scoop, cheese
Object
Accession Number
987.013.001Description
A silver-plated cheese scoop, the name "Dolaura" impressed in upper case block letters on the top side of the handle, electroplate markings on the underside of the handle, the underside of the handle at the end in a rat tail pattern, the handle narrow (.5 cm) through the mid-section then widening out at the end, the scoop resembling a half cylinder with the outside edges cut with a simple scalloped edge.Narrative
This cheese scoop is not as finely made as other silverware in The Castle Society's collection from TSSY Dolaura. This suggests that it may have been intended for use by the crew, rather than by the Dunsmuir family and their guests.
The
TSSY DOLAURA was a private yacht built in 1908 for Hon. James Dunsmuir by the Fleming and Ferguson shipyard of Paisely, Scotland. It was named by combining the names of Dola and Laura Dunsmuir.
The next four owners were members of the New York Yacht Club. In 1920, the yacht was sold to Arthur Meeker and renamed the
VICTORIA; from 1922 to 1924 the yacht belonged to James Shewan and renamed the
PATRICIA; from 1926 to 1928 the yacht belonged to Russell A. Alger and was renamed the
LAURENTIAN; from 1929 to 1936 the yacht belonged to George W. Childs Drexel and was renamed the
ALCEDO.
From 1937 to 1939 the yacht belonged to John C. Sword of Britain and was renamed the
VALENA; at the outbreak of WW2, the yacht was requisitioned by the Admiralty, named HMS VALENA and used to hunt enemy submarines until 1945.
VALENA was returned to Mr. Sword and then sold to Pontos Cia de Nav (J. Lavanos), Panama and used for passenger service in the Mediterranean. The yacht was scrapped at La Spezia, Italy on December 30, 1951.
An aerial photograph of the HMS Valena can be seen here:
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205017805History of Use
This cheese scoop was made for use on the Dunsmuir yacht, TSSY Dolaura. It became the property of Dolaura's Chief Engineer, Alfred Greaves, when the yacht was sold by James Dunsmuir. It was next inherited by his daughter from whom The Castle Society acquired it in 1987.Date
circa 1908Dimensions
20.6 cmMaterial
Metal, alloy; Metal, silverTechnique
Electroplated; StampedInscription
DOLAURA