Open Collections

[Bookplate for Sir Charles Tupper]

Crest is a dog (i.e. loyalty and guidance). Helm is a Baronets and Knights. On the shield at the middle chief are two boars (i.e. courage and savagery) ; at the fess point are three shells(i.e. water, love, St. James the Apostle, pilgrimage and travel).

Animals; Heraldry

Prints

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The heraldic image is for Sir Charles Tupper, the sixth Prime Minister of Canada. G.C.M.G [Knight or Dame Grand Cross] represents The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, a British order of chivalry, with the motto Auspicium Melioris Aevi [Latin: Token for a better age]. GCMG is the most senior of the three classes in the Order. As for CB [Companion] in [The Most Honourable Order of the Bath], it is graphically represented by the military badge on the left-hand side of the bookplate, and the small text on the right-hand side badge Tria Iuncta In Uno [Latin: Three joined in one"]. As for the date of the bookplate, we have quickly placed in the context of the birth and death of Sir Charles Tupper, but it is after 1886 because the honour of GCMG is used to distinguish people that have served the Commonwealth, and from 1884 onwards Sir Charles Tupper was Canada's High Commissioner in Great Britain. We have further evidence that it was after 1884 because Queen Victoria bestowed arms to some of the Fathers of Confederation, including Sir Charles Tupper in 1868, and the same heraldry appears on the bookplate (minus the badges and titles) in a scanned image of the heraldry shown by the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada on their web site. Finally, we know it was after 1886 because Sir Charles Tupper received the C.B. in 1867, but he received the GCMG in 1886. We also know that it was before 1888 because in 1888, Sir Charles Tupper becomes a Baronet of the United Kingdom. As of 2005, Sir Charles Tupper was the oldest to assume the office of the Prime Minister, and he held the position for the shortest amount of time. His occupation was physician.

RBSC Bookplates

2006

Images provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy, or otherwise use these images must be obtained from Rare Books and Special Collections: http://rbsc.library.ubc.ca

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