Lot 54
THE LADY MARY HAMILTON (NÉE MONTAGU), 12TH DUCHESS OF HAMILTON (1854-1934) DESK SEAL
A FINE VICTORIAN SILVER GILT, BLOODSTONE AND AGATE FIGURAL SEAL, CIRCA 1875
Auction: 19 May 2023 from 10:00 BST
Description
the cast chased and engraved handle formed as a mailed gauntlet with scrolled cuff, the gripped hand holding a small pommel-shaped seal with fluted octagonal banded agate matrix, engraved with a ducal coronet with Mary below, the upper handle area of polished bloodstone with an arched pommel mount enclosing an oval banded agate matrix engraved ‘BRODICK CASTLE’, the whole contained in a fitted case with indistinguishable maker's name to silk interior (possible Garrard)
Dimensions
Length: 10cm, matrices: 15mm x 15mm and 19mm x 24mm
Footnote
Note:
Lady Mary Hamilton (née Montagu), 12th Duchess Of Hamilton (1854-1934)
Born at Kimbolton Castle in Huntingdonshire to the 7th Duke of Manchester, Lady Mary married William Alexander Louis Stephen Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton (1845-1895) on 10 December 1873 and moved on the isle of Arran off the west coast of Scotland to Brodick Castle.
Originally a hunting lodge, dating back to the 13th century, Brodick was one of three fortresses/ castles on the island. It wasn’t until the 11 Duke of Hamilton in the 19th century that the family made Brodick Castle a primary residence with major renovations in 1844, almost tripling the size of the building, under the architect James Gillespie Graham.
Now under the care of the National Trust for Scotland, Brodick Castle has a wealth of family heirlooms in the house. Particularly interesting is a collection of mounted hardstones and porcelains that were collected by William Beckford. The Beckford Collection came to Brodick through Beckford’s youngest daughter, Susan Euphemia (1786-1859) as they had a better relationship than her elder sister. Susan Euphemia became the wife of Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton (1767-1852). She inherited much of the Beckford Collection and by descent the Collection passed to William, 12th Duke of Hamilton (d. 1895).
Lady Mary Hamilton would have therefore experienced the collection. Her admiration for history can be seen in a portrait of her dressed as Mary Hamilton, a lady in waiting to Mary Queen of Scots. Now housed in the National Portrait Gallery accession number NPG Ax41207.
Together, Mary and William had one daughter named Mary (1884-1957) who married the Duke of Montrose, cementing a fruitful alliance with another aristocratic landowning family in Scotland.
As they had no male heir, the family estates passed to a male cousin, but provisions were made their daughter, Lady Mary, and her father ensured that Brodick Castle was left to her where it continued to be an important family home right up until the 20th century.