Tag: Jack Bush

  • Franklin Carmichael Masterpiece Featured in Spring Live Auction

    Franklin Carmichael, Old Orchard (1940)

    (Toronto – May 2, 2017) Two celebrated artworks by Group of Seven painter Franklin Carmichael are the centerpiece to Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s upcoming Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art taking place May 25th at the Gardiner Museum, Toronto. A large-scale oil painting, Old Orchard (1940), will make its auction debut having been privately owned by the family of Herbert Laurence Rous, founder of the renown Rous and Mann printing studio where many of the Group of Seven artists began their careers.

    The iconic image depicting a neighbour’s orchard, painted from the view of his studio in present-day North York, Ontario, was used as the catalogue cover for Carmichael’s memorial exhibition at the Art Gallery of Toronto (now the AGO) and the Summer 1947 issue of Canadian Art Magazine, following his death. This will be the first time Old Orchard will be on the auction block (estimated between $500,000 – $700,000); however, given its significance, quality and rarity, the artwork is expected to challenge the current record for a Carmichael painting (Frood Lake sold at auction in December, 2002, for $915,000 including buyer’s premium).

    As the youngest original member of the Group of Seven, Carmichael is also considered one of Canada’s most renowned watercolourists of the twentieth century. Consignor’s auction also includes a stunning watercolour, The Bay of Islands (1929) estimated at $150,000 – $200,000, a sister version of Carmichael’s Bay of Islands that is part of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s permanent collection.

    “Franklin Carmichael’s accomplishments in oil and watercolour are recognized as some of the greatest work produced by the Group of Seven. Both Old Orchard and The Bay of Islands illustrate Carmichael’s mastery of the two media, setting him apart as one of Canada’s preeminent painters,” says Rob Cowley, President of Consignor Canadian Fine Art. “Old Orchard has stood as an example of Carmichael’s best work through its exhibition history over the past 80 years, and we are very excited to be hosting this major work at auction for the first time.”

    Consignor’s Spring auction will also offer two important works by Tom Thomson painted in his early career. A modestly-sized oil on canvas, Road Near Leith (1908), estimated between $100,000 to $150,000, was painted at the start of the decade which would see his transformation into one of Canada’s greatest painters; and Fallen Timber (Algonquin) (1912), estimated at $150,000 – $200,000, was painted the first year that Thomson visited Algonquin Park where his most iconic works would be created, and ironically the site of his untimely death in 1917, exactly 100 years ago this July.

    “It’s an incredible time for Canadian art as we celebrate our country’s sesquicentennial, alongside unprecedented growth and global attention for painters such as Tom Thomson, Lawren Harris and the Group of Seven and now a feature film about Maud Lewis’s life — combining to reinvigorate the public’s fascination and appreciation for Canadian artists,” says Lydia Abbott, Vice President, Consignor Canadian Fine Art. “The Spring auction features artwork that spans the entire 150 years of Canada’s history and presents a rich narrative of our cultural fabric.”

    Other notable Canadian works of art that will be highlighted in Consignor’s live Spring auction include:

    • A.Y. Jackson, Madawaska, 20” x 26” oil on canvas (auction estimate $60,000-$80,000)
    • David Blackwood, Fire Down on the Labrador, the artist’s most popular print (auction estimate $25,000-$30,000)
    • Lawren Harris, Snow-Covered Trees, 1929 gouache (auction estimate $15,000-$18,000)
    • Edwin Holgate, Autumn Leaves, 17” x 21” oil on canvas (auction estimate $90,000-120,000)

    Live Previews are currently taking place at the Consignor Canadian Fine Art Gallery located at 326 Dundas Street West and viewable at Consignor.ca.  Consignor’s Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art will take place on Thursday, May 25th, 2017 at the Gardiner Museum located at 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto.

    Since its inception in 2013, Consignor’s live and online auctions have included headline-grabbing works such as a rare 100-year-old Tom Thomson portrait (Daydreaming, sold for $172,500), an undiscovered William Kurelek (Ukrainian Proverb, sold for $41,400), and Jack Bush’s Summer Lake broke online auction records in May 2014 for the most expensive painting by a Canadian artist to be sold at an online auction ($310,500). Most recently, Consignor’s inaugural live auction event in May 2016 set the record for the highest-selling Algoma sketch by Lawren Harris, fetching $977,500; tripling the previous auction record.

    Consignor Canadian Fine Art is currently accepting consignments for its upcoming auctions, including the June Online Auction of Canadian and International Artwork, with bidding open at consignor.ca from June 7-14, 2017. Consignor offers all-inclusive selling commissions and the lowest buyer’s premium in the industry. Those interested in consignment can arrange a complimentary and confidential consultation by contacting Consignor’s specialists at 1-866-931-8415 or info@cowleyabbott.ca.

