F A L L 2 0 2 1 new s l etter
FA L L 2 0 2 1 A N D T H E Y E A R I N R E V I E W From the Heffel team to all of you, Happy New Year. We hope you all had a restful, joyful and healthy holiday season, and a great start to 2022. As we look back and share the highlights of 2021, we are so grateful for the ongoing support from our collectors, colleagues, consignors and friends. Together we broke records, found homes for treasured masterworks, and made new memories alongside incredible works of art. Art brings us all joy, and that was evident this year more than ever. The global art market is strong and revitalized after a year like no other, and is seeing increased participation and record results across all categories, as collectors follow their passions and acquire important works of art. Heffel’s monumental fall auction on December 1 concluded what was a rewarding year. Together with our consignors, collectors and colleagues, Heffel overcame the challenging 2021 COVID environment, resulting in the second highest year of gross sales in the history of our firm. As leaders in the market, we were proud to present 80 exceptional works of art through our Digital Saleroom, broadcast live from three connected satellite locations in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. In real time, collectors tuned in and participated by telephone, absentee and online bidding. Thanks to industry-leading technology and the power of our team across Canada, viewers and bidders experienced the excitement of the Heffel auction room from the comfort of their homes, all over the world. Emily Carr continued to make headlines as the year came to a close, following outstanding results achieved in Heffel’s spring sale with two 1930s masterworks, Tossed by the Wind and Swirl. Carr also led the fall auction with seven works on offer, which spanned significant periods of her artistic career. Anchoring the sale was the breathtaking Cordova Drift, a museum-quality canvas painted in 1931 during Carr’s mature period. The painting, outstanding in every way, included the three key elements of the most sought-after and beloved paintings by Carr: sea, sky and the powerful forest of British Columbia. The work deservingly attracted international interest and participation, and became the second most valuable work by the artist ever sold at auction. Important works by Paul Kane, A.J. Casson, Jack Bush, Takao Tanabe and others also
dazzled enthusiasts at our previews in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, as well as on auction night when they soared well above their presale estimates. It was truly an honour to find new homes for so many outstanding works of art this season, where they will be enjoyed for generations. The auction was a labour of love from our team across the country, who worked with our cherished consignors around the world, and we feel very lucky and excited to continue on this path through 2022 and beyond.
Online Auction Highlights The continued growth and success of Heffel’s online auctions over the last year is further confirmation of the strength of the market, and the power of our advanced online platform and tools. More than 2,400 outstanding works of art were offered through this robust and flourishing platform throughout 2021, and extraordinary results were achieved. Last year alone, our online auction platform grew
ABOVE: EMILY CARR, Cordova Drift oil on canvas, 1931 30 × 36 inches Sold December 1, 2021 for $3,361,250
by 25% since 2020. We are proud to have been a global pioneer of online auctions, having run our first sale in 1999. It’s incredible to see how much our business has changed and grown since then. Curated specialty auctions of note included Pop Art Prints & International Graphics, Works by Alex Colville | Collection of Peggy Marko, The World of Emily Carr and Treasures from the Family of Lawren S. Harris. We also had the pleasure of introducing new categories to Heffel’s collectors through our online auctions, including Asian Art, an ongoing and growing platform in collaboration with expert Anthony Wu, and Collector Motorcycles, a special sale in partnership with Kiehl’s Canada. The year was also filled with important partnerships, as a result of decades of building lasting relationships with important organizations and institutions. It was our
above: Paul Kane Assiniboine Hunting Buffalo oil on canvas, circa 1855 18 × 29 inches Sold December 1, 2021 for $3,241,250
esteemed honour to work with the Vancouver Art Gallery, Fondation du Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul, the Estate of Betty Goodwin, Burrard Arts Foundation and the Weston Group of Companies on successful online auctions.
Reaching New Heights Heffel’s live and online auctions throughout the year saw shattered records for many of the biggest names in Canadian art. Christopher Pratt’s Salt Shed Interior, Gordon Smith’s June 99, William Armstrong’s Lake Superior and Maud Lewis’s Train Station in Winter rose to the top and set new artist benchmarks this fall. The spring, equally as electrifying, saw new records for Rita Letendre, Doris McCarthy, Cornelius Krieghoff, Jean McEwen, Joe Fafard, Frances Anne Hopkins and many others.
live as a member of our community. At Heffel we pride ourselves on being there for our collectors and our community, and providing lasting support for the Canadian art world. As part of this, we are proud to begin this year by announcing the establishment of the Heffel Foundation, which will provide ongoing philanthropic support to the visual arts in Canada. The Foundation will provide important backing for cherished museums and galleries, scholarships encouraging further education in the arts, and so much more. With our deepest thanks for your support throughout 2021, Heffel is thrilled to contribute an initial $125,000 to the Foundation. As we all take stock and remind ourselves of how lucky we are, remember to support the causes that matter to you and your community.
