An art dealer in New York stumbled upon a painting at a Hamptons barn sale that he purchased for $50, only to later discover that it was a rare and valuable piece by the iconic Canadian artist Emily Carr. The painting, titled “Masset, Q.C.I.,” depicts a memorial totem pole with a carved grizzly bear. Despite being unfamiliar with Carr’s work at the time of purchase, the dealer, Allen Treibitz, conducted research and consulted with an auction house in Canada, which confirmed that the painting could be worth up to $200,000.
For Treibitz, who has been selling art for over 40 years, this discovery was one of the most significant finds of his career. He described the painting as extraordinary and knew that he had stumbled upon something special. After confirming the painting’s value with the auction house president, David Heffel, the painting is set to be auctioned in Toronto with an estimated value of $100,000 to $200,000.
The painting was created by Carr in 1912 as a way to document the artistic heritage of British Columbia’s First Nations communities. It features an Indigenous memorial post from the village of Masset on the Haida Gwaii archipelago. The painting was gifted to friends in the 1930s and had remained hanging in the Hamptons barn ever since. Heffel noted that the artwork was still in its original frame and stretching and required only a good cleaning and freshening up before being displayed in galleries across multiple cities.
Treibitz expressed hope that the painting would find a new home in a museum or with a collector of Carr’s work. He emphasized the importance of the painting being returned to its rightful place and recognized the significance of this “Cinderella discovery.” The fact that such a valuable piece of art was found in a barn sale for a mere $50 serves as a reminder that one man’s trash can indeed be another man’s treasure.
Overall, the story of the discovery of the Emily Carr painting highlights the unpredictable nature of art collecting and the potential for hidden gems to be found in unexpected places. It underscores the importance of conducting thorough research and consulting with experts to determine the true value of a piece. In this case, the painting’s significance lies not only in its monetary worth but also in its historical and artistic value as a representation of British Columbia’s Indigenous art heritage.
