Windsor Star (Ontario)
September 13, 2008 Saturday
Final Edition
Karsh print worth $10,000; Black and white portrait of scowling
Winston Churchill
by John Sewell, Special to The Windsor Star
Q: I inherited this black and white portrait of British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill from my late grandfather.
It’s 36 cm by 28 cm and is signed "Y. Karsh, Ottawa" in white ink on
the print, which is still in the original mat and frame. My
grandfather was an industrialist who served Canada during the Second
World War as one of C. D. Howe’s "Dollar a Year Men" at the newly
created Federal Department of Munitions and Supply. Churchill came to
Ottawa in 1945 and while there he addressed the division heads at a
luncheon.
He paid tribute to their efforts and presented each of them with one
of these signed portraits. — Dean, Belwood, Ont.
A: This is the photo that put Yousuf Karsh on the map and some argue
it’s the best portrait of anyone ever taken. Karsh (1908-2002) was a
famous Canadian portrait photographer of Armenian heritage. In his
lifetime he took over 15,000 portraits, many of which were some of the
20th century’s most famous movie stars, artists, scientists and
politicians.
He once said his art was a combination of observation and
intuition. He had studios in New York and London and for more than 20
years he operated out of a studio in the Chateau Laurier Hotel in
Ottawa.
The story behind this portrait is really interesting. Apparently
Churchill wasn’t too happy about being asked to pose for a photo and
offered only two minutes of his time.
He puffed on a cigar while Karsh prepared.
Just before snapping the shot, Karsh took the cigar away from him.
The intense scowl on Churchill’s face may have been all about the
cigar, but it also offered a glimpse into the depth of character and
conviction that helped win the war. As you probably know, Dollar a
Year Men, were Canadian executives who volunteered their time,
expertise and resources to help the war effort.
Signed photographs by Karsh are both rare and valuable.
According to Susan Robertson, Fine Art Specialist at Waddington’s
Auctioneers & Appraisers in Toronto, this print is worth at least
$10,000 – possibly more.
Tiny match box looks like a little wooden book
Q: My wife and I found this little wooden box made to look like a book
when we were going through my mother’s things after she died in
Glasgow, Scotland in 1989. It’s covered in leather, decorated with
gold leaf, and the hollow interior is lined with tin. The title on the
spine is Sleepers Alarm. On the front it says "Robert Cheap, 1853."(My
father’s name was Robert Cheape Lawson and why the "e" is absent on
the box spelling we don’t know.) This tiny case measures 5.5 cm by 8.5
cm (about two by 3.5 inches). We’re wondering if it was used for
snuff. – Norman, Belleville, Ont.
A: This isn’t a snuff box; it’s a personalized, dated match box – or
vesta case, as they used to call them. It’s a true book of
matches. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Striking matches made for common
use, including smoking, first appeared in the 1820s and were called
Lucifers by their promoter Samuel Jones, who was not the actual
inventor, but an opportunist. This is a cute and collectible
piece. It’s a tiny thing that fits in a pocket, as well as something
that appears to be one thing when it’s actually something else. As
such, I think it’s worth about $275.
Cocoa pot made in Japan called Royal Nippon by collectors
Q: This cocoa pot originally belonged to my great-grandmother who
passed away in about 1940 at age 86, which was before I was born. It’s
in perfect condition, stands 20 cm tall (eight inches) and there are
no markings of any sort on it. – Dorothy, Brantford
A: These pieces are virtually never marked but I know this
hand-painted pattern is commonly called Royal Nippon by
collectors. This stuff was made in Japan from about 1890 to 1920 and
the pattern appeared on all sorts of other porcelain pieces, including
dinner sets, jardinières and vases. In fact, great quantities of it
were shipped to Canada and to a lesser degree the United States. This
isn’t a rare pattern, but a cocoa pot is one of the better
pieces. Value-wise, it should be worth roughly $375.
– – –
John Sewell is an antique and fine art appraiser. To submit an item to
his column, go to the ‘Contact John’ page at
Please measure your piece, say when and how
you got it, what you paid and list any identifying marks. A
high-resolution jpeg photo must also be included. (Only email
submissions accepted.) Appraisal values are estimates only.
www.johnsewellantiques.ca.