  • Record Set For A Rare Harris Algoma Sketch at Consignor Inaugural Live Auction

    Algoma Sketch 48, a rare preparatory oil sketch by Lawren Harris debuted on the auction block at Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s inaugural live auction event tonight in Toronto, fetching $977,500 (significantly above its pre-estimate of $400,000 – $600,000; all prices includes a 15 per cent buyer’s premium, the lowest in the industry). The sale set the record for the highest-selling Algoma sketch by the artist at auction, tripling a previous Harris sketch, Herbert Lake Algoma, which sold for $304,000 in 2013.

    Harris painted Algoma Sketch 48 in 1919/1920 during the time when the Group of Seven officially formed as an association of painters. Consignor acquired the exceptional oil sketch from a private seller halfway across the globe in Australia, whose family originally acquired the work from the Toronto-based Mellors-Laing Galleries in 1940.

    “The value of this particular Harris piece stems from its rarity as an unknown preparatory work for four of the artist’s well-known large canvases,” said Consignor’s Managing Director Lydia Abbott. “That, combined with an increased interest in Harris’s artwork, made for a truly exceptional centerpiece for our Spring Auction of Important Canadian Art.”

    Two other Harris works also fared well at the auction: House, Toronto sold for $115,000 and Shacks sold for $103,500. Additional highlights include:

    “We are thrilled with the performance of our first-ever live auction”, said Rob Cowley, President of Consignor. “The success of the auction not only cements a new tradition for Consignor but also establishes Consignor’s role among Canada’s most notable art auction houses.”

    Since its inception in 2013, Consignor’s auctions have included headline-grabbing works such as a rare 100-year-old Tom Thomson portrait (Daydreaming, sold for $172,500) and an undiscovered William Kurelek (Ukrainian Proverb, sold for $41,400). Consignor’s offering of Jack Bush’s Summer Lake broke online auction records in May 2014 for the most expensive painting by a Canadian artist to be sold in an online auction ($310,500), and its June 2014 auction saw eight artists’ records broken.

    Press Coverage:

    CBC

    CTV

    Global News

    Toronto Star

    National Post

  • Important Harris Painting Resurfaces on the Art Market After Nearly 80 Years

    Lawren Harris, Algoma (Algoma Sketch 48)Harris Among Important Canadian Artists Highlighted in First-Ever Live Auction Event for Consignor Canadian Fine Art on May 31, 2016

    (Toronto – March 31, 2016) – An exceptional Lawren Harris oil sketch that was recently discovered in a private collection half way across the globe in Australia, will debut on the auction block nearly 80 years since it was first acquired from a Toronto gallery in 1940.  Algoma (Algoma Sketch 48), an autumn oil sketch painted by Harris in 1919/1920, during the time when the Group of Seven officially formed as an association of painters, is expected to fetch $400,000 to $600,000 at Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s inaugural Live Auction of Important Canadian Art, taking place at the historic Berkeley Church, in downtown Toronto on May 31, 2016.

    In addition to its pristine condition, the value and rarity of this particular Harris sketch stems from the fact that it served as the preparatory work for several of the artist’s well-known large canvases including Island, MacCallum Lake (1921) part of the collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery; as well as for three others: Northern Island, Northern Painting XXV, 1924; Northern Painting 25, Northern Island II; and Island, Northern Painting XXI, which are all believed to currently reside in private collections.  Harris first visited the Algoma region of Ontario in 1918 and returned on multiple occasions with fellow members of the Group of Seven. Algoma Sketch 48 was acquired by an anonymous buyer in 1940 from the historic Laing Mellors Gallery in Toronto, later travelling with the family when they moved overseas.

    “We’re thrilled to offer such an exemplary example of Lawren Harris’ work in our first live auction,” said Rob Cowley, President of Consignor Canadian Fine Art.  “It has become increasingly rare to find a Harris preparatory sketch for any of his well-known works, let alone four.  We made the trip to Australia to secure the consignment personally from the client and we are delighted to be introducing this important artwork to Canadian collectors.”

    Lawren Harris is one of Canada’s most celebrated artists, and his works are currently at the height of popularity with the much-lauded retrospective The Idea of North: The Paintings of Lawren Harris, co-curated by actor, comedian and art-collector Steve Martin, anticipated to make its Canadian premiere at the Art Gallery of Ontario in July 2016.

    Several weeks of live previews will begin during the first week of May at the Consignor Canadian Fine Art Gallery located at 326 Dundas Street W. Consignor’s inaugural live Spring Auction of Important Canadian Art event will take place on Tuesday, May 31, 7:00 pm at the Berkeley Church, located at 315 Queen St. E in Toronto, ON.

