is gold and red.