Category: Sale Updates

  • Important Artworks from the AGO Vault, The Robertson Family, The Gerson Iskowitz Foundation and Canada’s Preeminent Private Historical Canadian Art Collection Hit the Block at Cowley Abbott

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    ANDY WARHOL, GUIDO MOLINARI, EMILY CARR, GROUP OF SEVEN AND OTHER CANADIAN AND INTERNATIONAL MASTERS GO UNDER THE HAMMER ON DECEMBER 6

    Already the highest-grossing single collection of Canadian art sold at auction at nearly $30 million, one of Canada’s most-significant private Canadian art collections has its final session

    Toronto, ON (October 23, 2023): Rare and important artworks from several prominent private and public collections will go under the auction hammer in Cowley Abbott’s fall auction of Canadian and international masters on Wednesday, December 6. This two-session live auction is valued at over $10 million.

    Highlights of the first session include two canvases by abstract painter Guido Molinari,deaccessioned by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and five notable works by Canadian artists William James Bennett, Jack Bush, Marc-Aurèle Fortin, Jean Paul Lemieux and David Milne, from the collection of the late Joe and Anita Robertson.

    Born in Montreal, Molinari (1933-2004) was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1971 and achieved international renown, having exhibited in New York and at the 1968 Venice Biennale, and was featured in retrospectives at the National Gallery of Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario and Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. His art is actively pursued by collectors around the world. Molinari is represented by major works in the AGO’s collection, as well as across Canada. Following museum guidelines, the proceeds of deaccessioning go towards future acquisitions.

    The two works up for auction are Seriel, 1966 (auction estimate: $125,000 – $150,000) and Quantifcateur, 1981 (auction estimate: $70,000 – $90,000).

    Guido Molinari
    Seriel (1964/1966)
    Guido Molinari
    Quantifcateur (1981)

    “It is our privilege to represent the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Collection of the late Joe and Anita Robertson in the offering of these Canadian artworks. Our firm has a history of success in the sale of Molinari’s work and they are already inviting strong interest from collectors. It is a pleasure to collaborate with our colleagues and neighbours at the AGO and we are thrilled to donate a portion of our commission to support future acquisitions by the institution.” – Rob Cowley, President, Cowley Abbott

    From the collection of the late Joe and Anita Robertson, prominent Niagara region businesspeople and philanthropists, comes four spectacular paintings and a collection of four prints. The Robertson’s made major financial contributions to the performing arts and health organizations, and were active supporters of the United Way, among many other charitable causes.

    From an early New York canvas by David Milne (Billowing Trees, estimate $100,000 – $150,000); to a rare, large canvas by Jack Bush of Port Loring (Sunset at Port Loring, estimate $25,000 – $35,000); to William James Bennett’s captivating scenes of Niagara Falls (four aquatints, estimate $15,000 – $20,000) and a pair of celebrated subjects by Quebec masters, Jean Paul Lemieux (Femme en noir, estimate: $150,000 – $200,000) and Marc-Aurèle Fortin (Vieille maison, estimate $40,000 – $60,000), each work of art was carefully chosen by the Robertson, who have been advised by Brett Sherlock through the auction process. Cowley Abbott will donate a portion of their selling commission to the United Way Niagara Falls in memory of Joe, Anita and their daughter Laura, who passed away in 2018. An online auction of artwork from the Robertson Family Collection will also be held by Cowley Abbott this fall.

    The second session of the live auction event is devoted entirely to the final sale of a landmark three-session auction of one of Canada’s most prominent, well-known and extensively-exhibited private art collections. Expertly curated over 60 years, the collection of rare and remarkable artworks features prime example, museum-quality paintings, drawings and sculptures by Canada’s most celebrated historical artists.

    With two-thirds sold to-date for nearly $30 million, it is already the highest-grossing single collection of Canadian art to ever sell at auction. The sales through Cowley Abbott have achieved over 20 artist records, with nine artworks selling in excess of $1 million and 80 of 100 works of art sold exceeding the high-end pre-sale auction estimate. The final session is rich in important and rare art by celebrated Canadian historical artists, including the members of the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, Cornelius Krieghoff, Helen McNicoll and Paul Peel.

