Maud Lewis painting valued at $25K among artwork appraised at Halifax event

A Lawrencetown, N.S., woman who inherited paintings purchased from famed Nova Scotia artist Maud Lewis was one of 35 people to attend a cross-Canada appraisal tour Sunday in Halifax.

King brought three paintings to be appraised by Toronto-based art auctioneers, Cowley Abbott. King said she acquired the artwork from her grandmother, who purchased at least six paintings from Lewis.

"My grandmother used to go visit Maud and she would go down and buy paintings from her. So, she would buy them for $6 or $7 and often they'd be wet so they would be on the dash of the car driving home," said King.

King said although her grandfather thought it was crazy of her grandmother to purchase the paintings at the time, one of the pieces King brought with her — a trio of fluffy black cats surrounded by vibrant flowers — was evaluated at an estimated $25,000.

The other two paintings she brought are presumed to be by Lewis's husband, Everett Lewis, who created his own works but was also known to forge his wife's art.

The valuation event in Halifax was the second stop of a 12-city tour. Each person who brought art to the event had about 15 minutes with one of two art specialists to have their pieces appraised.

Paul Rogers arrived from Bridgewater with a painting he thought might be a work of Emily Carr, a Canadian artist celebrated for her depictions of First Nations villages and the landscapes of British Columbia.

The valuation was able to set the record straight for Rogers. 

"It was disappointing news," said Rogers. "These are experts and they said they don't really believe it's an Emily Carr. So, we'll take it home, put it back in the wall and enjoy it for what it is. It's still a nice painting."

Harold Rennie of Halifax brought in a 1941 painting by German artist Peter Dülberg that was passed down to him by his mother and grandmother. Rennie said he hoped to find out more information about the painting's origins. 

"I have promised it to my son when I pass on. I am not particularly interested in its commercial value," said Rennie.

"The purpose of bringing it in for evaluation today is that when I pass it on to my son, I'd like him to have a complete picture of it."

Much like Rennie, King intends to keep the paintings she had appraised in the family. 

"To us, it's more of an emotional connection. I mean, they're never something that we want to sell," said King.

"My grandmother really saw them as being really unique and lovely. And she just thought she [Maud Lewis] was a very positive person and she really thought a lot of her."