French Régime Buffet, Quebec Sculpture & Mi’kmaq Quill Box Headline October 10 Canadiana Auction

282-lot online-only sale brings together exceptional Canadiana, furniture, art and textiles from the Bienvenu, Van Horne/Ferguson and East Coast Collections

NEW HAMBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA, September 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A rare French Régime lozenge buffet from Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal; a Quebec religious sculpture attributed to Ferdinand Villeneuve; and a large 19th-century Mi’kmaq dome-top quill box lead the highlights in Canadiana – Featuring the Bienvenu, Van Horne/Ferguson & East Coast Collections, presented by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. Taking place October 10, 2026, the exceptional sale brings together distinctive Canadian material with a strong emphasis on regional craftsmanship, history, and provenance.

The auction features 282 lots spanning Canadiana, Canadiana furniture, art, and textiles, with material drawn from across the country. Early furniture from all regions of Canada is joined by Canadian artwork, important textiles, historical objects, and an extensive selection of “smalls,” including several mini collections of quill boxes, canoe cups, tobacco choppers, and spruce gum boxes, with several exceptional museum-quality examples.

The sale will be conducted as an online-only auction, with a live webcast beginning at 9:00 a.m. EDT on October 10. Lots will close sequentially in real time, allowing bidders to follow the action as the sale progresses. Online bidding will be available through Miller & Miller Auctions and LiveAuctioneers, with phone and absentee bids also accepted.

“There is remarkable variety here, from important early Quebec furniture and Western Canadian material to East Coast folk art, Indigenous objects, textiles, artwork, and a range of smaller objects that help tell the story of everyday Canadian life.” said Ethan Miller, CEO of Miller & Miller Auctions.

Among the most important pieces in the auction is Lot 209, a rare French Régime lozenge buffet dating to approximately 1690–1720. Originating from Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal in Quebec, the long pine buffet features two lozenge-panel doors, mitred frames constructed in the French manner, lozenge-panelled sides, a double-panelled back, original fische hinges, and period escutcheons. From the Francine and late Paul Bienvenu Collection, the buffet carries an estimate of $10,000–$18,000 CAD.

Quebec religious sculpture is represented by Lot 212, Le Bon Pasteur (“The Good Shepherd”), a hanging pine sculpture dating to circa 1875. The work retains strong remnants of cream-yellow paint along with traces of original silver and gold leaf and was purchased in Quebec City in 1956–1957. The work is attributed to Ferdinand Villeneuve, whose sculpture is represented in important publications on traditional Quebec sculpture. From the Francine and late Paul Bienvenu Collection, the sculpture is estimated at $8,000–$12,000 CAD.

The auction also offers an exceptional example of Indigenous Canadian decorative craftsmanship in Lot 157, a large circa 1840 Mi’kmaq dome-top quill box. Constructed in birchbark, the box features strong colour and a central eight-point star surrounded by stepped and arched motifs; its spruce-root lid rim incorporates woven geometric patterns, while the sides are decorated with vertical columns of angled quills in blue, light green, yellow, and white. From the Scott Babin Collection, the box carries an estimate of $5,000–$7,000 CAD.

“Collectors will find remarkable depth in both the major furniture and the smaller objects,” Miller said. “The ‘smalls’ are particularly interesting because several groups have been assembled almost as mini collections, giving bidders the opportunity to explore particular Canadian traditions in greater depth. At the same time, the sale includes some truly exceptional large-scale and museum-quality pieces.”

Among the furniture highlights is Lot 207, a Canadian refectory table accompanied by eight matching pine stools. Dating from approximately 1890–1920, the table features three trestle-type plank legs with a cutout cross at each end, a three-board top, and extension flaps supported by simple hinged butterflies. The set retains its original varnished surface and was brought to London, Ontario by an Ursuline order when they moved from Montreal, Quebec. From the Ron Van Horne and Scott Ferguson Collection, the table carries an estimate of $3,000–$5,000 CAD.

Ontario furniture is further represented by Lot 224, a mid-19th-century lattice-back sofa found in a home near Goderich, Ontario. The sofa features scrolled arms, turned legs and arm posts, a pine seat, pegged construction, chamfered lattice slats, and original paint with a strong crackled surface. From the Ron Van Horne and Scott Ferguson Collection, the sofa is estimated at $2,000–$3,000 CAD.

Lot 197, a Lunenburg County sailcloth lodge painting dating to approximately 1880–1890. The canvas depicts motifs associated with the Independent Order of Oddfellows, with the heart-and-hand symbol prominently positioned beneath an all-seeing eye. In exceptional condition with strong polychrome colours, the work, along with many other objects in the sale, is illustrated in Richard Henning Field’s Spirit of Nova Scotia: Traditional Decorative Folk Art, 1780–1930, making it a particularly interesting example of regional decorative folk art. From the former Chris Huntington Collection, the painting carries an estimate of $1,500–$2,000 CAD.

Among the more unusual objects in the sale is Lot 3, an early Canadian pine trade sign in the form of a mortar and pestle. The countertop-style apothecary or druggist sign retains its original gold paint along with some early overpaint and displays a strong form and surface. Unmarked and in very good condition with some age cracks, the sign is estimated at $1,200–$1,500 CAD.

Historical and decorative objects continue throughout the catalogue, including two sailor’s valentines, trade signs, religious sculpture, and material associated with the Grenfell Mission. Lot 21 is a rare circa 1930 Grenfell Mission hooked book cover featuring a male and female hunter on the flaps and a lone pine tree forming the spine of the book. Hooked in silk stocking and brin, the piece retains its original “Grenfell Labrador Industries” label. From the Ron Van Horne and Scott Ferguson Collection, the example is estimated at $1,000–$1,500 CAD.

Auction link: https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-MDVVSQ/canadiana

Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in watches, art, antiques, and important collectibles, providing collectors with a respected and transparent marketplace to buy and sell.

For consignment inquiries or further information, contact Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. or visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.

Ethan Miller
Miller & Miller Auctions
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