A common question that people have who are descended from European families is "what is my coat-of-arms".  There are laws and standards of heraldry that differ from country to country.  The right to a coat of arms would be something that was awarded by a Prince, King, ruler, etc. and was passed down from father to son.  If you are contacted by a commercial firm that offers to provide you with a coat-of-arms, they will look in one of the armorial reference books and create one for you based on your particular last name - this is not an accurate approach.  There is more than one "von Bardeleben" Wappen.  The one which was used by Arthur Franz Ferdinand v. Bardeleben (ancestor of the American DeBardeleben and DeBardelaben families) is the one drawn above.

 

Lippe/Minden	variations include:
	1. Silver shield with three black battle-axes; crest with a silver helmet supporting three ostrich plumes (natural color)
	2. Silver shield with three black battle-axes; crest with a silver helmet supporting one black battle-axe between two black ostrich plumes
	3. Silver shield with three black battle-axes; crest with a silver helmet supporting two black battle-axes (back-to-back) between two silver ostrich plumes - this appears to be the correct wappen for the Minden line which includes all DeBardeleben and DeBardelaben families as supplied by Hans-Jurgen v.Bardeleben.
	4. Red shield with three silver battle-axes with gold handles; crest with three ostrich plumes - a red plume between two silver plumes; two silver battle-axes with gold handles between the plumes (picture this crest with a red shield - I will play with the colors at some point in the future).
Brunswick/Prussia	variations include:
	1. Red shield with a silver battle-axe with a gold handle and a silver rose; crest with a peacock tail (natural color) between two silver axes with the axes between two silver roses.
	2. Red shield with black edging.  A silver hammer and a white rose with green-yellow ornaments.  The ornament surrounding the shield is dark-blue, green and gold.  The helmet is silver with black visor edging, six red eye slits, a golden ornament, black shoulder strap and a dark red arm patch.  The main ornament is a gold crown with red and blue ornaments.  Two silver hammers with black handles and three gold cannon balls with black clasp.