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One depicts pedestrians and a sleigh in winter near a passing train, another is of a sleigh and of people walking toward a church, and the third is of a sleigh moving away from a church near a hillside.

The cards measure roughly five inches by seven inches, and they are matted and framed. Investigators say the owner informed them that an appraisal concluded the cards were original Lewis works worth about $10,000 each.

Lewis, who has been the subject of novels, plays and even a feature film, died in 1970, leaving a legacy of folk art that depicts rural scenes of Nova Scotia.

Chad Brown, a dealer in her works, said he finds it hard to understand why thieves would steal original paintings, which are difficult to sell without being detected.

"Any paintings over the years that have been stolen, I've never seen resurface," he said. "I think the risk is too high of being caught."

Brown said he was approached by the owner about assessing the works after the theft but said he could not do so without seeing them in person and in detail.

"When I saw the police report about the size of the image, that did raise questions as well. That wasn't a typical size for Christmas cards that were done (by Lewis)," he said.

However, he said if the paintings are authentic, the estimated price range for Lewis's cards would be between $7,000 to $9,000 on the legal market.

Brown said Lewis did many versions or "serial images" of similar scenes, and he has seen works similar to the ones that were stolen.

"She started out painting Christmas cards with her mom in the 1920s and 1930s and she continued to paint cards, but she later transitioned over to full-size paintings," he said.

The dealer said he loves Lewis's work in part because he's aware of the struggles she overcame to produce the paintings, including her rheumatoid arthritis and living in a home without indoor plumbing or electricity.

"It makes the painting worth that much more because you know the story of what she went through. You know that the despite the pain of her disabilities, and the hardships of living in essentially a shack, she was still happy .... She was still able to paint happy paintings," he said.

Halifax police are seeking the public's assistance in locating the artworks.

This report by °µÍø½ûÇø was first published Jan. 14, 2025.