Mel Crawford (Canadian, B. 1925) "Sleigh Ride to Get Christmas Tree" Signed lower left. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 20c Season's Greetings stamp issued October 28, 1981.

The magic of Christmas is a powerful magic indeed. "Miracles happen only to those who believe in them" says an old French proverb. At Christmastime people enjoy believing in miracles. The very atmosphere tingles with anticipation of wishes that might come true. At Christmas, man recaptures some of the lighthearted faith of childhood, when it was easy to believe in Teddy Bears riding sleighs, when it was even possible to hear (if one listened closely) the faint jingle of the sleigh bells in that endless night of waiting for Christmas Day to dawn. Now is the time when children reveal their impossible desires. Little girls are not afraid to ask for ponies, little boys dream of space ships that will really fly to the moon. Even sensible adults are caught up in the spirit of what-might-be. A vision of perfect happiness is part of the season, and they plunge willingly into all sorts of preparations and plans in order to give this priceless gift on Christmas Day. So the sense of excitement grows until Christmas morning dawns at last, making clear what all the preparation and waiting meant. The miracle had happened after all: it was the birth of Christ, which took place nearly 2,000 years ago, but still happens in the hearts of people every Christmas of every year! The delightful reproduction of a Teddy Bear on a Sleigh on the stamp featured on this First Day Cover was issued in Christmas Valley, Oregon, on October 28, 1981.

Image Size: 14 x 11.75 in.
Overall Size: 17.25 x 14.75 in.
Unframed.
(B07414)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via wire transfer or cashier’s check, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through 6 online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be out bid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.

17.25 x 14.75 in