Antique Canadian Furniture and Works by Canadian Folk Artists Highlight Miller & Miller Auctions

New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada, February 14, 2024 -- Outstanding antique Canadian furniture items and original artworks by acclaimed Nova Scotia artists Maud Lewis (1903-1970), Joe Norris (1924-1996) and Charlie Tanner all scored big in two days of online-auctions held February 8th and 9th by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. In all, 399 lots came up for bid over the course of two days.

The Saturday, February 8th Select Canadiana Furniture, Folk Art, Textiles and Pottery auction was packed with 325 lots of Canadiana, pottery and stoneware, textiles, art glass, lamps and lighting. The Sunday, February 9th Post-War Canadian Folk Art sale was a smaller event, with just 74 lots of post-war Canadian folk art by Lewis, Norris, Tanner, Robert Wylie and others.

The overall top performer of the two days was a late 18th/early 19th century Quebec arbalète dry scraped commode, which was featured in the book Les Meubles Anciens Du Canada Français by Jean Palardy (p. 303, Plate 495). The commode, measuring 32 inches tall by 46 inches wide, had an estimate of $30,000-$50,000, but ended up changing hands for $70,800.

All prices quoted in this report are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.

Also on Day 1, a tall walnut chest of drawers from Waterloo County, commissioned as a wedding gift by Samuel Bricker (1776-1868) to his eldest daughter Mary, blasted through its $6,000-$8,000 estimate to finish at $35,400. The chest, in very good condition, stood 70 ½ inches tall by 43 ¾ inches wide, and was illustrated in the book A Provincial Elegance.

“The Bricker chest offered on Saturday sparked a national news story that set the tone for the whole day,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. “Quality Canadiana and folk art are very much in demand. Many new faces, and the diehards. Two days later, I can still feel the afterglow.”

Maud Lewis is no stranger to Miller & Miller auctions. Many of her vibrant and colorful paintings have been featured in prior sales, always with strong results. This sale was no exception, as several of her oil renderings came up for bid and outperformed estimates. They included Three Black Cats ($44,840) and Harbour Scene with Cape Islanders ($24,790).

Joe Norris also made multiple appearances in the auction, as he has, too, in prior Miller & Miller sales. The top achiever was an enamel on board titled Pulling the Boat Up, 14 inches by 18 inches (board, minus the frame, decorated by the artist). The "story" of this painting likely took place in the coastal village of Lower Prospect, Nova Scotia. It brought $30,680.

A painted wood carving by Charlie Tanner, titled Family Group, a boldly carved and colorful work, 12 ¼ inches tall and artist signed, easily blew past the $5,000 high estimate and realized $24,780. It portrayed an interaction among Tanner's iconic bulbous figures: a woman holding a child in one arm while also holding the hand of her daughter, plus the family dog and a cat.

“On Sunday, explosions from Tanner, Norris and Lewis exposed the passion behind the purchases,” Mr. Miller remarked. “It was an exciting weekend.”

Following are additional highlights from the auction, which grossed $1,106,928. A total of 895 online bidders placed a combined 12,310 bids. 100 percent of all lots were sold on Day 1; 97 percent of all lots changed hands on Day 2. Over 65 percent of the top 50 lots exceeded estimates both days. Online bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and the Miller & Miller website (MillerandMillerAuctions.com). Phone and absentee bids were also accepted.

Returning to the Feb. 8 auction, a 19th century Stahlschmidt roll-top desk (the Canadian version of the American "Wooten" desk), an exceptional office desk made in Preston, Ontario by W. Stahlschmidt & Co., had a high estimate of $5,000, but bidders pushed that to $25,960. The desk was in very good condition, with original hardware and a brass plaque on the front edge.

A circa 1880 Ontario “schrank” (German for cabinet or cupboard), in original paint, the upper panels bearing the initials “J” and “K”, for the famed maker John Klempp (1857-1914), a hotel proprietor and cabinetmaker known for his inlaid furniture and smaller objects from 1870-1890. in excellent untouched condition and beautifully crafted in pine, found a new home for $25,960.

Not every lot on Day 1 was a furniture item. A late 19th century folk art quilt top with Adam and Eve at the center, standing on either side of the tree with the forbidden fruit, as two birds fly above and a serpent lies below, 192 inches square, fetched $18,880 against a high estimate of $3,000. The Ontario-made quilt had hand-stitched appliqués and crazy quilt style stitching.

Undoubtedly the top sleeper lot of the two days had to be the charming Eastern Ontario sampler dated 1848, drawn and executed by Agnes Wallace at 8 years of age. In strong colors with multiple images and identified animals surrounding a red brick Georgian house, the 12 inch by 17 inch (minus frame) sampler brought $32,450 against a high estimate of just $1,500.

On to Day 2, where an 1988 acrylic on canvas by Ted Harrison (England/Canada, 1926-2015), titled Japan, Harrison's interpretation of the Japanese culture, gaveled for $17,770. Through bold colors and dramatic landscapes, Harrison achieved harmony between tradition and modernity, as well as nature and the human spirit. The 24 inch by 36 inch work was artist signed and inscribed.

A monumental mid-1980s painted wood carving of Noah’s Ark by Robert Wylie (Thomasburg, Ontario) rang up $15,340 against a high estimate of $6,000. The work has to be considered a masterpiece. It totals 35 pieces, including 15 sets of animals, all done in Wylie's elegant style, with clean lines and polished surfaces. It was artist signed, "Wylie", on the bottom of the ark.

To watch a short YouTube video highlighting some of the top-selling items of the two days, click this link: https://youtu.be/RdNA9m-xajI

Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. has a full slate of upcoming online-only auctions, to include the following:

- February 28: Soda Advertising & Push Bars, ‘When Push Comes to Shove’

- March 1: Petroliana & Advertising, featuring the late Arthur “Bud” Irving collection.

- March 2: Petroliana & Advertising

- March 22: Firearms & Sporting, featuring the G. Wayne Connor collection

- April 12: East Coast Canadiana & Folk Art, featuring the Chris Huntington collection.

- May 3: Pop Culture – Comics, Toys and Music Memorabilia 

To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and their calendar of upcoming sales, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.

About Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.:
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in watches and jewelry, art, antiques and high-value collectibles. Its mission is to provide collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell. To consign a single piece, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and their calendar of upcoming sales, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.

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