Jim and Ilona shared a collecting interest that began in the 1970s. That’s a lot of time. And what you will see when you look through the online auction is the evolution and depth in their collecting.
They furnished and decorated their house in Wingham, later Kitchener with their antiques and folk art. Everything was on display. If it was utilitarian, it was put to use.
The kitchen was outfitted in Western Canadian style with a scarce Doukhobor harvest table and a matching right angled bench that would originally have served a large family in their pioneer home in Alberta. Continuing the Western theme, against the wall of the kitchen was a striking Ukrainian bench in red and blue with brass tack decoration.
Figured woods added elegance add formality to other rooms. The dining room had a highly figured tiger maple extension table, flame birch and tiger maple chairs, while other rooms had other pieces of tiger maple and birdseye maple. One of the more deceptive pieces that warrants a close look is the early slant front desk. Its sombre formal exterior belies its amazing interior. The interior has striking tiger maple drawers, and behind the tablet door are other tiger maple drawers with a hidden cubbie behind that!
It’s rare to find a collection of folk art lighting. Usually when you think of lighting you think stained glass or reverse painted shades, whale oil, tole, candle but in this case there are many exuberant examples of folk art lighting. The tamest might be the folk art decoys that are converted to lamps. Check out the one-of-a-kind whirlygig parrot lamp or the pair of Grenadier soldiers on antique pillars which make quite a statement as folk art sentinels.
Jim and Ilona had an eye for collecting Ontario folk art. They discovered the work of George Beckstead, a little known carver who was a former CNR conductor. As of yet only about a dozen of his pieces have been identified. Beckstead was well ahead of his time as he carved and framed a “selfie” way back in the 1950s. His ingenious folk art tower is also definitely worthy of note.
Gordon McCartney of Chesley Ontario and Oliver Sonley of London Ontario were 2 of the documented folk artists in the collection.
One theme that runs throughout the collection is humour. So many of the pieces will surprise you, make you laugh or at least smile. Silent butlers are carved and painted in their best stereotypes: an “Indian Maiden”, an elderly butler, a waitress and a classic bellhop.
Many of the folk pieces have Indigenous themes ranging from 19th C oil paintings of an encampment to vibrantly painted West Coast folk totem poles, to a dramatic floor lamp of 2 women carved from a cedar log.
What really puts a stamp of quality and scholarship on the collection is the array of walking sticks – animals, people, Indigenous, novelty, campy. Many of these sticks are humorous such as the one carved for the Fleming Family or the Ally Sloper 19th C comic character. Many are extremely well carved and dramatic with an emphasis on original surface and execution. These were clearly Jim’s passion. Unlike the folk carvings, walking sticks originated in many countries including Canada, US, England, China and Europe.
The collection continues with Masonic and fraternal folk pieces. There are several carved frames, or small boxes mostly of local origin.
And to round out the collection there are Moorcroft, Baltimore Pear early American press glass, and Peruvian pottery and wooden ware of antiquity.
The entire collection is set up in Moffat and on display waiting for you to come to preview. We encourage you to view in person as folk art is best enjoyed up close and personal.
