The Canada 150 Auction

June 27, 2017

LOT 644

Lot 644

Wilfred Thomason Grenfell

Wilfred Thomason Grenfell
Lot 644 Details
Wilfred Thomason Grenfell

A LABRADOR DOCTOR

8vo., green cloth boards with gilt title, endpaper signed, and with pen and ink sketch titled ‘’Father Christmas passes by” The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1925

Estimate $80-$120

Realised: $528
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Additional Images
Wilfred Thomason Grenfell
  • Wilfred Thomason Grenfell
Note:

Born in England in 1865, Wilfred Thomason Grenfell studied medicine at London University and soon thereafter joined the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen as a medical missionary in 1887. After five years of service, Grenfell became a master mariner, sailing to Labrador for the first time in 1892. Grenfell was so shocked by the sheer poverty and level of starvation exhibited by his fellow Englishmen and Indigenous populations alike, that he dedicated the rest of his life to improving the living conditions in Newfoundland and Labrador.

While Grenfell contributed greatly to the social infrastructure of the community by building hospitals, orphanages and medical missions, it was his investment in the cottage industry of handicrafts and hooked mat making that established him as a lasting figure in the Canadian social fabric. Believing that long-term development would come from sustained local initiatives rather than outside financial donations, Grenfell organized, with the help of the American artist and occupational therapist Jessie Luther, a profitable weaving practice for women in the community. Through the sale of their craft, local women could augment their family’s income which was being jeopardized by declining fish stock.

These Grenfell mats, as they have come to be known, not only depict everyday life in the rugged maritime province but also illuminate the integral role of women in the unforgiving early years of settlement.

CONDITION DETAILS

Wear to boards, and spine bottom.

LOT 644
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.