    The two-session live auction, Important Canadian & International Art and Artwork from An Important Private Collection (Part Three), takes place on Wednesday, December 6 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. EST respectively at the Globe and Mail Centre, 351 King St. East, Toronto. It will also be livestreamed online at cowleyabbott.ca, allowing for simultaneous in-person, telephone, absentee and real-time online bidding – enabling prospective buyers to participate from anywhere in the world.

    Before hitting the auction block, highlights will be previewed at Montreal’s Mount Stephen Hotel from November 9th to 11th and then all artworks included in the two-session live sale will be exhibited at Cowley Abbott’s gallery, 326 Dundas Street West, located across the street from the Art Gallery of Ontario, free for the public to view from November 16th to December 5th.

    Preceding the official November fall previews, a free pop-up public exhibition, Important Canadian and International Art Selections, will feature roughly 70 artworks from the two sales, on display in the Cowley Abbott Toronto Gallery from October 23rd to November 3rd.

    Additional fall auction highlights include:

    Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger Auction Estimate: $135,000-175,000 Warhol was fascinated by pop culture and captured many famous individuals in his art, including The Rolling Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger. His creative relationship with the singer in the 70s included many artistic collaborations including their iconic Sticky Finger album cover.   Session 1 – Fall Auction of Important Canadian and International Art
    Clarence Gagnon, Ice Harvest, Quebec, 1935 Auction Estimate: $400,000-600,000 Major works by Gagnon such as this are very rare. The large-scale canvas depicts a highly celebrated and cherished subject for the artist: ice harvesting in Quebec. The canvas is expected to challenge the auction record for Gagnon’s work.   Session 2 – Artwork from An Important Private Collection    
    Helen McNicoll, The Chintz Sofa, circa 1912 Auction Estimate: $250,000-350,000 McNicoll was an impressionist painter and one of Canada’s most notable female artists. This well-known work has exhibited extensively and internationally for over a century, most recently in the 2023 exhibition, Cassatt‒McNicoll: Impressionists Between Worlds at the Art Gallery of Ontario.   Session 2 – Artwork from An Important Private Collection  
     Arthur Lismer, Ragged Lake, Algonquin Park, 1914 Auction Estimate: $250,000-$350,000 (canvas) and $60,000-$80,000 (preparatory sketch) This oil canvas and its preparatory oil sketch date to an important early trip to Algonquin Park taken by Lismer and Tom Thomson, just a few years prior to the formation of the Group of Seven. This collection has already featured the sale of two record-setting sketches by the artist and the sketch here is expected to challenge the record. This is a rare offering of a canvas and related sketch in the same auction.   Session 2 – Artwork from An Important Private Collection


    		JEH MacDonald, Laurentian Hillside  Auction Estimate: $250,000 – $350,000 (canvas) and $20,000 – $30,000 (preparatory oil sketch) Created during an early, foundational painting trip by future Group of Seven members, MacDonald and Lawren Harris. The pair of works have exhibited extensively across Canada and globally.
    Session 2 – Artwork from An Important Private Collection  
    Emily Carr, Nirvana, circa 1930 Auction Estimate: $250,000 – $350,000 A well-known work by Carr, this fourth and final major work by Carr from the celebrated private collection relates to a 1912 watercolour currently in the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, as well as a 1930 canvas in another prominent private collection.   Session 2 – Artwork from An Important Private Collection  
    Jean Paul Lemieux, Jeune fille au chandail jaune (1964) Auction Estimate: $550,000 – $650,000 First featured in a quickly sold-out exhibition at Montreal’s Galerie Agnès Lefort in 1965, this major canvas by Quebec master Jean Paul Lemieux captivates viewers and is expected to invite excited bidding in December.   Session 1 – Fall Auction of Important Canadian and International Art  
    Jack Bush, Bridge Passage (1975) Auction Estimate: $300,000-400,000 One of two major canvases by the celebrated Canadian colourfield painter, his works have demanded strong prices in recent auction seasons, including a record price for Column on Browns, sold by Cowley Abbott in Fall 2020 for $870,000. Being held in Canadian and American collections and exhibited on both sides of the border, Bridge Passage makes its auction debut this fall.   Session 1 – Fall Auction of Important Canadian and International Art
    Jack Bush, Rose Red & Red (1966) Auction estimate: $400,000 – $600,000 First exhibited at the Sao Paulo IX Biennial in 1967, the canvas has been included in exhibitions across Canada since it was painted, most recently as part of the travelling Bush exhibition organized by the Esker Foundation in Calgary.   Session 1 – Fall Auction of Important Canadian and International Art

