While preparing for Canada Day, we came across this perplexing artifact in our collection…

At first glance, it appears to be a wax Great Seal of Upper Canada (c.1792-1841). The Province of Upper Canada existed from 1791 – 1841, until it was united with Lower Canada to form the Province of Canada. Upper Canada included Southern Ontario and areas of Northern Ontario within the watersheds of Lake Huron, Lake Superior and the Ottawa River. Seal were attached to legal documents such as land grants, by the Lieutenant Governor to authenticate them in the name of the King. The first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe, wanted to attain the allegiance of American Loyalists by granting them parcels of land. This seal could have been attached to a land grant to authenticate the doceument’s holder as the official land owner.

After some detective work, we discovered that replicas of the Great Seal of Upper Canada were generated by the Globe and Mail in the 1960s to celebrate 100 years of Confederation. It is our belief that this seal is a replica as the wax is decoratively painted, the engraving is very prominent, and comparisons with authentic seals have not matched. 

Although it may be a replica, it is still an important artifact that symbolizes a crucial moment in Canada’s history. The seal will be on display for the entire month of July, so come see it today!