    “Through careful consideration and feedback from our clientele, we decided that it was time to begin this new chapter for Consignor,” said Lydia Abbott, Managing Director of Consignor Canadian Fine Art.  “It is with great enthusiasm that we announce our first live auction of Important Canadian Art this spring with an exciting selection of artwork, including work by many of the most sought-after artists in the art market right now.”

    The live auction event begins a new tradition for Consignor, augmenting its current slate of notable online auctions established over the past three years through Consignor.ca.  Since its inception in 2013, Consignor’s auctions have included headline-grabbing works such as a rare 100-year-old Tom Thomson portrait (Daydreaming, sold for $172,500) and an undiscovered William Kurelek (Ukrainian Proverb, sold for $41,400).  Consignor’s offering of Jack Bush’s Summer Lake broke online auction records in May 2014 for the most expensive painting by a Canadian artist to be sold at an online auction ($310,500), and its June 2014 auction saw eight artists’ records broken.

    Consignor is also viewing artwork for consideration for the upcoming Online Auction of Canadian Art, acting as the second session to the live sale, with bidding open at Consignor.ca between June 1 – 8, 2016.

  • Spring Auction Sees Stunning Emily Carr & Other Important Canadian Art Shine

    (Left to Right) Emily Carr, "Arbutus Trees"; Manly Macdonald, "Logging Scene"; Jack Bush, "Quarter Moon"; John Lyman, "Portrait of Marcelle"
    Emily Carr, “Arbutus Trees”; Manly Macdonald, “Logging Scene”; Jack Bush, “Quarter Moon”; John Lyman, “Marcelle”

    The Consignor Spring Auction of Important Canadian Art offered several rare examples of exceptional Canadian paintings, prints and sculpture, enticing both local and international buyers to its semiannual online auction, leading to strong results for an array of artwork.

    Emily Carr ‘s Arbutus Trees, dated 1908, was featured in the May auction as a rare and striking watercolour that showcased Carr’s early experimentation with brilliant hues of orange and purple. Consignor’s standard four-week preview period allowed buyers and enthusiasts alike the opportunity to see Arbutus Trees in context, as the Art Gallery of Ontario was serendipitously exhibiting “From the Forest to the Sea: Emily Carr in British Columbia” at the same time. Carr’s Arbutus Trees sold comfortably for $52,900 (prices include Buyer’s Premium).

    Another special painting in Consignor’s May auction was Manly Edward MacDonald’s Logging Scene. The piece was enthusiastically recognized as an excellent example of the artist’s skill and style. This brought on feverish bidding, which ultimately took Logging Scene far above its pre-sale auction estimate to $9,775.

    Consignor also continues to see excellent results on works of art by Jack Bush. Following the record-breaking success of Consignor’s sale of Jack Bush’s Summer Lake last spring, gouache on paper, Quarter Moon, made its auction debut and exceeded its estimate at $41,400. The artwork was featured predominantly in the main gallery and received praise by both experts and passers-by.

    An additional highlight was John Goodwin Lyman’s Portrait of Marcelle, which sold for $40,250. This portrait, circa 1935, was painted during the climax of Lyman’s career, and is a masterful demonstration of his preoccupation with light, volume, and the human figure. Portrait of Marcelle was selected as the cover illustration for the catalogue of the 1986 travelling retrospective exhibition and remains one of the artist’s largest portraits.

    The results from the auction demonstrate that, whether historical or post-war, quality Canadian artwork is being sought by collectors across the country and beyond. Consignor Canadian Fine Art is a leading auction house, sometimes discovering special works of art on its free valuation days. Consignor regularly visits St. John’s, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and other cities to meet with clients personally for review of their artwork. To inquire about upcoming valuation days or for questions about consigning, please call toll free 1-866-931-8415 to speak with one of our specialists, email info@cowleyabbott.ca.

  • Debut of Exceptional Works on Paper by Emily Carr & Jack Bush Featured in Consignor Spring Auction

    Emily Carr, Arbutus Trees (1908); Jack Bush, Quarter Moon (1975)

    (Toronto – April 28, 2015) – On the heels of a much lauded Emily Carr retrospective exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario, lies directly across the street at Consignor Canadian Fine Art, a rare and exceptional earlier work by Carr that has never been seen before by the public. Arbutus Trees (1908), a 14.5” X 10.75” watercolour (estimated value $50,000 – $70,000), was acquired by a private owner directly from Carr herself, who at the time was an aspiring artist honing her craft. It has since remained in the family’s estate for more than a century, and will hit the auction block for the first time at Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s Spring Auction of Important Canadian Art, May 20 – 28, at consignor.ca.

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