Accession Number

992.017.028

Description

A gilt-bronze (ormolu) letter seal, the shaft detailed as feathered leg and claw of a bird, the four talons holding a round ball of green/brown mottled onyx, at the end of the leg joint a disc-shaped brass seal engraved with reversed capital D and J overlapping in fancy script (for James Dunsmuir).

Narrative

The purpose of this seal was to allow Hon. James Dunsmuir to apply his initials to wax seals on documents. As of April 20, 2017, curatorial staff at Craigdarroch Castle are  unaware of any documents this seal was used on.  

History of Use

This was the personal seal of Hon. James Dunsmuir (1851-1920), eldest son of Robert and Joan Dunsmuir. It was used by him at his Colwood, BC residence named Hatley Park (occupied by him 1910-1920), and perhaps before that, at BC’s Government House when he was Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia (held office 1906-1909), and possibly before then, at Burleith, his Victoria residence (occupied 1891-1906).

The precise date of manufacture of the seal is unknown. Following James Dunsmuir’s death in 1920, the seal became the property of his youngest daughter, Dola Frances Cavendish (nee Dunsmuir, 1903-1966). The next owner was her nephew, Robin James Dunsmuir (1912-1990). He kept it at his house at Victoria’s 10-Mile Point. It was inherited by his widow, Kathleen Dunsmuir (d. 1992), also known as “Kay” (nee Kathleen Dunderdale Hall).

This letter seal and several other objects and documents were then gifted to The Castle Society by Janet Flanagan, the niece and beneficiary of Mrs. Robin James Dunsmuir, (nee Kathleen Dunderdale Hall).

A photograph taken inside Dolaura, the Colwood residence of Dola Frances Cavendish, shows the letter seal sitting on Dola’s writing table (see 2012.007.008.141).

Date

circa 1900 – 1910

Dimensions

14 cm
4 cm outside diameter

Material

Metal, bronze; Stone, onyx; Metal, gold

Technique

Cast; Gilt; Ormolu