Heffel Kicks Off Spring 2013 Auction Season Early by Announcing Consignment of Major Collection by The PSBGM Cultural Heritage Foundation

• Heffel Fine Art Auction House announces consignment of important works by A.Y. Jackson, Anne Savage, Robert Pilot, Maurice Cullen and more by The PSBGM Cultural Heritage Foundation.
• Conservative estimates of the value of these 30+ paintings place them between $1.3M and $1.8M* and the proceeds raised from this sale will provide post-secondary scholarships to current and future English Montreal School Board graduates.
• A.Y. Jackson's "A Quebec Village / Winter, St-Fidèle" is believed to be among the most important works to ever be auctioned by this Montreal-born member of the Group of Seven.
• Heffel is currently accepting additional consignments for the auction, which is sure to draw exceptional interest from collectors.

MONTREAL, Jan. 22, 2013 /CNW/ - Heffel Fine Art Auction House is thrilled to announce a spectacular consignment by The PSBGM Cultural Heritage Foundation for the Spring 2013 live auction to be held on Wednesday, May 15 in Vancouver.   More than 30 works by influential Canadian artists, including A.Y. Jackson, Anne Savage, Robert Pilot, Frederick Simpson Coburn and Maurice Cullen are estimated to reach sales of $1.3M to $1.8M.  Consigned by The Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal (PSBGM) Cultural Heritage Foundation, a non-profit body, proceeds from the sale will directly benefit graduates of the English Montreal School Board by providing much needed scholarships for post-secondary education.

"We are honoured to have been entrusted with this exceptional group of painting," explains David K.J. Heffel, President of Heffel Fine Art Auction House.  "As Canada's leader in fine art auctions, our experts are thrilled to connect these paintings with top collectors and cultural institutions across Canada and proud to help benefit deserving Montreal students and graduates for generations to come."

The History of The PSBGM Cultural Heritage Foundation Collection
It was a common practice in Montreal in the 1930s for parents and alumni to thank and recognize individual schools with the gift of a work of art.  "With virtually no acquisitions costs, these donations have appreciated exponentially over time and will now be translated into an important win for our children and for our community," explains Angelo Komatsoulis, curator of The PSBGM Cultural Heritage Foundation.

Additional lots on offer are by Anne Savage, an art teacher at the PSBGM's Baron Byng High School in Montreal and one of Canada's preeminent women painters of the era.  She not only gifted several of her own works to the school, including "Northern Lake / Trees in the Wind (verso)" (Est. $70,000 - $90,000), but also helped mastermind the acquisition of additional works by notable friends and colleagues in the art world, when she was asked to acquire Canadian art for the new PSBGM administration building which opened in July 1961.

Savage's close relationship with Group of Seven member A.Y. Jackson resulted in the acquisition of the Collection's star lot, "A Quebec Village / Winter, St-Fidèle" (Est. $500,000 - 700,000).  "Given the significant early interest, we are confident this work will be among the highest-grossing A.Y. Jackson paintings ever sold at auction," predicted Heffel.  Nine Jackson works will be presented in all.

Additional works of note include two large Robert Pilot murals, "Early Explorers" and "Indian Fur Traders", which each measure 6 ft x 10.5 ft and are each estimated at $100,000 - 150,000.   Other works also explore fascinating perspectives of mid-century Quebec life, from the "Corner of Sherbrooke and Peel Streets" (Est. $100,000 - $150,000) also by Robert Pilot, to "North River Near Ste-Margarets" (Est. $10,000 - 15,000) by Maurice Cullen to "Little Hockey Players" (Est. $8,000 - $12,000) by John Little.

Invitation to Consign

"Major paintings attract major collectors," explains David K.J. Heffel, President of Heffel Fine Art Auction House.  "The consignment of a significant collection like that of The PSBGM Cultural Heritage Foundation will no doubt bring out top local and global collectors and ensure that the Spring Auction will be among our most memorable." Heffel is currently accepting additional consignments of artwork for the two-session spring live auction of Canadian Post-War & Contemporary Art and Fine Canadian Art.  Confirmed works also include a never-before-seen trove of Jean-Paul Riopelle paintings from the 1950s and an important Emily Carr canvas that has returned to Canada from the U.K.   For more information on how to consign, please visit www.heffel.com to connect with one of Heffel's industry experts in your local area.

The Heffel Spring 2013 Auction will take place Wednesday, May 15th at the Vancouver Convention Centre West.  Public previews will be held in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal in April and May.

About Heffel Fine Art Auction House 

Heffel has sold more Canadian art than any other auctioneer worldwide, with over $325 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

SOURCE: Heffel Fine Art Auction House

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David Heffel / Robert Heffel
Heffel Fine Art Auction House
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