Tag: spring auction

  • Kurelek Masterwork Fetches $472,000 During Record-Breaking Spring Auction

    William Kurelek, Hot Day in Kensington MarketToronto, ON (May 29, 2018) – Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art, held Tuesday evening at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum, concluded with stellar results for a wide range of rare and quality artworks which celebrate Canada’s diverse history and culture.

    Among the exemplary works up for bid was the auction debut of William Kurelek’s Toronto series masterpiece, Hot Day in Kensington Market, which more than tripled its opening bid, selling for $472,000 – the second highest auction price on record for the artist (all prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium, the lowest in the Canadian auction industry).

    A second painting by Kurelek entitled Hauling Hay also easily surpassed its pre-auction estimate, fetching $94,400.

    The most surprising result of the evening was a record set for renowned Canadian war artist, Charles Comfort, whose oil on board titled, Smokestacks, Copper Cliff, sold for $33,040; six-times its auction estimate of $3,000- $5,000. The painting is one of several preparatory sketches to the final canvas, Smelter Stacks, Copper Cliff, which is housed in the National Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection.  The previous record for a Charles Comfort work of art was $20,700 (for Hope Island Light, Lake Huron, sold in 2005).

    Solid auction results were also achieved for:

    • Emily Carr, Logged Land, a 1930s oil on paper on canvas support, sold for a strong price of $377,600
    • A.Y. Jackson, Ruisseau Jureux, 1931 oil on canvas painting sold for $88,500
    • Marcelle Ferron, Sans titre, an important canvas selling for $49,560, by the artist who was a major figure in the Quebec contemporary arts scene
    • Jean McEwen, Les Fiançailles No. 5, large-scale 75” X 75” oil on canvas by Montreal abstract master (auction estimate of $25,000 – $35,000) tripled its estimate at $88,500
    • A striking and rare 22-karat miniature gold sculpture by Haida artist and sculptor Bill Reid, Chief of the Undersea World sold for a strong $129,800
    • Daphne Odjig’s Family Ties, a 36” X 34” acrylic on canvas painted in 1981, which made its auction debut sold for $37,760

    View full auction results by following this link.

    About Consignor Canadian Fine Art

    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). 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 6-13, 2018.

  • William Kurelek Masterpiece makes its Auction Debut at Consignor Spring Sale

    A stunning Emily Carr landscape; a 22-karat gold sculpture by renowned Haida artist Bill Reid and a enchanting canvas by trailblazer Daphne Odjig among highlights of Consignor’s Live Spring Auction, taking place May 29th in Toronto

    April 23, 2018 (Toronto, ON) – Consignor Canadian Fine Art will be shining a celebratory spotlight on Canada’s diversity in its upcoming Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art on Tuesday, May 29 at the Gardiner Museum in Toronto. The auction debut of William Kurelek’s enduring masterpiece, Hot Day in Kensington Market (1972), is among the exemplary works on offer that reflect Canada’s unique multicultural communities from coast to coast.

    Kurelek’s scene of Toronto’s bustling Kensington Market in the ‘70s depicts various nationalities of the people in the crowds to the local businesses including a Hungarian bakery, Jewish butcher shop and Portuguese fish market. The painting, still in its original frame (crafted by the artist), was one of 21 works by Kurelek that was part of an acclaimed exhibition, Toronto, which the artist described as ‘depicting the soul of the city.’ Although multiple paintings from the series have appeared at auction over the years, this will be the first time that Hot Day in Kensington Market will hit the auction block (auction estimate valued at $150,000 – $200,000).

    “William Kurelek is one of Canada’s most celebrated artists and storytellers, beloved for his whimsical and charming themes ranging from his childhood memories of being raised on a Manitoba farm to his well-known Toronto series,” said Rob Cowley, President of Consignor. “Hot Day in Kensington Market is one of the most popular and appealing of his Toronto scenes, and it is regarded as a significant work by Kurelek collectors, presenting the painter’s unique narrative, celebrating Canadian identity, multiculturalism and the city he loved on a sweltering summer day.”

    Consignor’s Spring auction will also feature two exceptional works from internationally acclaimed artists and Indigenous art vanguards, Daphne Odjig and Bill Reid. Odjig was the driving force behind the Professional Native Indian Artists Association, colloquially known at the time as the ‘Indian Group of Seven,’ and was integral in bringing the profile of Native art and artists to the mainstream foreground. Odjig’s Family Ties, a 36” X 34” acrylic on canvas painted in 1981, has never been offered at auction, coming to the block from a corporate Canadian collection (auction estimate of $30,000 – $40,000).

    Haida artist Bill Reid was considered the unofficial eighth member of the artists group founded by Odjig. He made his mark as a sculptor, renowned for his monumental works depicting Haida art and life. Reid is widely credited with the innovative revitalization of Northwest Coast Native arts and has created jewellery, sculpture and art on various mediums from cedar to jade and precious metals. A striking and rare 22-karat miniature gold sculpture, Chief of the Undersea World (estimated value of $125,000 – $175,000) was carved during the production period of the 18-ft bronze killer whale monument outside of the Vancouver Aquarium. It will be the first gold edition of his iconic killer whale carvings to be offered at auction.

