A rare merganser drake decoy by Capt. Edwin Bachman (1872-1914) sold for $35,400, and original paintings by acclaimed Nova Scotia folk artists Cyril Hirtle (1918-2003) and Maud Lewis (1903-1970) realized $27,140 and $17,700, respectively, in Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd.s online East Coast Canadiana & Folk Art Auction held April 12. All prices reported are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyers premium. Currently, one Canadian dollar converts to 72 cents U.S. currency. Roughly $1,000 U.S. dollars equals $1,382.31 Canadian currency. The auction featured the collection of Chris Huntington, arguably the most recognized name in the world of Canadiana folk art, according to Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. In all, 304 lots came up for bid, in categories that included Canadiana, folk art, textiles, art and decoys. Online bidding was via MillerandMillerAuctions.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. Chris Huntington was a trailblazer on the East Coast of Canada, an antique dealer, artist, auctioneer, passionate collector and someone with the ability to hone in on talented folk artists and assist in bringing them to prominence, said Ben Lennox of Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd.Chriss eye for the exuberant, whimsical, colorful and fancy brought the collecting community together to fight for some of his treasures.Many of the highlights of the day were displayed proudly in his home, and battles ensued to ensure the next caretakers of these fine objects of merit could display them distinctly amongst their procured collections, added Lennox. The 17.5-inch-long merganser drake decoy by Nova Scotia carver Capt. Edwin Bachman was of stylish form, with a carved head featuring a prominent integral crest and carved eyes. It boasted the original paint, with some early second paint to the white areas and bill. The decoy was probably carved sometime between 1890-1910 and sold for a little below estimate. The mixed media-on-masonite by Cyril Hirtle, titled A Day on the Farm, was one of the surprise lots of the auction, selling for more than five times the $5,000 high estimate. The large work (24-by-30 inches, board minus the frame) depicted life on the farm and captured various farm activities with lively detail, color and imagination. The painting was signed lower center. The mixed media-on-beaverboard signed by folk art icon Maud Lewis (1903-70), titled Oxen in Winter, was small in scale (just 11.75-by-14 inches), but the mighty oxen took up most of the space, quietly staring straight ahead. It was a serial image that spanned three decades and dated to 1969-1970, likely one of her last in the popular series. It sold for near the high estimate. The sale grossed $379,635, and there were 439 online bidders. A painted carved wood sculpture by Collins Eisenhauer (Nova Scotia, 1898-1979) depicting a man in black clothes sitting on a brown stool carving a swan settled at $12,980 against a high estimate of $8,000. The mans expression reflected his focus, as he firmly held the swan by the neck while his other hand held a knife. The untouched, 6-inch-tall piece was made ca. 1975. A crocheted side chair covered in jute and then finished with colored yarn, made by Albert Lohnes (West Berlin, Nova Scotia, 1895-1977), fetched $10,620 against a high estimate of $6,000. Rarely seen outside museums, the chair is one of 16 known examples and showed a house and oxen team on a blue background that included multiple white and red diamonds. An enamel-on-canvas painting by Joe Norris (Lower Prospect, Nova Scotia, 1924-96), one of Canadas most famous artists, was a ca. 1980 rendering titled Ships Offshore. The large painting, housed in the original 36-by-54.5 inch frame, showed a busy scene by the oceans shore. It was artist signed and hit $10,620, topping the high estimate. Another sleeper lot was the unusual ca. 1900 game board with white and black dots in a large circle on a dark green background and a divided orange square in the center, used for playing the German game Fang den Hut (or Nyout), a game played with dice as players race their playing pieces around the track. It had an estimate of $800-$1,000 but sold for $7,670. A pair of ca. 1930-40 merganser decoys carved by Lindsey Levy (Nova Scotia, 1892-1980), in as-found, untouched condition and with the original paint, changed hands for $5,015. They were illustrated in the book The Spirit of Nova Scotia by Richard Henning Field, p. 16. A pair of ca. 1910 merganser decoys by Manson Young (Tancook Island, Nova Scotia, 1883-1953), in as-found untouched condition, sold within estimate for $4,130. Both were also illustrated in The Spirit of Nova Scotia. A profusely decorated last look wall box, with the mirror between the top overhanging shelf and a lower open compartment for combs and brushes, a towel bar hanging below, garnered $3,835, more than doubling the $1,500 high estimate. The ca. 1890-1910 last look mirror, from Lunenburg County, appeared in the book Canadian Country Furniture by Michael Bird. A rare, ca. 1875 canvas riggers bag in untouched condition from East Lahave, Nova Scotia, finished at $3,835. The bag, with original oxidized blue paint and was painted with two full-rigged ships and mariner symbols. To learn more, email info@millerandmillerauctions.com or visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.