The book is a work of Geoffrey Cadzow Hamilton, CBE （韓美洵）(1917-1988), a Deputy Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong during 1960s. He was the draft designer of the Armorial Bearings of Hong Kong when he was a Cadet Officer of the colonial government of Hong Kong. In this book, he investigated the development of various arms and insignia used in Hong Kong, which provides very comprehensive information regarding the design, adoption and related controversies of badges, seals and arms of Hong Kong during the Colonial period.

This book was published by the Government Printer of Hong Kong in 1963 and was sold at HK$5. During early 1960s, a bowl of Wonton noodle costed around 25-30 cents.

In accordance to the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) of Hong Kong, the copyright of this book was protected as an item with "Government Copyright". The "Government Copyright" of this book subsisted until the end of 50 years (2013) from the end of the calendar year in which it was first published (1963) (ss. 182 (3) (b)). Plates and pictures provided in this book are all "public records" under the definition of the said Ordinance and can be copied and supplied to any person without infringement of copyright (ss. 58) . The only legislation enacted to protect the reproduction of certain pictures of the book, viz. Colony Armorial Bearings (Protection) Ordinance (Cap. 315) , is no longer effective as it was not adopted as the Laws of Hong Kong.

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