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

    • Emily Carr, Logged Land, 23” x 34.75” oil on paper on canvas support (auction estimate of $275,000 – $325,000)
    • A.Y. Jackson, Ruisseau Jureux, 1931 oil on canvas painting (auction estimate of $125,000 – $175,000)
    • Marcelle Ferron, Sans titre, a major figure in the Quebec contemporary arts scene (auction estimate of $30,000 – $40,000)
    • Jean McEwen, Les Fiançailles No. 5, a large-scale  canvas by Montreal abstract master (estimate $25,000 – $35,000)

    Live previews begin May 1st at the Consignor Canadian Fine Art Gallery located at 326 Dundas Street W. and the auction is currently viewable at consignor.ca. Consignor’s Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art will take place on Tuesday, May 29 (7pm) at the Gardiner Museum located at 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON.

  • Rob Chats with CH Morning Live Regarding Auction Valuation & Recent Maud Lewis Auction Record

  • Carmichael Masterwork Sells for $475,000 During Spring Season

    Records Broken & New Traditions Established for Consignor This Season

    Old Orchard, a major 1940 painting by Franklin Carmichael was sold for $475,000 during the spring auction season, the highest price paid for the painter’s work in eight years and one of the highest values ever achieved for the painter’s work by an auction firm.  The price was just one of the many highlights encountered by Consignor Canadian Fine Art this spring.

    The Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art, held May 25th, was an evening of new traditions and continued success for Consignor, the auction establishing strong prices for historical, post-war and contemporary works of quality and rarity.  The auction was held for the first time at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum, the downtown venue filled to capacity with an electric environment of excitement palpable from the drop of the hammer on the first lot sold.  The classy and cozy setting was instantly popular with clients, paddles comfortably waving in the air throughout the night.

    Excited bidding participation came through not only in the room, but through spirited telephone and absentee bidding, pushing choice artworks well beyond expectation.  Drawing strong reaction from the room was the sale of Three Black Cats, the small oil painting by Nova Scotia folk artist Maud Lewis fetching a record $36,800 (prices posted include applicable Buyer’s Premium), almost double the previous auction record and five times the presale estimate.  Appreciation for Atlantic Canadian artists continued with David Blackwood’s Fire Down on the Labrador selling for $48,300, doubling its estimate and marking the second highest price ever achieved for the iconic imagery created by the Newfoundlander printmaker.

    Artwork by Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven continued to excited collectors during the spring season, with notable results including: Tom Thomson’s Fallen Timber (Algonquin) selling for $125,000; Edwin Holgate’s Autumn Leaves selling for $75,000; Madawaska, a 20 x 26 inch canvas by A.Y. Jackson fetching $69,000; A.J. Casson’s captivating Old Hotel, Elora selling for $36,800 while Casson’s Byng Inlet fetched $29,900.  Works on paper by the Group saw record prices set with Lawren Harris’ Snow-Covered Trees more than doubling its estimate to reach $50,600 and A.Y. Jackson’s Gulf of St. Lawrence selling for $14,950, both auction records for works on paper by the artists.

    Further historical highlights displayed a love for portraiture from collectors this season with an enchanting Jean Paul Lemieux portrait fetching $48,300; Randolph Hewton’s Portrait of Thomas Archer Esq. selling for $14,950; and Hal Ross Perrigard’s Vere reaching $10,925, each exceeding their pre-sale estimate.

    Post-War and Contemporary Canadian works performed notably during the May 25th live auction with: Ted Harrison’s The Grecian House (Dawson City) selling for $34,500, Sorel Etrog’s “Ferrari red” Sadko fetching $27,600, Paul-Émile Borduas’ Abstract Composition watercolour reaching $21,850 and Rita Letendre’s L’Enchenteur selling for $17,250.

    The May live auction was surrounded by Consignor’s March and June Online Auctions, sales which are carefully catered not only to established collectors looking to supplement their existing collections but also to new collectors who continue to hunt for gems to create an assemblage.  Feverish online bidding led to collectors across Canada and beyond being awarded notable works of art by A.J. Casson, J.W. Beatty, Manly MacDonald, H.S. Palmer, Alan Collier, Yvonne McKague Housser, Goodridge Roberts, Jack Bush, Alex Colville, Norval Morrisseau, David Urban, Angela Leach, and Kim Dorland, among many others.

    We extend our thanks to the consignors, buyers, bidders and clients who helped to ensure another season of success for Consignor Canadian Fine Art.  Preparation has already begun for our fall sales, including the Live Auction of Important Canadian Art (to be held on November 23rd at the Gardiner Museum).  We are currently accepting consignments for the upcoming sales and our team would be delighted to meet with you in our downtown Toronto gallery or during our national travels this summer.  The summer months feature a selling exhibition in the gallery and online, allowing clients the opportunity to consider a variety of work by Canadian artists, available for immediate sale (full listing available here).

  • Rob Chats with Global Morning About the Upcoming Consignor Spring Live Auction