Art Knowledge News
Sale of Masterworks from Band Estate Carries Heffel Auction to $20.8-Million Sale |
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| Written by Robert Heffel |
| Saturday, 28 November 2009 06:21 |
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Heffel set the record for the highest-grossing Canadian fine art auction in Spring 2007 with a $23-million sale in what was considered the height of the art market. This $20.8-million Fall 2009 sale is the second highest fine art auction in Canadian history. “A sale like this in a recovering art market is phenomenal,” says David Heffel, principal of Heffel Fine Art Auction House. “To have four Lawren Harris paintings each exceed a million dollars is a reflection of the quality of the work in the Band estate. It was an honour for us to represent this unprecedented and historic consignment.” The cover lot, Lawren Harris’ "The Old Stump, Lake Superior", became the most valuable Group of Seven painting in Canadian history when it sold for $3,510,000 (all prices include a 17 per cent buyers premium) to a buyer sitting near the front of the crowded ballroom in Toronto’s Park Hyatt Hotel. The largest Harris painting in the sale, the 32-1/2 by 40-1/4 inch, oil on canvas, "Houses, St. Patrick Street" went for $2,808,000. The two Harris iceberg images, both 12 by 15 inches, oil on boards painted in 1930 went to the same bidder. The pair sold for a combined total of $2,632,500.  Other notable pieces in the Band estate included Group of Seven member
A.Y. Jackson’s canvas "North Shore, Lake Superior", which sold for $626,500.
Frederick Varley’s "Nude on a Couch" went for $585,000 and a stunning 9 by 8
inch B.C. Binning abstract "Atomic Fountain" went for three times its high
estimate at $55,575. A Henry Moore bronze sculpture, "Maquette for Figure on
Steps", sold for $198,900. The other big painting of the night was Tom Thomson’s masterpiece "Early Spring, Canoe Lake". The 8-1/2 by 10-1/2 inch oil on panel sold for a record $2,749,500. This was one of eight works from an anonymous Canadian philanthropist who donated the proceeds from the sale of his collection to various Canadian charities, including The Nature Conservancy of Canada. His eight works totaled $3,350,880. Another early Tom Thomson work, "Autumn, Algonguin Park "sold for $380,250. Other noteworthy pieces included David Milne’s "Bronx Park," 1913 which sold for $280,800. Emily Carr’s "Arbutus Trees" sold for $198,900 and her Skidegate image went for $234,000. Highlights in Heffel’s first session of Canadian Post-War and Contemporary Art included the sale of a 42 by 32 inch abstract oil by Paul-Emile Borduas, "Arabesque", which sold for $338,750. Another oil on canvas by Borduas, Allegro furioso, sold for $144,400. E.J. Hughes had a painting that sold for $245,700 and set a record for a drawing. In the two sessions, 24 paintings exceeded the $100,000 mark and 26 records were set. The complete list of the top 10 paintings from the two sales and the list of new Canadian fine art records follows below. High resolution images of the top paintings are available upon request. In total, the Fall Auction featured 210 Canadian works. Information on the pieces and artists can also be found at www.heffel.com . Below is a list of the top 10 highest selling paintings from Heffel Fine Art's Post-War & Contemporary Art auction and the Fine Canadian Art auction combined. All prices include the 17 per cent buyers premium added to the hammer price. Lot 240 – Lawren Harris – The Old Stump, Lake Superior – $3,510,000 Lot 237 – Lawren Harris – Houses, St. Patrick Street – $2,808,000 Lot 223 – Tom Thomson – Early Spring, Canoe Lake – $2,749,500 Lot 241 – Lawren Harris – Iceberg, Baffin’s Bay North -- $1,521,000 Lot 242 – Lawren Harris – In Buchanan Bay, Ellesmere Island -- $1,111,500 Lot 235 – Frederick Varley – Nude on a Couch – $585,000 Lot 245 – A.Y. Jackson – North Shore, Lake Superior – $526,500 Lot 263 – Tom Thomson – Autumn, Algonguin Park – $380,250 Lot 280 – J.E.H. MacDonald – Sunset, Waldmere Farm, Muskoka – $339,300 Lot 074 – Paul-Émile Borduas – Arabesque – $315,900 Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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