NEWS LETTER
Summer 2025
FRANKLIN CARMICHAEL
Old Orchard, 1940
Price Realized: $768,000
FRANCES ANNE HOPKINS
Canoes in a Fog, Lake Superior, 1864
Price Realized: $240,000 (Aucton Record)
BIDDING WARS FOR MASTERWORKS OF CANADIAN & INTERNATIONAL ART
Cowley Abbot is pleased to report the success of our Spring Live Aucton: Select Masterworks of Canadian & Internatonal Art. Held on May 28th at the Globe & Mail Centre in Toronto, the sale was our most tghtly curated to date. Each Canadian artwork was selected for its signifcance in our naton’s history, from an 1864 watercolour by Frances Anne Hopkins to a 2017 acrylic diptych by Wanda Koop. Among the top results for historical artworks was Canoes in a Fog, Lake Superior, 1864 by Frances Anne Hopkins, selling for $240,000 including buyer’s premium. This sale set a new record for a watercolour by the artst. The rare, atmospheric watercolour was painted by Hopkins on her frst trip to Lake Superior and served as the basis for a major oil paintng she exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1869.
The Group of Seven were represented strongly in the live aucton. Old Orchard, 1940 by Franklin Carmichael soared to $768,000. Fir Trees, circa 1935, a prime example of Emily Carr’s vivid Britsh Columbian forests, sold for $576,000, exceeding the high end of the pre-sale estmate. Depictons of the northern shores of Lake Superior by the founding members of the Group of Seven were also highlighted in the aucton, refectng their travels and artstc development between 1921 and 1928. Arthur Lismer’s oil paintng sketch, Light Breaking Through, Lake Superior, 1927 drew ferce bidding, hammering down at $180,000. Cowley Abbot was privileged to ofer a rare and masterful work by Peter Clapham Sheppard, The Bridge Builders, Constructon, Bloor Street Viaduct, 1915. The monumental paintng, refectng Toronto’s industrial history and impressive engineering, drew signifcant press coverage during previews and ultmately sold for an outstanding $180,000, the second highest price achieved for Sheppard at aucton.
Performance was strong for Canadian artsts from post-war movements. Three lots by Automatste painter Marcelle Ferron exceeded their pre-sale estmates, with Sans ttre, 1964 achieving $696,000. The large canvas Ocres, jaune et vert, 1974 by Yves Gaucher set a new aucton record for the artst, with a price of $120,000. Competton was strong for Spector, 1960, a prime example of Harold Town’s abstract expressionist work, which sold for $78,000, well above its pre-sale estmate of $12,000-15,000. We were delighted to be entrusted with a monumental work by Norval Morrisseau, a trailblazer of contemporary Indigenous art. Conversaton with Our White Brother, 1980 sold for $108,000, more than double the opening bid.
The Spring Live Aucton was a resounding success with an 82% sell-through rate. Cowley Abbot is privileged to have handled these masterful works and we are incredibly grateful to our wonderful consignors, collectors and the Canadian art community for their contnued support and partcipaton in yet another successful aucton season.
Dedicaton to Outreach & Promoton
Leading up to the Spring Live Aucton, Cowley Abbot carried out extensive advertsing and promotonal campaigns. Several weeks of public previewing were held in Calgary and Toronto, with cocktail events for VIP and corporate clients in both cites. We were honoured to welcome art historian and author Tom Smart to the Toronto gallery to give a talk on the life and work of Peter Clapham Sheppard. Regional and natonal newspapers frequently featured advertsements of our aucton highlights, and partners Rob Cowley and Lydia Abbot travelled across the country to appear in television news segments and radio shows. This wide-ranging exposure played a key role in the tremendous success of the Spring Live Aucton.
An Eventul Season Ahead
Cowley Abbot’s Fall Live Aucton will take place on November 26th at the Globe & Mail Centre, and preparatons are already well underway. This summer and fall, our team of art specialists will be hostng valuaton days and meetng with clients across the country—from Britsh Columbia to Newfoundland. We contnue to welcome visitors to our Toronto gallery through regular valuaton days, monthly aucton preview breakfast events and exclusive presentatons, designed to foster in-person engagement with our local community.
This past spring, we were proud to host several special events, including valuaton days at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre at Queen’s University, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Art Gallery of Nova Scota, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the Confederaton Centre of the Arts, Museum London, the Otawa Art Gallery and the RiverBrink Museum. Rob Cowley also delivered a lecture on the Canadian aucton market at various events across the country. Among our many art talks and engaging presentatons held across the country by specialists, we held a panel discussion focused on women in the art industry, organized by Lydia Abbot and Anna Holmes, as well as a “5 à 7” cocktail event to promote our online auctons to emerging collectors.
The Internatonal Art Department
Cowley Abbot’s Internatonal Art department has contnued to grow steadily over the past fve years, atractng artwork of note to a collectng audience across Canada and beyond. These important oferings are providing an opportunity for Canadian collectors to acquire internatonal artworks within our borders while also serving our clients around the globe. This season saw a successful sale of paintngs, works on paper and sculpture by artsts from the United States, France, Spain and Mexico.
Two new global aucton records were set in the May 28th sale: the charming Study for a Portrait by Jessie Willcox Smith, selling for $96,000, and the vibrant Surrealist paintng Characters Coming Out of the Clouds, 1974 by Eugenio Fernández Granell, selling for $90,000. Andy Warhol contnues to have an actve market in Canada and internatonally, with three works by the American artst included in the aucton. His screenprint Turtle F&S (II.360A), 1985, sold for $114,000, exceeding its pre-sale estmate of $60,000-80,000.
Department specialists Perry Tung and Catherine Lacroix look forward to bringing more artwork by renowned internatonal artsts into focus in Canada and creatng opportunites for our clients to engage with these signifcant works.
Fine Art Appraisals and Art Collecton Management
Cowley Abbot’s Appraisals & Valuatons department ofers comprehensive writen appraisals of fne art for private collectors, corporatons, wealth advisors, lawyers and art consultants. Our Appraisal Reports are crafed to the highest industry standards and are recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), fnancial insttutons and insurance brokers. In additon to traditonal appraisals, Cowley Abbot provides Art Collecton Management services, which include creatng a detailed digital catalogue of your artwork, to ensure a comprehensive record of your collecton. Our team of appraisers are credentaled members of the Internatonal Society of Appraisers (ISA) and adhere to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practce (USPAP). Cowley Abbot’s appraisers uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and client confdentality, helping collectors make informed fnancial decisions.
Private Sales
The Private Sales department at Cowley Abbot contnues to focus on securing rare and signifcant artworks, leveraging the trust Peter Ohler has cultvated with collectors over the years. In 2018, afer over thirty years as a principal at one of Canada’s leading historical art galleries, Peter transitoned to become a private dealer.
Peter brought his wealth of expertse to Cowley Abbot, enhancing our frm’s oferings. Working closely with both buyers and sellers, Peter ofers confdental private sale opportunites with his extensive network of collectors. His approach ensures discreet, high-value transactons for all partes involved. Peter will be presentng special selectons of important, excitng artwork during the summer and fall seasons. Please contact Peter if you are interested in discussing Cowley Abbot’s private sale services.
JESSIE WILLCOX SMITH Study for a Portrait Price Realized: $96,000
EUGENIO FERNÁNDEZ GRANELL Characters Coming Out of the Clouds, 1974 Price Realized: $90,000
ANDY WARHOL Turtle (F&S II.360A), 1985 Price Realized: $114,000
Spring 2025 Live Aucton Highlights
