LAWREN HARRIS' HURDY GURDY LEADS THE WAY SELLING FOR $1,082,250
EMILY CARR'S WORKS ACHIEVED $2,180,000
Highlights from auction: Eight Records Broken Canadian Post-War & Contemporary Art
Fine Canadian Art
TORONTO, Nov. 22, 2012 /CNW/ - This evening, Heffel Fine Art Auction House held its highly anticipated fall auction, which presented the best in Canadian Post-War and Contemporary Art and Fine Canadian Art. Held in Toronto's Park Hyatt Hotel, hundreds of interested buyers, either present in the ballroom, watching live online, or bidding by phone from across the globe furiously acquired $11.5 million in spectacular and coveted art (all prices are in Canadian dollars and include a 17 per cent buyer's premium). The 162 lots in Heffel's fall auction included some of Canada's most reputable and recognizable works, many on offer for the first time.
"This auction exceeded our expectations and it is a testament to the strength of the Canadian art market," said David K.J. Heffel, president of Heffel Fine Art Auction House. "It included some of Canada's greatest masters, and we set new records for artists from coast-to-coast including Jack Shadbolt, Takao Tanabe, Emily Carr and William Kurelek. Tonight, Canadians went home with rare and exceptional museum-quality works."
Group of Seven member, Lawren Harris' Hurdy Gurdy was one of the most anticipated lots of the evening. A depiction of Toronto's Ward district, it was said to be among the artist's most prized paintings, and the painting he chose to give to his only daughter. The selling price of $1,082,250 far exceeded the estimate price of $400 - $600,000 after an exciting bidding war.
A true Canadian treasure, the auction featured seven extraordinary works by Emily Carr, including 'Frivolous September, Up the Gorge (Blue Sky and Forest)' which sold for $643,500. 'Alert Bay,' which sold for $702,000 against an estimate of $200-$300,000 and 'Skidegate,' which sold for $585,000. In total, the seven works by Carr sold for $2.18M. Heffel is the undisputed leader in sales of Emily Carr having sold nine of the top-ten priced works by this artist.
William Kurelek's 'King of the Mountain' drew a great deal of national and international attention. Estimated at between $250 - $350,000, it sold for a record $380,250. This is a significant year for Kurelek who is the subject of a major travelling retrospective, a new coffee table book and will be seen in the upcoming re-release of the documentary film, William Kurelek's The Maze.
A.Y. Jackson's highly anticipated 'Radium Mine' sold for $643,500, which was more than double the estimate of $200 - $300,000. The sale of this important painting was entrusted to Heffel by the famed mining family of Gilbert A. Labine.
Tonight's sales result of $11.5 million is well beyond the $7 to $10 million presale estimate.
High-resolution images and video clips of the top paintings in the auction can be provided upon request.
Information on the pieces and artists can also be found at www.heffel.com.
About Heffel Fine Art Auction House
Heffel has sold more Canadian art than any other auctioneer worldwide, with over $300 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 auction's live multi-camera webcast and final sale results.
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*All estimates are in Canadian Dollars and include buyer's premium
Image with caption: "'Skating' by Henry Sandhan set a record and achieved $32,175 (estimated value was $10-$15,000) (CNW Group/Heffel Fine Art Auction House)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121122_C2982_PHOTO_EN_21102.jpg
SOURCE: Heffel Fine Art Auction House
Media contact:
For more information, to schedule an interview or media viewing, or for high-resolution images, please contact:
Mercedes Smith
NATIONAL Public Relations
416-586-1929
[email protected]
David Heffel / Robert Heffel
Heffel Fine Art Auction House
604-418-6505 / 604-418-0100
[email protected] /[email protected]
Since 1978, Heffel has connected passionate collectors across the world with outstanding works of art, with sales approaching $1 billion. Heffel is renowned for its expertise in effectively managing and handling estates, serving as trusted experts for navigating the...
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