The Canada Auction Series: Canadian Arts, Culture & History

Waddington’s Canadian Arts, Culture, and History auction reflects the country’s incredible breadth of talent across various disciplines. A twice-yearly occurrence, this auction echoes our popular Cabinet of Curiosities series, but instead of presenting all things foreign and exotic, the focus is instead turned homeward—and what treasures abound!

One of the highlights of this auction is lot 301, a 19^th century Canada-United States Border Marker. It was not until the 1818 Convention of London that the line between the two nations was both legislatively defined and socially understood. Established along the 49th parallel, the demarcating line stretching from coast to coast is the longest undefended border in the world. Made from granite, cast iron, bronze and stainless steel and placed in 1861, this obelisk is just one of the 8,600 total markers erected along the border between Canada and the United States.

Photography is one of the threads of this auction. Fans of SCTV and Toronto’s Second City troupe will enjoy a look behind the scenes, courtesy of lot 322, an album of polaroids of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Andrea Martin, Joe Flaherty, Harold Ramis and Dave Thomas in character makeup for their first television appearances on Global TV’s Second City, as photographed by Diane Rowe, a makeup artist who worked with the troupe from 1977 through 1979. Lot 303 is a rare carte de visite belonging to Louis Riel and bearing his photographic likeness, from an era that saw the election of Riel as President of a Provisional Métis government, the accession of the Province of Manitoba into Confederation (then the Red River Settlement), the execution of Thomas Scott on the orders of a Métis court-martial, Riel’s election to the House of Commons, and subsequent escape to New York. Another lens-based work of note is lot 306, a photograph by Bob Olsen which captures the passing of John Diefenbaker’s funeral train through Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

Maps, posters and other works on paper are also a theme of this auction, from lot 377, Giacomo Gastaldi’s woodcut map, said to be the first printed plan of a North American town or village, published in 1556, to lots 373–376, similarly interesting maps from historical Canada.

Canada’s great contributions to the musical field are reflected in lot 320, a self-portrait by Leonard Cohen, and lot 327, a signed album by Neil Young.

These works are enhanced by historical items from Indigenous cultures, European explorers and settlers, the fur trade, the Confederation of Canada, and the nation’s involvement in two World Wars.

We hope you will be as intrigued by these items as we were, and are pleased to be sharing this installment with you.

about the auction:

Online from May 27 – June 1, 2023, Waddington’s Canadian Arts, Culture, and History auction reflects the country’s incredible breadth of talent across various disciplines. From the field of music, look for works by Leonard Cohen and Neil Young. Our collective sense of humour is represented by a photograph album of Toronto’s Second City troupe. These contemporary works are enhanced by historical items from Indigenous cultures, European explorers and settlers, the fur trade, the Confederation of Canada, and the nation’s involvement in two World Wars.

Please contact us for more information for the Canadian Arts, Culture & History auction.

We invite you to browse the online gallery, and preview these works in person at our Toronto location, 275 King Street East, 2nd Floor.

On View:
 Wednesday, May 24 from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm
 Thursday, May 25 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Friday, May 26 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Saturday, May 27 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Sunday, May 28 from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
 Monday, May 29 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Tuesday, May 30 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
 Wednesday, May 31 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Otherwise by appointment.