N E W S L E T T E R Summer 2025
FR ANKLIN CARMICHAEL Old Orchard, 1940 Price Realized: $768,000
FR ANCES ANNE HOPKINS Canoes in a Fog, Lake Superior, 1864 Price Realized: $240,000 (Auction Record)
BIDDING WARS FOR MASTERWORKS OF CANADIAN & INTERNATIONAL ART Cowley Abbott is pleased to report the success of our Spring Live Auction: Select Masterworks of Canadian & International Art. Held on May 28th at the Globe & Mail Centre in Toronto, the sale was our most tightly curated to date. Each Canadian artwork was selected for its significance in our nation’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 artist. The rare, atmospheric watercolour was painted by Hopkins on her first trip to Lake Superior and served as the basis for a major oil painting she exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1869. The Group of Seven were represented strongly in the live auction. Old Orchard, 1940 by Franklin Carmichael soared to $768,000. Fir Trees, circa 1935, a prime example of Emily Carr’s vivid British Columbian forests, sold for $576,000, exceeding the high end of the pre-sale estimate. Depictions of the northern shores of Lake Superior by the founding members of the Group of Seven were also highlighted in the auction, reflecting their travels and artistic development between 1921 and 1928. Arthur Lismer’s oil painting sketch, Light Breaking Through, Lake Superior, 1927 drew fierce bidding, hammering down at $180,000. Cowley Abbott was privileged to offer a rare and masterful work by Peter Clapham Sheppard, The Bridge Builders, Construction, Bloor Street Viaduct, 1915. The monumental painting, reflecting Toronto’s industrial history and impressive engineering, drew significant press coverage during previews and ultimately sold for an outstanding $180,000, the second highest price achieved for Sheppard at auction. Performance was strong for Canadian artists from post-war movements. Three lots by Automatiste painter Marcelle Ferron exceeded their pre-sale estimates, with Sans titre, 1964 achieving $696,000. The large canvas Ocres, jaune et vert, 1974 by Yves Gaucher set a new auction record for the artist, with a price of $120,000. Competition 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 estimate of $12,000-15,000. We were delighted to be entrusted with a monumental work by Norval Morrisseau, a trailblazer of contemporary Indigenous art. Conversation with Our White Brother, 1980 sold for $108,000, more than double the opening bid. The Spring Live Auction was a resounding success with an 82% sell-through rate. Cowley Abbott 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 continued support and participation in yet another successful auction season.