Records were broken in two days of auctions held Feb. 10 (Canadiana) and Feb. 11 (Canadian Folk Art) by Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. Heading the list of top performers was the renowned Nova Scotia artist Maud Lewis (1901-70), whose paintings Black and White Cat and Gulls at Harbour achieved for $50,150 and $36,580, respectively. All prices quoted are in Canadian dollars and include an 18-percent buyers premium. We had a great Canadiana sale on February 10th with strong objects in a wide variety of categories, said Peter Baker, auction advisor for the sale. Collectors and dealers were able to acquire some unique and rare items, but there are always surprises, both high and low, which kept the buyers on their toes. The two paintings by Maud Lewis reflected high interest in her works. The miniature redware pieces, including a Brownscombe jug, attracted a lot of attention. Some exceptional hooked rugs were offered, with a Grenfell Mission Shadows being the top performer, bringing $4,750, and many other opportunities for some good buys. Other Canadian art included Inuit sculpture and some early stonecut prints that sold above estimates, added Baker. The runner-up top lot on day one was a spectacular 18th-century Quebec armoire, going for $27,140. It had a high double-paneled frieze and bold cabriole feet and boasted a pine patina. It was pictured in The Early Furniture of French Canada (Jean Palardy). The doors and sides had panels in a transitional Louis XIV/XV style. A masterful Nova Scotia foot stool in the Lunenburg Germanic tradition with original red/green paint and exuberant geometric carving blew past its $1,000-$1,500 estimate to finish at $24,780. The skirt was deeply shaped with a carved star flanked by two wings, while the top had notched corners and a large carved diamond with a rosette positioned at the center. A stoneware picture frame made by John Marx (Brantford, Ontario, ca. 1860s-90s), an intricate and beautiful piece that was signed on the reverse and boasted a lovely lattice design and dark glaze, bested its estimate of $1,800-$2,500 by more than 200 percent to achieve $21,240. The aforementioned Grenfell Missions Shadows rug measured 33.5-by-45.5 inches. Rounding out the February 10th sale was a large collection of carved and inlaid boxes with several 18th-century examples selling well, along with rarities such as a Baldwin Hill & Company fur trade dag knife bringing $8,260, Baker pointed out. The ca. 1856-60 knife, 14 inches in length, had a double-edged steel blade and the original wooden handle affixed with brass rivets. The Feb. 11 Canadian Folk Art Auction was no less impressive, with Maud Lewiss Gulls at Harbour leading the way, followed by a coastal village with lighthouse painting by another acclaimed Nova Scotia artist, Joe Norris (1924-96). The vibrant enamel-on-wood panel was housed in its original flower frame as created by Norris, which sold for $30,680, considerably more than estimate and a new auction record for the artist. We had fierce bidding and competitive spirit on an international level, said Sandra May, an art advisor for the sale. Exceptional results were posted for East Coast masters like Maud Lewis, Joe Norris and Joe Sleep, and it was good to see strong results for Cyril Hirtle, whos finally seeing the results he deserves. His painting in the sale sold for over 400 percent of the low estimate. The painting by Joe Sleep (1914-78) was a mixed media-on-canvas of a cat, horsehead and sun. The 46.5-by-25.25-inch work was signed at lower front center and fetched $7,080. Work by Sleep can be found in the collections of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Dalhousie University Art Gallery, the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of History. An oil-on-canvas by yet another Canadian artist, Jan Gerrit Wyers (1888-1973), of a farmstead in winter with log house, shed and barn, artist signed, commanded $8,850, and a new auction record for the artist. Also, a ca. 1970 softwood sculpture by Edmond Chatigny (Quebec, 1895-1985), a three-tiered work with an owl at the top, four small birds in the middle and six birds and a frog at the bottom, realized $7,080. Collectors are diversified and active in the market for folk and outsider art, added May. This auction was a testimonial to people of true passion for whom art is an investment. Many people invested time in learning, researching, hunting and searching to cultivate a strong thesis to their purchases, and they were rewarded with great additions to their collections of fine folk art. There was an insurgence of new collectors to the folk art scene which was fantastic, and given the new publication coming out that was mentioned in the Miller Times, Im sure we will continue to see this trend growing, followed May. The Feb. 10 Canadiana auction featured the Richardson, Blevins, Morawetz & Molson Foundation collections and contained 331 lots of Canadiana, pottery, stoneware, textiles, art and Canadiana furniture. The nearly 500 registered bidders placed a total of 7,405 online bids, and 100 percent of lots were sold, grossing $430,847.50. The Feb. 11 Canadian Folk Art Auction showcased works from the Maritime Provinces, Ontario and Quebec and contained 215 lots of folk art, art, Canadiana and decoys. The 292 registered bidders combined to place a total of 4,853 online bids, and 99 percent of lots were sold, grossing $432,322.50. Online bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com. 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