    For a full auction schedule, additional highlights, or an online catalogue please visit CowleyAbbott.ca. Those interested in consignment can arrange a consultation by contacting Cowley Abbott’s specialists at 1-866-931-8415 or mail@cowleyabbott.ca. Preliminary auction assessments are offered on a complimentary and confidential basis with no further obligation.

    About Cowley Abbott
    Since its inception in 2013, Cowley Abbott’s live and online auctions have included headline-grabbing works that have regularly smashed auction records. Cowley Abbott has rapidly grown to be a leader in today’s competitive Canadian auction industry, with a dual gallery in downtown Toronto and representatives across Canada. Cowley Abbott’s effective set of services marry the traditional methods of promoting artwork with technology and innovative means to connect collectors with artwork of rarity and quality.

  • Prints, Photography and Multiples with Perry Tung

    Looking through the Prints, Photography and Multiples auction, we see excellent works by the masters of the 20th Century, including Picasso, Motherwell, Dali, Albers and Chagall. But there are two exceptionally rare prints that are wonderful examples of the difference between an etching and an engraving.

    River Drifters (River Drivers) by Frank Weston Benson

    The first is entitled Rivers Drifters (Drivers) by Frank Weston Benson, who was already an accomplished painter when he took up printmaking. Benson was a member of a group, who became known as The Ten American Painters. They were an exhibition group that included Impressionists, Tonalists and Figure painters, such as Childe Hassam and John Henry Twatchman. William Merritt Chase would join the group later upon the death of Twachtman.  Benson was exhibiting with the group when he took up etching recreationally in the early part of the 20th Century. He would have great success exhibiting and selling his work in this medium. His usual subject matter of choice was wildlife or sporting subjects.

    However, in River Drifters (Drivers) from 1914, no wildlife is present, instead he has focused attention on two loggers working along the Grand Lake Stream in Washington County. Especially wonderful is the small detail of the pipe in the standing figure’s mouth. This is a fantastic example of the etching technique, where the lines have been burned (etched) onto the plate using a chemical process, having been coated in a substance that is acid resistant called the etching ground. The image is then drawn through the ground to reveal the plate below, which is then bathed in acid etching the plate. When compared to etching, engraving is a much more physical process, where lines are carved into the plate using sharp tools producing a cleaner more pronounced line.

    Three Girls on a Chicken (Sasowsky 214) by Reginald Marsh

    Reginald Marsh studied under John Sloan at the Art Students League in New York. His subject matter were the people of New York, whether at play on Coney Island, dancing at a night club, riding the subway or just walking the street. Here is another American artist who took printmaking to a new level. Not only was he concerned with the finished product, but he was also obsessed with how he arrived there. Part of his process was making sure the temperature in his studio was just right for printmaking. Marsh was also aware of the age of the bath that his plates were soaked in, recording how long the paper soaked, observing the heating of the plate and the nature of the ink used in printing. Three Girls on a Chicken is from 1941, from an edition of approximately only twenty and is an extremely scarce engraving presenting Marsh at his finest.

    Perry Tung viewing the offerings of this month’s online auction

    Cowley Abbott is delighted to offer these rare works in our Prints, Photography and Multiples Auction currently open for bidding until April 19th.

