Art appraiser comes to Vic, looking for the next unnoticed treasures

If you have a painting or sculpture you think could be worth more than the dust collecting on it, here’s your chance to find out.

It’s happened before: In 2018, a 71-year-old retired nurse thought her late father was joking all those years ago when he said that the lake painting sitting over the family fireplace was an authentic Tom Thomson.

Glenna Gardiner had long forgotten the painting, which sat for years in her Edmonton basement. But she got curious about it one day and called a friend—who called the professionals.

Lauren Kratzer, national director of consignments at Heffel Fine Art Auction House remembers taking the phone call.

“She had a friend in Edmonton who sent it to her, along with a note saying, ‘You're the only person who believed in this painting. If it's not real, keep it and if it's real, we'll sell it and we'll go on a cruise.’”

Fast-forward a bit and the painting (above) turned out to be the real deal, fetching $481,250 at auction. And yes, the friends did go on that cruise. “And Heffel was very happy to buy them a set of luggage,” Kratzer tells Capital Daily.

A Victoria man also scored bigtime

There was also a feel-good story out of Victoria that same year. A man brought in a painting signed by English-born Sybil Andrews who moved to Campbell River after the Second World War and whose paintings were rediscovered by the art world in the 1970s and 80s. He had bought the art at a thrift shop—using his seniors’ discount to lower the $70 price—and wanted to know what it was really worth.

“And again, once we saw that painting and had it in our hands, there was no question that it was a real Sybil Andrews and we sold it for just over $50K."

Who knows if lightning can strike thrice but art enthusiasts curious about the value of their artwork—be that a painting or sculpture—can make an appointment to meet Kratzer next Tuesday or Wednesday (July 9 & 10) to find out what they’ve got on their hands. Kratzer is coming to Victoria on the hunt for art to auction.

Kratzer, who is based out of Vancouver, says there are a lot of collections that have been well-established in Victoria.

Island has artistry

“There's, of course, a few artists that are of particular interest to Canadian art, like Emily Carr and E.J. Hughes, who are well-known around the world. But of course, they lived on Vancouver Island, so we tend to see a higher concentration of works by those very important artists.”

The appraiser, in this case, Kratzer—will visit people’s homes to examine the art, and—will look at a painting’s brush strokes and composition as well as what kind of materials were used.

Thomson—who is not a member of the Group of Seven, having died before the group formed—liked to use small boards so he could easily move them, for example.

The painting itself is not the only way to glean information—the back also can be a treasure trove of clues to its origin. Is there a signature on the back? A title, or inscription? Sometimes the artist puts the date there. Gallery labels will indicate whether the artwork has been sold or displayed previously.

“We're looking for people who are art enthusiasts, whether they have questions about paintings on their wall, or whether they know exactly what they have on their walls and want to learn more about them, or have up-to-date valuations,” Kratzer says.

Here's how to book a meeting

If you have a sculpture or painting—it doesn’t have to be from Thomson, Carr, Hughes, or Andrews—you can book an appointment by contacting mail@heffel.com or calling 604-732-6505. The service is complimentary, there is no charge.

“We have had such a positive response that we will be coming back for another visit,” Kratzer tells Capital Daily. “So, we'd still encourage people to contact us, and we'd be happy to come back later in the summer.”

Steamer Arriving at Nanaimo by E.J. Hughes. Photo: Heffel Fine Art Auction House

This signed (on the back) 1950 work from Edward John (E.J.) Hughes entitled Steamer Arriving at Nanaimo is oil on canvas. It sold for $841,250 (including buyer's premium) in 2020. Here are some other results from Heffel auctions.