PBA Galleries

Red stone (sandstone?), approximately 3½(h)x3(w)x3(d)", roughly pyramid-shaped, wrapped with a sterling silver band. The band engraved on three sides: "Taken From The Sand Of A North Sea Strand" / "Dunbar, Scot. July, 1903" / "Dewitt Miller from Mira and Francis Wilson".

A wonderful artifact from the golden age of book collecting! A gift from Francis Wilson, the esteemed actor, author, and noted bibliophile, to fellow bibliophile and friend [Jahu] Dewitt Miller. Wilson and Miller were both associated with the elite private school for young women, National Park Seminary, in Forest Glen, Maryland, a suburb of Washington. D.C. Miller's extensive library was housed on the campus in a building specifically designed to hold the collection and Wilson's collection of costumes from his stage performances was donated to the school's dramatic department. Both gentlemen were also members of The Duodecimos club, a group of 12 noted bibliophiles of the day. Wilson clearly thought highly of Miller to have gone to the effort of having this memento of their friendship crafted.