The Mercer Collection
A Road Through the Wood
Oil on canvas
56 x 76 cm
Signed circa 1910
Originally owned by Malcolm S. Mercer. Upon Mercer's death, the painting passed to his brother, Frederick. Sold by Jenkins Galleries in 1928 for $400. Sold by Joyner in 2001 for $2185. Sold by Meibohm Fine Arts later for $5500.
Edge of the Wood
Oil on canvas
63.5 x 48 cm
Signed c. 1910
Collection of The Art Gallery of Hamilton (Ontario)
Gift of Dr. J.S. Lawson, 1960
Photo by Sandu Sindile
This painting was exhibited, along with the rest of the Mercer Collection, at the Toronto Reference Library in October of 1911.
The Summer Breeze
Oil on canvas
39 x 51 cm
Signed c. 1910
Collection of Suzanne Stewart Tucker
This painting, along with the rest of the Mercer Collection, was exhibited in the Toronto Reference Library in October of 1911.
Autumn
Oil on canvas
46 x 61 cm
Signed c. 1910
Originally belonged to Major-General Malcolm S. Mercer and remained in the Mercer family until 1935, when Mrs. Frederick Mercer had an exhibition and sale of paintings from her late husband's collection..
The painting appeared at the 1937 Memorial Exhibition of Selected Works of Carl Ahrens. It was priced at $250.
The Inlet
Oil on canvas
58.5 x 81 cm
Signed c. 1910
Collection of rych mills
Photo by Sandu Sindile
The painting was at one time accidentally sold with the title Night Time and is referred to with that title in an April 1928 article in Canadian Homes and Gardens. The catalog for the Mercer exhibition lists it with the original title, The Inlet.
Moving Shadows
Oil on canvas
61 x 51 cm
Signed c. 1910
Collection of rych mills
Photo by Sandu Sindile
This painting, along with all others in the Mercer Collection, was exhibited in the Toronto Reference Library in October of 1911.
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Golden Sunlight
Oil on canvas
40.5 x 51 cm
Signed c. 1912
Photo by Sandu Sindile
From the collection of Sandu Sindile
The Ridges
Oil on canvas
41 x 51.5 cm
Signed c. 1913
Private Collection
Photo by Wendy Miller
The Woodcutters
Oil on canvas
40.5 x 30.5 cm
Signed c. 1904
Private Collection
Photo by Wendy Miller
There are two paintings with the same title. This was the latter of the two.
Mercer was known to have owned a painting called Teepees that had not been a part of the original 31 pieces at the 1911 exhibition. Ahrens painted many native scenes in his early career, likely inspired by his time among the tribes in Dakota Territory and Alberta, but this is the only known piece of the right vintage. It was sold by an antique dealer under the name Indian Camp around 2008 and is now in a private collection.
Mercer owned several Ahrens paintings by Ahrens that were not in the 1911 exhibition. One of them was entitled The Berry Pickers. This canvas sold at auction in both 1928 and 1935. In the 1928 catalog dimensions of 32 x 25 inches are listed. By 1935, Ahrens daughter, Sigrid, was married to Stephen Jones, the photographer who captured this image. The painting clearly shows two people picking something off a bushes. Chances are good this is The Berry Pickers.