  • Trucs et astuces pour la collection d’art

    Lot 147: Ronald York Wilson, Prehistoric Enigma
    mixed media on paper, 8.75 x 9 ins

    Sélections d’œuvres d’art accessibles dans les ventes en ligne de février

    Les ventes en ligne de février de Cowley Abbott sont divisées en trois catégories : Canada et à l’étranger (Canada & Abroad), Trois dimensions (Three Dimensions), œuvres sur papier et gravures (Works on Paper & Prints). Je vais mettre en évidence certains de mes coups de cœur abordables parmi ces ventes, ainsi que les motifs pour lesquels je les ai choisis.

    Lot 14: W.E. Atkinson, Shades of Evening
    oil on canvas, 20 x 16 ins
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    Dans mon blog précédent, j’ai mentionné à quel point j’aime les ventes aux enchères, car elles nous exposent à un large éventail d’art, nous faisant envisager certaines œuvres d’art que nous n’aurions pas recherchées autrement. Par exemple, je suis généralement attirée par l’art abstrait parce que je l’ai étudié à l’université et parce qu’il est moderne et souvent coloré. Si je cherchais à acheter de l’art dans une galerie, je chercherais probablement une exposition d’art moderne. Cela étant dit, les œuvres qui me frappent le plus dans les ventes de ce mois-ci seraient considérées comme assez traditionnelles : Sketch for « Spring » de George Reid et Shades of Evening de William Edwin Atkinson. Ils sont à la fois doux et romantiques, avec une qualité très impressionniste. Cela démontre que les enchères peuvent nous ouvrir les yeux à de nouvelles choses – elles nous donnent l’occasion d’être surpris !

    Lot 58: Manly MacDonald, Baker House Close, Edinburgh
    etching, 10.25 x 8 ins
    Estimate $250-350

    Les eaux-fortes sont un beau type de gravure qui requièrent une technique impressionnante et minutieuse. L’image est d’abord gravée à la main dans une plaque de cuivre, puis immergée dans de l’acide, ensuite passée dans une presse à imprimer. Le processus nécessite une attention au détail pointue et ne permet aucune marge d’erreur, ce qui me mène à penser que les eaux-fortes méritent plus d’attention qu’elles n’en reçoivent habituellement. L’œuvre de Manly MacDonald, Baker House Close, Edinburgh est une représentation charmante et délicate d’une scène de rue écossaise, avec une estimation de seulement 250 à 350 $.

    Lot 104: Marion Post Wolcott
    Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939
    gelatin print, 10 x 8.75 ins
    Estimate: $1,000-1,500

    Marion Post Wolcott était une photographe américaine de renom, surtout connue pour avoir documenté la pauvreté et les privations aux États-Unis pendant la Grande Dépression. Ses photographies font partie des collections de musées tels que le Smithsonian et le Metropolitan Museum of Art. Il est excitant de voir l’une des photographies historiques de Wolcott de 1939 proposée dans la vente aux enchères d’oeuvres sur papier et gravures : lot 104, Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939.

    Lot 153: Harold Town, Stretch Blue on Grey
    serigraph, 40 x 28.5 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Stretch Blue on Grey de Harold Town est une œuvre d’art fantastique. Les bandes bleues allongées sont amusantes et ajouteraient la touche parfaite de couleur à une pièce. Ayant été complétée en 1971, elle porte l’esthétique « mod » des années 60/70, mais elle pourrait aussi passer pour une œuvre contemporaine. Avec une estimation de seulement 300-400 $, c’est vraiment une belle opportunité !

