Item 8 includes three 19th century photographs of hunters in the Canadian wilds... sort of. Two are of moose hunting, one around the campfire at night. However, they were taken by photographer William Notman in his Montreal studio. They were staged. Notman brought in the trees, tents, and other effects, dressed his subjects as hunters, and took pictures that would fool anyone who didn't know. One taken around a campfire at night was lit using a magnesium flare. The hunting photos are priced at $2,600 each, the campfire at $3,600.
Item 2 is an account of one of the smaller expeditions into the Canadian north. L.T. Burwash was sent to explore Canada's Arctic coast by the Canadian government. It was a one-man expedition. Burwash was sent alone. His job was to examine the condition of the natives living in this area, and report back on anything else he found. A year later, he returned with his information and photographs, which was published in 1927 as Report of Exploration & Investigation Along Canada's Arctic Coast Line from the Delta of the Mackenzie River to Hudson Bay – 1925-1926. This work was produced in only 50 copies as a mimeographed typescript with photographs. A condensed version of the report was later printed with other reports, but it left out parts Burwash wrote about poor treatment of the Eskimos by traders and trappers. Some thought Burwash too critical of those groups. $6,000.
Bjarne Tokerud Bookseller may be reached at 250-381-2230 or bjarnetokerud@shaw.ca. Their website is www.bjarnetokerud.com.
