Accession Number

2008.004.001

Description

A customized dark reddish-brown leather-covered book containing thirty assorted pieces of individually acquired sheet music, on the cover incised in gilded lettering, "SONGS" and "LAURA DUNSMUIR", the interior pieces sometimes bearing L. Dunsmuir's signature, examples dated 1888, 1889, 1895, and February, 1896.

Narrative

This book was created by Laura Miller Dunsmuir (also known as Mrs. James Dunsmuir) by hiring someone to assemble her individual pieces of sheet music into a bound volume. She used it with her children on her fine rosewood piano (see: https://collection.thecastle.ca/Detail/objects/6177). 

During the 19th Century, it was not unusual for people to have bookbinders bind their favourite pieces of sheet music into useful books. Mrs. Dunsmuir had a similar music book that is also in Craigdarroch's collection. (See: https://collection.thecastle.ca/Detail/objects/2062) 

History of Use

This book was owned by Laura Miller Dunsmuir and used by her at Burleith, Government House, and Hatley Park. Some of the individual pieces of sheet music in the book are signed and dated by her in 1888, 1889, 1895 and 1896. The earliest pieces would have been used by her at the family's Departure Bay house and at Fairview.

Sometime after Mrs. Dunsmuir's death in 1937, this book was acquired by the late Hyacynth (Pussy) Mellish, who with her husband Humphrey,  managed the Heathertbelle Dog Kennel on West Saanich Rd. She bequethed this book and other books of non-Dunsmuir sheet music to the donor in the late 1990's. 

Date

1888 – 1896

Dimensions

33.5 x 25.8 cm

Material

Paper; Leather; Metal, gold

Technique

Bound

Inscription

on centre of cover : SONGS. 
at lower right of cover: LAURA DUNSMUIR
 

Country of Origin

Canada