BY KIRSTEN BOLTON
FOR ARTSPRING
With over 500 donated items, an all-time high, ArtSpring’s much-anticipated annual Treasure Fair fundraiser is set to take over the gallery and light up its online bidding from July 16 to 19.
This year, the spotlight item sure to get attention is Carol Brown’s generous donation of her 2004 Steinway & Sons grand piano in ebony satin finish. With a meticulous maintenance record and papers from Jim Anderson (Acoustic Pianocraft) in Victoria, this beautiful piano is appraised at $68,500.
A favourite among professionals and serious enthusiasts alike, this instrument is more than a piano — it’s an heirloom and lasting investment. Steinways are known to hold their value for generations and continue to appreciate over time.
A separate tab on Treasure Fair’s auction site will allow interested parties to register specifically for the piano. Appointments for qualified bidders can be made to inspect and play the piano in person. Treasure Fair organizers will also be posting a video of Don Conley, choral director of Salt Spring Singers, as he takes the instrument through its paces in grand style.
While the Steinway may be the five-figure highlight item, bidders will have plenty to consider at all price points and interests. A 13-foot Penobscot sailing dinghy, Meg Buckley and Anna Gustafson pottery, green Depression glass kitchen items, NordicTrack exercise bike, jewellery, a four-piece bedroom suite, garden furniture, professional services and lifestyle experiences are all up for grabs.
One highly coveted adventure experience returning to the auction this year is the Northern Lights trip to the Yukon, which includes round-trip airfare for two to Whitehorse on Air North, a three-night hotel stay and a northern light viewing wilderness experience from adventure company Northern Tales.
New this year is a blast from the past where 10 items per day from July 17 to 19 are available only by silent auction in ArtSpring’s Jankura Lounge through old-school paper bidding. Items will be displayed on the Treasure Fair website for viewing, but bidders will need to visit the display, perhaps linger for coffee, re-visit in time for final bids, and the winner will be declared at 3 p.m. each day.
Organizers are looking to re-introduce an in-person component to encourage conversation, interactions in real spaces as a community, and provide an alternative to the all-digital online experience.
ArtSpring also presents its not-to-be-missed Treasure Fair concert on Friday, July 18, starring Zachary Stevenson in his signature revue Dead Ringer, where Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Hank Williams come back to life with uncanny accuracy. With vivid characterizations and meticulous musical authenticity, this charming tribute is proof that legends never truly die.
Registration is required to bid. Donors and registrants will be invited to attend the Preview “Sneak Peek” Gala on Wednesday, July 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. for an advance tour before bidding goes live online at 6 p.m.
Organizers are keen to let the community know that every dollar raised goes directly to ArtSpring, and if participants cannot find anything to buy, they can donate cash on the Treasure Fair’s website. The annual goal is to raise $55,000.
To register, inquire about bidding on the piano, or donate cash, visit treasurefair.artspring.ca. Tickets for the Dead Ringer concert are available at tickets.artspring.ca.
The preview catalogue goes live on Wednesday, July 2.