Century-old vase shows “how Canadian and American cultures are closely connected”
The Canadian government has spent $650,000 at a Sotheby’s auction for a vase made by the famous American jeweler Paulding Farnham. The gold, silver and copper artifact, which stands at 65 centimetres and is adorned with B.C.’s coat of arms and a silver ptarmigan, was purchased under a special fund for acquiring nationally significant art by the National Gallery of Canada. “We were attracted to this extraordinary vase because it tells the story of how Canadian and American cultures are closely connected,” said the gallery’s director, Marc Mayer. He also thanked the government for “acting decisively” to provide financial assistance to cover the cost, which amounted to five time’s the vase’s expected price.