Howard Pain’s prized pieces come to auction
Author of ‘The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture’ dies at age 93
Miller & Miller’s February 14th sale of Canadiana will feature a selection of items from the renowned Howard Pain Collection.
Howard Pain, the author of what is considered by many to be ‘the bible’ of Canadiana furniture, died on June 17th at age 93, leaving behind a legacy of knowledge after establishing the gold standard for a book on antique furniture.
The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture: A Study in the Survival of Formal and Vernacular Styles from Britain, America and Europe Found in Upper Canada 1780-1900 has been the go-to resource for furniture collectors and antique lovers alike since it was first published in 1978. It’s 547 pages long, includes 1,500 illustrations and identifies the various influences on Canadiana furniture and where they originated. The book has been re-printed several times and had a major print run in the U.S.
The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture: A Study in the Survival of Formal and Vernacular Styles from Britain, America and Europe Found in Upper Canada 1780-1900 by Howard Pain
And now, 49 pieces from Pain’s personal collection – including 11 pictured in the book – will be sold at Miller & Miller’s Feb. 14, 2026 auction, Canadiana, featuring the Howard Pain Collection.
“His book reinforced the concept that the very best of Canadian antique furniture was both collectible and a privilege to own,” writes his friend of over 55 years Charles Humber, a Canadian history buff and antique connoisseur who at age 90 is currently working on his 20th book, this one about the 10 highlights of his own life, one of which involves antiquing and includes stories about his adventures with Howard Pain.
In the chapter, Humber includes a long list of people credited with contributing to Pain’s book, but humbly omits his own name in spite of having driven around with him to various parts of Canada and the United States for years. It was a mission that ultimately launched their friendship, but also led them to many of the pieces that made it into The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture.
Charles Humber (left) and Howard Pain (right) were friends for more than 55 years and shared many antiquing adventures across Canada and the U.S.
“For about four years, every week or week-and-a-half we’d get in the car and head out,” recalls Humber, who now lives in Mississauga, Ontario. “Howard understood antiques but he didn’t have all the contacts I had, so off we’d go. I would take him to see the people I knew, people who owned the pieces. Between my help and the help offered by so many others, at the end of it all this enabled him to write the first major book that got to the core of what an antique was.”
The above items from the Howard Pain Collection will be offered in Miller & Miller’s February 14th sale of Canadiana.
Among those who offered help was Tony Jenkins, another good friend of Pain’s for over 50 years, who also directed him during missions to find pieces worthy of the book since he knew of things “still in the wild”. Jenkins remembers one occasion when they dropped in on an old bachelor who lived down a long country lane in an old farm house with no electricity. “Howard was intrigued and said ‘this is exactly what I’m looking for’, but he only had enough power in his camera battery for one last picture and so he pushed the button and that was it.” The photo Howard took that day of an old farm kitchen with the wood stove and original kitchen furniture was made into the poster he used at events to promote his book once it was published.
“He was a man with wide-ranging and interesting talents and he pursued all of them in-depth,” says Jenkins, 76, who lives outside Kingston, Ontario and for years did high-end restorations and reconstructions of old buildings. “He was a scholar and a gentleman – he was the gold standard, this guy.”
More highlights from the Howard Pain Collection to be offered in Miller & Miller’s February 14th sale of Canadiana.
Howard Pain grew to love and know antiques, but his occupation was actually designer. He worked for some of the biggest advertising agencies in the country and is credited with creating the logo for Loblaws. “It’s one of Canada’s iconic landmarks and was among his greatest artistic achievements,” says Humber.
Pain and Humber shared a reverence for documenting history, which no doubt deepened their friendship. Humber ran his own publishing company, Loyalist Press. His first book was commissioned by former Ontario Premier Bill Davis to present to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II. Published in 1984, it was entitled Loyal She Remains, A Pictorial History of Ontario. “My life was promoting Canada,” he proudly explains. It was a passion both men shared.
This photo was taken right before Humber presented his book to Queen Elizabeth. Humber is shown directly on the left of Prince Phillip.
The pieces of furniture Pain kept for himself often had emotional significance, according to Humber. “He not only admired the craftmanship, he would be reminded of the occasion when he bought the piece, which in his mind was important. He became emotionally attached.”
Asked whether Pain had good taste, Jenkins gasps and declares, “He defined good taste!”
Jenkins also recalls when Maine Antique Digest co-founder, the late Sam Pennington, wrote a review of Pain’s book when it first came out in 1978. Paraphrasing, Jenkins says it was something to the effect of “every publisher in America should get a copy of this book and nail it to their office wall so that they will know what an antiques book should look like.” In other words, explains Jenkins, “this is the best I’ve ever seen and this is what you should aspire to”.
The week before Pain died, Humber went to visit him at his home in Collingwood, Ontario. He recalls, “His goodbye was emotional. His friendship is eternal.”
Now, when these coveted items are sold at auction to their new owners, a piece of Howard Pain’s legacy will go with them.
“The name Howard Pain is like the godfather of antique furniture in Canada,” says Humber. “These are pieces once owned by Howard Pain and they are part of our heritage.”
By Diane Sewell
Diane Sewell has been a writer for more than 25 years, producing feature stories for some of the country’s top newspapers and consumer magazines, as well as client newsletters and commissioned books.
SALE INFORMATION:
Canadiana featuring The Howard Pain Collection
February 14, 2026. 9am EST
A Miller & Miller Online Webcast Auction
Interested in consigning in this highly anticipated sale? Request a Free Auction Evaluation today.
The deadline to consign is November 30, 2025.
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