Spring & Summer 2024 IN REVIEW
A Legendary Spring
On the heels of an incredibly rewarding spring auction season, we are thrilled to share with you the latest updates from Heffel. From realizing record-breaking sales to launching category expansions to championing incredible exhibitions, it has been an exciting time for our team and for Canada’s art market, and we couldn’t have reached these heights without your unwavering support.
Our spring live auction on May 23 was truly electrifying, attracting enthusiastic global bidders in a shared celebration of art from around the world. We presented more than 90 works to a packed saleroom, buzzing with excitement. The crowd’s claps and cheers contributed to the room’s contagious energy, as three sessions of record-breaking sales propelled the evening to a spectacular success, including a white-glove (100% sold) result for our session of Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art. A Jean Paul Riopelle masterpiece from the esteemed collection of Torben V. Kristiansen headlined the sale, alongside major examples by Tom Thomson, Emily Carr and other art giants, collectively achieving $ 23 million. Works by six important artists set new auction benchmarks, including deserving artist records for Mary Pratt, Prudence Heward, Takao Tanabe and Christiane Pflug.
A very special addition to our long-standing sessions of Post-War & Contemporary Art and Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art was a third session titled Legendary: The Collection of Torben V. Kristiansen, one of the most extraordinary single-consignor collections ever to come to market in Canada. Known for his impeccable taste and deep love for the works he collected, Torben, who passed away in 2023, was a force in the Canadian art world. His relationship with the Heffel family began with Kenneth G. Heffel, David and Robert’s late father. Torben was larger than life and a dear friend, mentor and colleague. It has been our absolute honour to work with his loving family to bring his collection to market. Coveted masterpieces and rare gems by the biggest names in Canadian art highlighted the special live auction catalogue. The works
garnered global participation and totaled an astounding $ 9.1 million. Additional works from the collection found new homes through a curated Heffel online auction in May, and there are still more works to come!
The spring live auction overall achieved a 97% sell-through rate, an industry high across the Canadian market and among the highest in
the world this season. These record-breaking sales and strong performances across various
oil on board, fall 1914
8 1/2 × 10 1/2 inches
Sold May 23, 2024 for $961,250
categories underscored the vitality and global reach of our firm, solidifying Heffel’s position as leaders in the market.
Online Auctions: Expanding Horizons
In addition to our live event, Heffel’s online auctions have seen remarkable success this year, proving the effectiveness and convenience of our advanced digital platform. Our calendar has been full of exciting specialty auctions across a variety of categories, including fine art, numismatics, Asian art and more. Each of these auctions achieved impressive results, with high participation and strong sales figures. Notable successes included Important Wildlife Art from a Distinguished Collector, which featured incredibly collectible works by Robert Bateman and Bob Kuhn, among others, and Inuit Modern | A Prominent Private Collection, in which Kenojuak Ashevak’s iconic stonecut, The Enchanted Owl, in the rare green colourway, sold for an impressive $ 109,250.
Our inaugural Numismatics auction in April was particularly exciting, marking a milestone in Heffel’s expanding platform. Collectors from around the globe engaged in spirited bidding, resulting in total sales surpassing $ 200,000. The auction featured an array of rare and historically significant
coins, highlighted by a “Maple Leaf Forever” Elizabeth II gold proof $ 2500 coin, weighing one kilogram, which sold for $ 100,000. This event, a collaboration with industry expert Andrew Winger, demonstrated the growing interest in coin collecting and solidified Heffel’s reputation as a premier destination for numismatic treasures. If you are interested in discussing or learning more about your collection, we invite you to contact our specialists.
Artist Representation and Gallery Exhibitions
At Heffel, we are proud to work with a diverse and talented group of artists and their studios, whose works continue to captivate collectors worldwide. In January, we held a nearly soldout show of new works by renowned landscape painter Ross Penhall in Vancouver. Building on this success, we are thrilled to announce another exhibition of Penhall’s work scheduled for October in Toronto, promising to bring more of his stunning paintings to new audiences.
We also presented Shorelines earlier this spring at Heffel Toronto, a well-received exhibition featuring a curated offering of works by Doris McCarthy alongside select new works by McCarthy’s friend and painting companion Wendy Wacko. The show highlighted their friendship, travels and distinct approaches to landscape painting.
Heffel is extremely proud to announce our representation of iconic Canadian artist Martha Sturdy, an incredible addition to
our growing list of gallery-represented artists. Sturdy is a contemporary artist from Vancouver whose large-format sculptural practice involves a highly physical manipulation of materials including resin, steel, brass, wood, bronze and aluminum. For five decades, Sturdy’s sought-after work has caught the attention of collectors, designers and editorial teams internationally, including Vogue, Wallpaper*, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and Architectural Digest. Heffel is now the exclusive seller of Sturdy’s work in Canada. Explore a selection of her outstanding sculptures at Heffel.com and on view at Heffel Vancouver.
Championing Visual Arts in Canada
Heffel is proud to champion the visual arts in Canada, recognizing the country’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant community. Over the course of the spring season, we have been actively sponsoring a number of fantastic museum shows around the country. Notable exhibitions include Tom Thomson: North Star, currently on view at the Audain Art Museum (closing October 14, 2024), following outstanding showings at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and the Art Gallery of Alberta, and River of Dreams: Impressionism on the St. Lawrence, which just opened its doors at the McMichael (closing January 12, 2025). Additionally, Heffel is incredibly proud to support 東海道 Tōkaidō: Dreamscapes by Andō Hiroshige at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (closing September 8, 2024) as well
as Helen McNicoll: An Impressionist Journey, on now at Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (closing January 5, 2025), and Tom Thomson: Homecoming, on now at Tom Thomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound, Ontario (closing January 4, 2025). We encourage everyone to visit these exhibitions and explore the rich tapestry of Canadian art. Summer is an ideal time to visit museums and galleries, and a wonderful opportunity to engage with art in meaningful ways and support local institutions.
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on the first half of the year, we are excited about what’s in store for the coming months. Our upcoming auctions and exhibitions promise to bring more extraordinary works to market, culminating in our highly anticipated fall live sale this coming November.
We are welcoming consignments throughout the summer for all of our auctions as well as for private sale. Since 1978, Heffel has
Estimate:
invitation to con S ign
We are now accepting artworks for our fall 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
seen continued success in the sales of works privately, and we would be happy to discuss this option should it better suit your goals. We invite you to visit our galleries and get in touch with our specialists to further discuss your collection needs.
Thank you so much for your continued support and enthusiasm. We look forward to sharing more milestones with you in the coming months and hope you have a summer filled with art and discovery.
Heffel specialists will be traveling across Canada this summer to meet with collectors and provide complimentary auction appraisals. Reach out to book an appointment today! Victoria / Vancou V er i sland
Kelowna w histler
e dmonton
s as K atoon w innipeg o a KV ille h alton r egion l ondon Quebec c ity l aurentians / t remblant
h alifax
s t. John’s
Please contact us for an appointment at 1 888 818 6505 or mail@heffel.com.