It was such a pleasure to work with so many institutions and organizations throughout the last year, and to support a number of incredible exhibitions and projects. Heffel had the honour of providing funding for two monumental shows at the Art Gallery of Ontario—the acclaimed retrospective Andy Warhol, organized by the Tate Modern, London in collaboration with Museum Ludwig and the AGO, and the important and revolutionary Picasso: Painting the Blue Period, which just closed its doors earlier this month. On now at Whistler’s stunning Audain Art Museum is Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures, which Heffel has been very proud to support since its first showing at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. If you are planning a trip to BC this
Liste n an d Learn Winter walk? Staycation? Check out these podcast recommendations from the Heffel team! -
A brush with… – Recommended by Deirdre Hofer
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The Great Women Artists – Recommended by Melina Rymberg
Giving Back
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Audain Art Museum: Tuesday Night Talks (TNT) – Recommended by David Heffel
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The Way I See It – Recommended by Marie-Hélène Busque
With every New Year comes change in terms of how we engage with the world, how we view and operate our business and how we want to
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Revisionist History (Episode: Hedwig’s Lost Van Gogh) – Recommended by Lindsay Jackson
above: Heffel’s Fall Live Auction, December 1, 2021, Digital Saleroom
winter, be sure not to miss this incredibly impressive show. After three memorable stops overseas in Germany, Switzerland and France, Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons will have its final curtain call at the National Gallery of Canada, opening soon. Heffel is honoured to have supported this show for its entire journey across the world, and we look forward to celebrating its last stop this year. When you can do so, please visit local museums and galleries. The museum community in Canada has gone to great lengths to not only curate and execute inspiring exhibitions, but also to ensure that they are providing a safe experience for visitors, so it is important that we show our support whenever we can. In addition to supporting museum exhibitions, we are pleased to share that this year Heffel provided funding for the publication, François-Marc Gagnon et l’art au Québec— Hommage et Parcours, which celebrates the late professor emeritus’s remarkable contributions to Canadian and Quebec art history. The book is available for purchase through Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal. This year, we are also excited to support an important upcoming publication focusing on James Wilson Morrice’s Venetian period by Sandra Paikowsky, Professor Emerita at Concordia University and member of the Order of Canada.
Looking Ahead
above: L aw ren Stewart Harris, Mountain Sketch oil on board 12 × 15 inches Estimate: $500,000 – $700,000 To be offered in our Spring 2022 live auction
i n v i tat i o n t o c o n s i g n We are now accepting artworks for our spring auctions, including: Post-War & Contemporary Art Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art International Graphics & Pop Art Prints Asian Art and more Heffel auctions are inclusive of international works of art.
We are entering the New Year with a fresh perspective and new ideas, and are excited to share what is in store for the upcoming season at Heffel. With a number of major auctions on the horizon, we look forward to sharing wonderful works of art and finding them new homes with both new and seasoned collectors. Keep an eye out for our specialty auctions, including Kenojuak Ashevak: Light of Happiness, Works by David Blackwood, Betty Goodwin | Prints from the Estate of the Artist, Asian Art, Armand Vaillancourt | Selected Works from the Collection of the Artist and more. We are currently accepting consignments for our upcoming auctions scheduled for the winter and spring seasons. If you are interested in receiving complimentary auction estimates for original artworks from your collection, please get in touch. The deadline to consign to our spring live auction is March 1, 2022 and we are always accepting consignments for our online auctions throughout the year. Thank you again for your continued support and patronage. We wish you all the very best for the New Year, and look forward to a bright 2022 together, filled with incredible works of art.
A U C T I ON R E SU LTS fa l l 2 0 2 1 The following Lots were sold at the prices stated. Lot numbers that are omitted represent items which were withdrawn, passed or unsold as of the publication of this list. Prices include Buyer’s Premium. Heffel Fine Art Auction House is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions. All content in this newsletter is subject to our published Terms and Conditions of Business and our Catalogue Terms. Live Auction (December 1, 2021)
$21, 0 50, 6 25
Post-War & Contemporary Art
$5, 2 59,875
Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art November Online Auction (November 25, 2021) Overall Fall Sale Total (including Buyer’s Premium) Date of Publication
L OT NO .
PRICE
O v erall Fall 2 0 2 1 Sale T o tal : $ 23 ,917, 8 8 1
$15, 7 90,750
(i n c l u d i n g B u y e r ’ s P r e m i u m)
$2,867, 2 56 $23,917,881 January 17, 2022
L OT NO .
PRICE
L OT NO .
PRICE
L OT NO .
PRICE
L OT NO .
PRICE
L OT NO .
PRICE
1 $55,250
14 $18,750
28 $61,250
109 $49,250
122 $181,250
136 $121,250
2 $28,125
15 $31,250
29 $601,250
110 $3,361,250
124 $1,621,250
137 $79,250
3 $85,250
16 $91,250
30 $169,250
111 $301,250
125 $601,250
138 $79,250
4 $169,250
17 $121,250
31 $67,250
112 $58,250
126 $541,250
139 $121,250
5 $217,250
18 $121,250
32 $43,250
113 $277,250
127 $67,250
141 $151,250
6 $289,250
19 $337,250
101 $481,250
114 $91,250
128 $193,250
142 $58,250
7 $77,000
20 $73,250
102 $109,250
115 $133,250
129 $85,250
143 $67,250
8 $337,250
21 $67,250
103 $55,250
116 $3,241,250
130 $229,250
144 $193,250
9 $133,250
22 $73,250
104 $145,250
117 $85,250
131 $115,250
145 $217,250
10 $229,250
23 $97,250
105 $67,250
118 $79,250
132 $97,250
146 $121,250
11 $241,250
24 $15,000
106 $43,250
119 $841,250
133 $85,250
147 $34,250
12 $901,250
26 $361,250
107 $37,250
120 $337,250
134 $85,250
148 $17,500
13 $12,500
27 $133,250
108 $55,250
121 $691,250
135 $85,250
Thank you to all of the consignors, collectors and enthusiasts who made our sale a success.
F i n e A r t A u c t i o n H o u s e V a n c o u v e r · C a l g a r y · T o r o n t o · Ott a w a · M o n t r e a l mail@heffel.com · 1·888·818·6505 · heffel.com