    Lot 168: Ivan Eyre, Echo
    etching, 10 x 13 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Echo par Ivan Eyre est un autre exemple de la technique d’eau-forte, ainsi qu’un exemple de l’accessibilité des gravures de l’artiste comparativement à ses peintures à l’huile. Eyre est un artiste contemporain dont le travail est en demande au niveau des galeries et des enchères. La peinture d’acrylique d’Eyre, Amber Pass, figurait dans la vente aux enchères en salle de Cowley Abbott en juin 2021, avec une estimation de 80 000 à 120 000 $, et l’œuvre s’est vendue bien au-dessus de l’estimation, pour 228 000 $. Les tirages de l’artiste, comme Echo, estimé entre 300 et 400 $, sont évidemment un moyen beaucoup plus accessible de posséder une de ses œuvres. Bonus : c’est joliment cadré !

    Lot 76: Catherine Widgery, Businessman with Attaché Case
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000
    Lot 81: Catherine Widgery, Woman with Baby Carriage
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    Deux maquettes en aluminium pour l’installation artistique « City People » de Catherine Widgery sont proposées dans la vente Trois Dimensions. Situé sur la rue Front en face de la gare Union à Toronto depuis 1989, « City People » est composé de diverses figures de piétons en aluminium peint – certaines sont fixées au mur, tandis que d’autres sont montées sur des piédestaux. Businessman with Attaché Case et Woman with Baby Carriage présentent des occasions amusantes de posséder un morceau du processus de Widgery dans la création de la célèbre installation artistique.

    Je vous invite à parcourir les trois sessions d’enchères de février. N’hésitez pas à nous contacter pour toute information complémentaire à info@cowleyabbott.ca. Les enchères se terminent le 1er mars 2022.

  • Art Collecting Tips with Katherine

    Starting an Art Collection & Why You Should Look to Auctions

    Lot 14: Peter Deutsch, High Fidelity
    vinyl copolymer on canvas
    estimate $1,000-2,000

    Collecting art can be fulfilling and add personality to your home. As a thirty-something-year-old art specialist, I have quite a few friends and family members buying their first homes and asking me where they can buy art to put on their walls. For many reasons (admittedly including the fact that I work at an auction house), I recommend online auctions as a way to start and build an art collection. Cowley Abbott’s January online auctions offer great examples of accessible art in a range of styles, subjects, and media. I am happy to share some general art collecting advice and my affordable art picks from the current sale.

    Lot 39: Robert Montgomery
    The People you Meet Become Ghosts Inside of You and Like This You Keep Them Alive
    colour photograph
    estimate $1,200-1,500

    Browse Indefinitely

    It is important to spend time surrounded by art in order to create a context for yourself. Find ways to look at art on a regular basis, through museum and gallery visits, Instagram accounts, the Google Arts & Culture app, and scrolling through online auction listings. Every time you see a work of art, let yourself react to it. Ask, “do I like this? Why or why not?” These experiences will help you develop your personal taste.

    Lot 73: Rita Letendre, Northern Legend
    serigraph
    estimate $300-500

    Learn (some of) the Lingo

    Art comes in many forms and materials, and it is worth learning their differences, for the purposes of both aesthetics and value. The general categories include painting, drawing, prints (of which there are many types – etchings, silkscreens, lithographs, etc), photography, sculpture and mixed media. An oil painting is a one-of-a-kind work of art, but also more expensive due to its rarity. Prints, which are duplicate images from a limited edition, are often more readily available and affordable than original paintings. For example, lot 73 is Northern Legend, a 1967 print by Rita Letendre. The estimate is $300-500, far below the typical prices in the tens of thousands for her oil paintings.

    Lot 110: Ted Harrison, Ice Moon, Hockey Game
    two serigraphs
    estimate $600-800

    Be Patient and Enjoy the Journey

    Please take your time in this process. When someone asks me for advice on how to find a work of art for their home, I often have to tell them that they should not expect to find something in a day or even a week. Don’t just buy something quickly to fill a blank wall. That being said, if a particular work really grabs you for whatever reason, then go for it! It is better to buy something you love even if you have no idea where it will find a place in your home. Art collecting is a lifelong journey that is never complete – it is always evolving and it reflects how your personality and tastes have changed. Looking at every piece in your collection is like an old journal or photo album–every piece you collect along the way will remind you of a particular moment in your life.

