Emily Carr painting sold at a barn for $50 US fetches $290K at Toronto auction
A stunning painting by the renowned Canadian artist Emily Carr recently made headlines when it sold for a staggering $290,000 Cdn at a Toronto auction. The piece, painted in 1912, features a carved grizzly bear perched atop a memorial totem pole and bears Carr’s signature. Carr, who was born in Victoria in 1871, was closely associated with the famed Group of Seven, a group of Canadian landscape painters that included Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, and A.Y. Jackson.
The painting, titled Masset, Q.C.I., is believed to have been a gift to Carr’s friends Nell Cozier and her husband in the 1930s. It had been hanging in a barn in the Hamptons since then, where the couple had moved to work as caretakers for a large estate after originally residing in Victoria. The piece was part of Carr’s efforts to document the artistic heritage of First Nations communities in British Columbia, with the Indigenous memorial post depicted in the painting located in Masset, a village in the province’s Haida Gwaii archipelago.
The painting’s journey to the auction block began when U.S. art dealer Allen Treibitz, owner of Heritage Gallery Auctions in Patchogue, N.Y., stumbled upon it at a barn sale. Despite being unfamiliar with Carr’s work, Treibitz was immediately drawn to the painting’s unique beauty and historical significance. After conducting some research, he reached out to David Heffel of the Heffel Fine Art Auction House, ultimately leading to the painting’s inclusion in the fall sale.
The auction for Masset, Q.C.I. exceeded expectations, with the final bid surpassing the presale estimate of $100,000 to $200,000. Treibitz expressed his excitement at being able to play a role in bringing the painting back into the spotlight, emphasizing the importance of Carr’s legacy and the rarity of such a find. Heffel Fine Art Auction House facilitated the sale to the highest bidder, sparking widespread interest in the painting’s captivating story.
The unexpected success of the auction has propelled the painting into the spotlight, garnering attention for its remarkable history and artistic merit. Treibitz’s discovery of the hidden gem in a barn sale highlights the unpredictable nature of the art world, where treasures can be found in the most unexpected places. As Carr’s masterpiece continues to captivate art enthusiasts and collectors alike, its value as a piece of Canadian art history only grows.
