A 335-lot sale highlighting original surface furniture, rare early portraits, folk art, decoys, and historic Canadian works from long-held collections.
NEW HAMBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA, January 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — An exuberant Waterloo County Neoclassic corner cupboard in untouched original paint; a superb Ontario schrank illustrated in The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture; and a group of rare early Canadian portraits led by Thomas Macdonald’s Mrs. Ann Hayward are among the expected top lots in Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.’s Canadiana – Featuring the late Howard Pain Collection, scheduled for Saturday, February 14th, beginning promptly at 9am Eastern time.
The online-only, live-cast auction comprises 335 lots curated from long-time collectors across Canada, including the collection of the late Howard Pain, author of the seminal reference The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture, and the late Cathy Consentino. Categories span Canadiana, original surface furniture, fine and folk art, decoys, trade signs, clocks, and Indigenous works. Online bidding will be available through MillerandMillerAuctions.com and LiveAuctioneers.com, with phone and absentee bids also accepted. Lots will close sequentially in real time during the live webcast.
Original paint and untouched surfaces are a defining strength of the sale, with furniture from Ontario, Quebec, and the East Coast taking centre stage. Leading the offering is a Waterloo County Neoclassic glazed corner cupboard, Ontario, second quarter 19th century, notable for its arched upper door panels accented with punched yellow dots on a red ground, reeded pilasters with carved rayed discs, and a shaped bracket base centred by a sunburst motif. The cupboard displays a level of craftsmanship rarely encountered, with shelves aligned to the mullions, spoon slots, carved plate grooves, and beaded backboards, and shows striking similarities to plate 959 in The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture, suggesting it was made by the same hand. Preserved in excellent condition with original paint, it carries a pre-auction estimate of CA$15,000–$25,000.
Equally compelling is an Ontario schrank from Waterloo or Perth County, also dating to the second quarter of the 19th century, and illustrated full-page in The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture (plate 1026). Distinguished by its German-style cornice with rounded corners, double raised door panels, original rat-tail hinges, and a clean, well-preserved interior, the schrank retains superb original paint and presents as a textbook example of the form. From the Dr. Alan Giffen Collection, it is expected to bring CA$8,000–$10,000.
“Original paint and original surface furniture is always a major focus for us,” said Ben Lennox, Consignment Director. “Highlights include an exuberant Waterloo County Neoclassic corner cupboard that will stop you in your tracks, an Ontario schrank with exceptional paint, and a folky Quebec chest, along with pieces by New Brunswick master Thomas Nisbet.”
The auction is equally strong in early Canadian portraiture, an area where quality examples are increasingly elusive. A rare watercolour on paper by Thomas Macdonald (1784/85–1862), titled Mrs. Ann Hayward and dating to circa 1825–1830, depicts the sitter seated before a swagged red curtain, clutching a bouquet and identified by inscription. Retaining excellent colour and presented in an old frame, the work represents the scarcity of documented itinerant portrait painters active in early Canada and is estimated at CA$8,000–$10,000.
Also of note is an important Ontario watercolour family portrait dated 1851, depicting the Gummer family of Cobourg gathered in a parlour setting, likely to mark a christening. With strong colour and notable provenance, including its selection as the cover lot for Waddington’s Canadian Collector’s Series auction in 1982, the painting is expected to realize CA$6,000–$8,000. Complementing it is a rare early naive double portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Phair of Sunderland, Ontario, dating to circa 1835, boldly inscribed and rich in symbolic detail, carrying an estimate of CA$6,000–$8,000.
“Some of the finest Ontario portraits have come to market in this sale,” Lennox said. “Great, early portraits are typically buried in old collections—take note, as they don’t come up often.”
Beyond furniture and paintings, the auction offers standout examples of Canadian folk expression and commercial history. These include a monumental carved Quebec bootmaker’s trade sign marked A.A. Germain & Cie, complete with its original forged iron hanging bracket and retaining an untouched, weathered surface; and an extraordinary polychromed Masonic walking stick dated 1890, densely carved with allegorical figures and symbols and preserved in excellent condition. Together, these objects speak to the depth and diversity of material assembled for the sale.
This is an online-only auction. There will be no in-person event to attend, but bidders may follow along and participate as the lots close in real time during the live webcast on Saturday, February 14th, beginning at 9am Eastern time.
For a complete catalogue, bidding registration, and absentee or phone bidding arrangements, visit:
https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-IPSZW9/canadiana-featuring-the-howard-pain-collection
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in art, antiques, watches and jewelry, and important Canadian and international collectibles. To consign a single piece, an estate, or an entire collection, call (519) 573-3710 or email info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com
Ben Lennox
Miller and Miller Auctions Ltd.
+1 519-573-3710
ben@millerandmillerauctions.com
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