An oil on canvas painting by the renowned French artist Èdouard Leon Cortes (1992-1969) sold for $25,960, more than doubling the high estimate, and two oil on beaverboard works by iconic Nova Scotia painter Maud Lewis (1901-1970) combined for $60,180 in two days of online auctions held October 12-13 by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.
All figures quoted in this report are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
The Cortes painting, titled Paris at Dusk, was the top achiever in the October 12th Canadiana auction, which featured 371 lots of furniture, decoys, pottery, stoneware, Canadiana and coin banks. The Maud Lewis paintings (there were seven total in the auction) were star lots in the October 13th Canadian Folk Art sale, which featured 242 lots of folk art and carved decoys.
The circa 1908-1925 Cortes painting, a fine example of his style and work, was the expected top lot in the October 12th auction and it did not disappoint, as it blasted through its $10,000-$12,000 pre-sale estimate. The 13 inch by 18 inch painting, of Paris’s rain-soaked streets at twilight, with the Arc de Triomphe in the background, was beautifully housed in a 19 inch by 24 inch frame.
Maud Lewis is no stranger to Miller & Miller Auctions. Numerous paintings by the artist have been featured in past sales, always with impressive results. The two top earners in the October 13th auction were Train Station in Winter ($31,860) and Men on Wharf ($28,320). Both fell short of estimates but were lovely representations of Lewis’s work, as were the other five paintings.
“Last weekend was proof that collections curated by astute and renown collectors command great attention,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., adding that “64 percent of the top fifty lots in the October 12th auction exceeded the high estimate. Furniture, decoys, weathervanes, and choice pottery were the top performers. Items in an untouched original state performed very well.” October 12th was headlined by the Hamilton and Rutter family collections.
Of the October 13th auction, Mr. Miller said that “42 percent of the top 50 lots surpassed high estimates,” adding that noted folk artists Wilfred Richard, Collins Eisenhauer, Cyril Hirtle, Barbara Clark-Fleming and Aime Desmeules “pushed their high watermarks.” We are already excited for the Canadiana & Folk Art sales in 2025, Miller said confidently.
Following are additional highlights from the two auctions, in which a total of 859 online bidders placed a combined total of 12,737 bids. Internet bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and the Miller & Miller Auctions website. Of the 613 total lots up for bid, 99 percent were sold. October 12th grossed $415,714; October 13th grossed $277,595.
Starting with October 12, a finely made, high quality mahogany and white pine sideboard, possibly from the workshop of Thomas Nisbet (Saint John, New Brunswick), circa 1830, having six drawers, two cupboard compartments and two sliding doors in the upper section and retaining a rich old surface and color, realized $14,160 against a high estimate of $5,000.
A mid-20th century carved and painted black rooster by the Nova Scotia master Collins Eisenhauer (1898-1979), unsigned (as was much of his early work, but definitely by his hand), soared to $5,310 against a high estimate of $1,500. Incredible form and presence distinguished this proud black rooster, 14 inches tall, carved from wood and with glass eyes.
An early 19th-century footstool in original blue paint and having chamfered bootjack ends, with a deeply carved red, white and blue star at the center of the top that also had a scalloped border carved in relief, likely made in Nova Scotia, rang up $12,980, blowing past the $1,200 high estimate. The maker's name ("A.E. Bowden") was lettered in paint on the front skirt.
A fraktur drawn by Anna Weber (Ontario, 1814-1888), just months before her death, showing two birds facing each other perched on the branches of a stylized floral "tree", sold within estimate for $11,800. The signed, dated fraktur exhibited strong colors, with the inclusion of a pink tone, not often found in her work, all within a multi-colored perimeter diamond border.
On to October 13, where an enamel on canvas painting by Joe Norris (Nova Scotia, 1924-1996), titled Sunset with Three Yawls, finished within estimate for $10,030. The work was a serene and evocative landscape capturing a sunset over the Nova Scotia coastline and an outstanding example of what makes Joe Norris an East Coast master. It was signed lower left.
A rare and important "Circus Freak Show" by the renowned Quebec carver Gaston Bergeron settled at $5,310, about what was expected. The piece was a component of his greatest work, a fabulous miniature circus. This group of "circus freaks" included the bearded lady, the world's tallest man, and more. All pieces were carved to scale, with every detail meticulously crafted.
To watch a brief YouTube video of some of the auction highlights, click this link: https://youtu.be/8mHfyNKkQMw
Miller & Miller Auctions will conclude 2024 with the following online-only sales:
November 8-9: Historic Objects - Featuring the Phil Barnett Collection
December 7-8: Petroliana & Advertising
To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the firm’s upcoming auctions, please 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 [email protected]. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the firm’s upcoming auctions, please visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.
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