    Lot 111: Raphael Montpetit, Dégel
    oil on board
    estimate $500-700

  • Trucs et astuces pour la collection d’art

    Comment commencer une collection d’art & pourquoi vous devriez vous tourner vers les enchères

    Lot 14: Peter Deutsch, High Fidelity
    copolymère de vinyl sur toile
    estimation  1 000 – 2 000 $

    La collection d’œuvres d’art peut être épanouissante et ajouter de la personnalité à votre maison. En tant que spécialiste de l’art dans la trentaine, j’ai pas mal d’amis et de membres de ma famille qui achètent leur première maison et me demandent où ils peuvent acheter de l’art pour mettre sur leurs murs. Pour de nombreuses raisons (y compris le fait que je travaille dans une maison de vente aux enchères), je recommande les ventes aux enchères en ligne comme moyen de démarrer et de constituer une collection d’art. Les ventes en ligne de Cowley Abbott de janvier offrent d’excellents exemples d’art accessible dans une gamme de styles, de sujets et de médias. Je suis heureuse de partager quelques conseils généraux sur la collection d’art ainsi que mes choix d’art abordables de la présente vente.

    Lot 39: Robert Montgomery,
    The People you Meet Become Ghosts Inside of You and Like This You Keep Them Alive
    photographie en couleurs
    estimation 1 200 – 1 500 $

    Parcourez indéfiniment

    Il est important de passer du temps entouré d’art afin de se créer un contexte.Trouvez des façons de voir de l’art régulièrement, par le biais de visites de musées et de galeries, de comptes Instagram, de l’application Google Arts & Culture et en parcourant les listes d’enchères en ligne. ​​À chaque fois que vous voyez une œuvre d’art, laissez-vous réagir. Demandez, “est-ce que j’aime ça? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?” Ces expériences vous aideront à développer votre goût personnel.
    Lot 73: Rita Letendre, Northern Legend
    sérigraphie
    estimation 300 – 500 $

    Apprenez le jargon

    L’art se présente sous de nombreuses formes et matériaux, et il vaut la peine d’apprendre leurs différences, à des fins esthétiques et de valeur. Les catégories générales comprennent la peinture, le dessin, les gravures (dont il existe de nombreux types – eaux-fortes, sérigraphies, lithographies, etc.), la photographie, la sculpture et les techniques mixtes. Une peinture à l’huile est une œuvre d’art unique, mais elle est aussi plus chère en raison de sa rareté. Les tirages, qui sont des images en double d’une édition limitée, sont souvent plus facilement disponibles et abordables que les peintures originales. Par exemple, le lot 73 est Northern Legend, une sérigraphie de 1967 de Rita Letendre. L’estimation est de 300 à 500 $, bien inférieure aux prix typiques de plusieurs dizaines de milliers de ses peintures à l’huile.
    Lot 110: Ted Harrison, Ice Moon, Hockey Game
    lot de deux sérigraphies
    estimation 600 – 800 $

    Soyez patient et profitez du voyage

    Veuillez prendre votre temps dans ce processus. Quand quelqu’un me demande des conseils pour trouver une œuvre d’art pour sa maison, je dois souvent lui dire qu’il ne faut pas s’attendre à trouver quelque chose en un jour ou même une semaine. Ne vous contentez pas d’acheter quelque chose rapidement pour remplir un mur vide. Cela étant dit, si un article en particulier vous attrape vraiment pour une raison quelconque, alors allez-y ! Il est préférable d’acheter quelque chose que vous aimez même si vous ne savez pas où il trouvera sa place dans votre maison. Collectionner des œuvres d’art est un processus qui dure toute la vie et qui n’est jamais complet – il évolue constamment et reflète l’évolution de votre personnalité et vos goûts. Regarder chaque pièce de votre collection est comme un vieux journal ou un album photo – chaque article que vous collectionnez en cours de route vous rappellera un moment particulier de votre vie.

    Lot 111: Raphael Montpetit, Dégel
    huile sur bois
    estimation 500 – 700 $