Historically significant masterworks by
Lawren Harris, Jean Paul Riopelle, Emily Carr and Clarence
Gagnon, generate exceptional sales, exceeding a majority of
pre-auction estimates at the Toronto live auction
- With seven record-breaking sales, this year's live auction
reached a total of $12 million,
surpassing pre-sale expectations
- Houses on Gerrard Street by Group of Seven's Lawren Harris reached a staggering $1,121,000, more than doubling its high-end
estimate
- Five works from Jean Paul
Riopelle, including Ombrages and Sans titre – both of which
significantly surpassed estimates – resulting in a combined total
of $2,253,800 in sales
TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2014 /CNW/ - This evening Heffel
Fine Art Auction House held its highly anticipated fall auction,
celebrating the best in Canadian art at the Park Hyatt Hotel in
Toronto. With 142 lots on offer
and hundreds of buyers – either present at the hotel, watching live
online or bidding by phone – the evening achieved an impressive
total of $12 million in sales (all
prices are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 per cent buyer's
premium).
Kicking off the evening was Study for Snowplow by Alex Colville, which garnered $47,200, setting an auction record for a Colville
work on paper. Things continued to heat up with William Kurelek's Retired Sea Captain in
Newfoundland, which sold well
above its estimate of $40,000 -
$60,000, reaching $100,300.
But the standout piece tonight was undeniably by the Group of Seven
artist Lawren Harris, Houses on
Gerrard Street drew significant attention from buyers and sparked a
bidding war with the final of sale price for this masterwork
reaching a remarkable $1,121,000.
Originally expected to achieve between $350,000 - $450,000, the piece sold far beyond
its estimated value.
"This season's auction featured key pieces of original Canadian
art and reflected the strength of our country's art market," said
David K.J. Heffel, president of
Heffel Fine Art Auction House. "We had record attendance at the
three-city previews and again tonight with a packed ballroom for
both sales, which is a testament to the passion collectors have for
Canadian art."
Tonight's results further cement Heffel's position as the leader
in the Canadian art auction market.
Highlights from this year's fall auction include:
- With a staggering sale of $1,121,000, Houses on Gerrard Street by Group of
Seven's Lawren Harris sold well
beyond its pre-sale estimate of $350,000 -
$450,000
- A fan-favourite, Jean Paul
Riopelle's Ombrages, the first of five of his works at
auction, surpassed its pre-auction estimate with a sale of
$1,003,000, while Sans titre and
Respir d'avril achieved sales of $442,500 and $306,800 respectively, both surpassing
estimates
- Setting a new world record for a Ivan
Kenneth Eyre piece at auction, Uplands sold for $318,600, far exceeding the estimate of
$40,000 - $60,000
- James Wilson Morrice's stunning
Study for Regatta, Saint-Malo
achieved a record for a sketch at $236,000
- Canadian treasure William
Kurelek's whimsical A Real Big One reached an impressive
$153,400, more than doubling its
estimate of $40,000 - $60,000, while
Retried Sea Captain in Newfoundland caused a bidding war and
ultimately sold for $100,300 (est.
$40,000 - $60,000)
- Paul Peel's poignant Goodbye
more than doubled its estimate, selling for an outstanding
$112,100 (est. $35,000 - $50,000)
- Sold for an artist record of $44,250, Jacques
Hurtubise's Pigritte nearly tripled its pre-auction
estimate
- John Hartman's painting Keels,
set an artist record at $15,340
Having sold more than $384 million
in Canadian art, and with a recent office opening in Calgary this fall, Heffel's expanded
representation across the country solidifies their position as
Canada's national auction house.
As the first auction house in Canada to split historical and contemporary
Canadian art into separate sales, it remains the only house to
produce separate detailed catalogues for each session; Canadian
Post-War & Contemporary Art and Fine Canadian Art. This year's
contemporary session reached more than $5.8
million in sales and the fine art session totaled at
$6.2 million. The success rate of 90
per cent exceeded the industry standard.
For more information on the pieces and artists included in this
year's fall auction visit www.heffel.com.
About Heffel Fine Art Auction House
Heffel has
sold more Canadian art than any other auctioneer worldwide, with
over $384 million in art auction
sales since 1995, and has conducted the most valuable live auctions
of Canadian art. Heffel is led by the most experienced team of
fine art specialists in Canada who
enjoy providing transparent expert service because they believe
that art inspires the human spirit. With offices and
representatives in Vancouver,
Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary, Heffel provides superior client
services to both sellers and buyers nationwide. In addition to
full-colour printed catalogues, Heffel publishes its entire live
auction online at www.heffel.com from initial promotion and
illustrated lot listings, to the final sale results.
Follow us on Twitter @HeffelAuction
Follow us on Instagram @HeffelAuction
Find our YouTube Channel
SOURCE Heffel Fine Art Auction House