It’s not called that; it could well be. On Saturday, after having completed the reason for my visit to the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library, I wandered into the Ottawa Room on the 3rd floor. It’s cram-packed with publications documenting an amazing range of Ottawa history. Many years ago there was a staff member assigned full-time to the room; now it’s the subject of benign neglect. As I was leaving a bust near the room’s entrance caught my eye.
The inscription on the reverse indicates it’s a 1897 commemorative Diamond Jubilee bust of Queen Victoria created by the prominent British-Canadian sculptor Hamilton Plantagenet MacCarthy (R.C.A.). Her Majesty is shown in her signature mourning veil, wearing a lace-trimmed gown, necklace, sash, and chivalric star (Order of the Garter).
AI informs that at auction, an authentic cast metal/bronze 1897 Queen Victoria bust by Hamilton MacCarthy typically realizes between $400 and $1,200.
What will be its fate with the move to the Central Branch, Adisoke, next year (unless delayed further)? How will OPL be ensuring continued preservation and access to the unique Ottawa Room content?