You may have seen this auction item on ebay? Errol Flynn's Monogrammed 14K Button with Provenance it has ended without a buyer but may be back! The description adds another layer of understanding to the things going on in Vancouver, BC in the days before and after Flynn died of a massive heart attack in the condo-apartment at 1310 Burnaby St. It tells a tale:
“Single 14 K gold (tested) monogrammed button which belonged to the late Hollywood movie actor Errol Flynn with a four page letter of provenance, acquired in 1959. Provenance is a four page letter written and signed before her death in 2008 by the late Mrs. Joan Keenlyside, wife of the late Judge Harold Keenlyside, O.C. of the British Columbia Supreme Court of Justice, who died in 2001. Judge and Mrs. Keenlyside were personal friends of Mr. & Mrs. George Caldough (Mr. Caldough was a Vancouver, B.C. stock promoter) who she refers to as “Mr. & Mrs. C” in this letter. This letter of provenance and the 14 K gold monogrammed in script “EF” button belonging to Errol Flynn was passed down to her son. The button measures 9/16″ in diameter and weighs 3.7 grams. Each page of the letter measures 8″ x 5 5/16″. The four page letter reads:
“In 1959 Errol Flynn was a house guest of Mr. & Mrs. C (Mr. C. promoter / entrepreneur / stockbroker) at their luxury home (rented) in West Vancouver, British Columbia. At the time his whole preoccupation was with selling his luxury yacht which was moored in the Bahamas. He made no secret of the fact that he was broke and all depended on this sale – necessitating long phone calls at all times of day & night. He and Mr. & Mrs. C were guests at a large cocktail party in Vancouver, B.C. on the day of his death. He excused himself as he was not feeling well & moved into a nearby guest room, lay down & subsequently died. After all was over the C's returned to their home in West Vancouver. Unbeknownst by their friends and aquaintances they also were flat broke & were looking to Errol Flynn to perhaps help them launch a new fancy restaurant they were thinking of launching in high income West Vancouver. Mrs. C told me they were aghast and she went to the room where Errol Flynn had slept & opened the clothes closet and all that was there was a threadbare blazer a few buttons hanging loosely. She said to her husband: quote ” we will never recover those telephone bills – what shall we do?” She decided perhaps something could be recovered on the apparently few gold buttons left on the jacket. She clipped them off – 2 large buttons on the front – 2 small buttons, one on each cuff where obviously 2 more had been at one time. Each one inscribed with his signature “EF”. I met Mrs. C at a dinner party in Vancouver and it was soon after the above events. She told myself and anyone else close by the above course of events where upon I said would be interested in one of the smaller buttons for my gold charm bracelet which she had admired each time we met. She acquiesced immediately & on mentioning the whole thing to my husband across the room – he said sure “make her an offer”. She immediately accepted and said she would bring it to me at our next meeting – a luncheon at the West. Vancr. Tennis Club. This came about & we exchanged the button & the cheque & that was the end of it. I have the understanding that they are both deceased, after this many years. Joan L. Keenlyside.”
— David DeWitt
