The discovery of a long-lost Emily Carr canvas, unearthed in a barn in the Hamptons, has sparked global attention, captivating the art world and cultural commentators worldwide. This extraordinary find, which has been making international headlines, will star in Heffel Fine Art Auction House's highly anticipated fall auction on November 20, 2024. The semi-annual live sale will be held in Toronto, with global participation facilitated through the firm's Digital Saleroom.

With an estimated total value of $14 million to $20 million, Heffel's auction will feature its long-standing sessions of Post-War & Contemporary Art and Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art, along with Legendary: The Collection of Torben V. Kristiansen, offering collectors a rare chance to acquire masterworks from one of Canada's most celebrated private collections. Highlighting the fall auction catalogues are exceptional examples by Frederick Varley and Lawren Harris, a 10 kg solid gold coin featuring artwork by Chief James Hart (7IDANsuu), and three famous Tom Thomson paintings. (All estimate values are in Canadian dollars.)

Emily Carr's Masset, Q.C.I., long hidden away, is a colourful and commanding depiction of a bear-capped totem pole, reflecting the rich Indigenous heritage of British Columbia's Haida Gwaii—a subject the artist was renowned for. Purchased for just US$50 by Allen Treibitz at a barn sale in the Hamptons, where it may have ended up during Carr's visits to a friend in the area, the painting had remained unknown to the art world for over a century. Now, the commanding 1912 canvas is finally making its homecoming to Canada, marking a pivotal moment in Carr's legacy. The painting's rarity, combined with the extraordinary story of its rediscovery, has ignited the imagination of collectors, enthusiasts and those far beyond the fine art community (est. $100,000 – 200,000). Heffel is proud to offer five important works by Carr in the upcoming sale, spanning important periods of her storied artistic career.

"Masset, Q.C.I. is truly a blockbuster discovery, adding a remarkable new chapter to Emily Carr's legacy," said David Heffel, President of Heffel Fine Art Auction House. "To see a work of this significance resurface after spending a century hidden away is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Its return to Canada is more than a homecoming—it's a celebration of our cultural heritage, and the excitement surrounding it is absolutely electric."

Highlights from the Heffel Auction

• Three spectacular paintings by Tom Thomson, including two well-known paintings that lead the Collection of Torben V. Kristiansen, famous Vancouver art dealer. Both Tamarack Swamp (est. $1,200,000 – 1,600,000) and Winter Morning (est. $1,000,000 – 1,500,000) are well-documented and well-travelled and were most recently featured in the exhibition Tom Thomson: North Star, which toured from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection to the Art Gallery of Alberta and the Audain Art Museum.
• Frederick Varley's breathtaking canvas Bridge Over Lynn dazzles with its vibrant colours and dynamic composition, capturing the essence of British Columbia's striking landscapes. This major painting is one of the last of Varley's incredible large scale canvases in private hands and has been featured in many important exhibitions around the world as well as numerous publications (est. $800,000 – 1,200,000).
• Artworks by all original members of the Group of Seven feature prominently in the Heffel auction, including major paintings by founding member Lawren Harris. Ice House, Lake Superior leads the group and is a majestic depiction of the serene, rugged beauty of the northern landscape, showcasing Harris's mastery of form, light and atmosphere (est. $500,000 – 700,000).
• The Royal Canadian Mint has partnered with Heffel and acclaimed Haida artist Chief James Hart (7IDANsuu) to offer The Dance Screen (The Scream Too), a one-of-a-kind 10-kilogram gold coin. This unique masterpiece, featuring an iconic image by Chief Hart based on his exceptional wooden sculpture of the same name in the collection of the Audain Art Museum, delivers a powerful visual statement and honours the artist's Haida culture (est. $1,400,000 – 1,800,000).
• A standout in the auction is a vibrant 1959 canvas by Marcelle Ferron, a key figure in the Automatist movement. Painted during a pivotal period in her career, Candelle showcases Ferron's bold use of colour and sweeping brush-strokes, capturing the energy and emotion that define her groundbreaking abstract style (est. $125,000 – 175,000).
• The legendary Enchanted Owl by Kenojuak Ashevak, one of the most iconic and sought-after prints in Canadian art history, is another highlight in the sale, consigned by the Grand Rapids Art Museum (est. $125,000 – 175,000). Revered for its striking design and vivid colours, this masterpiece of Inuit printmaking was immortalized on a Canadian postage stamp in 1970, solidifying its place as a national treasure.
• The auction boasts an impressive array of international works, including the enchanting Mère et fille sous un porche de village by Japanese-French painter Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, two iconic portraits by Andy Warhol— Queen Elizabeth II and Mick Jagger—and a dynamic and painterly landscape canvas titled Paysage du midi by French artist Chaïm Soutine, further broadening the scope and appeal of this exceptional sale.
• Fantastic artworks consigned from important collections including the Barbeau Owen Foundation and the Estate of Dr. Luigi Rossi, featuring contemporary Canadian Indigenous works by celebrated artists such as Daphne Odjig and Alex Janvier.

Heffel Fall Auction Schedule

To give collectors and enthusiasts from across Canada an opportunity to view these works, the collection is being previewed in four cities leading up to the auction and through virtual gallery tours.

• Calgary: October 4 – 6, Heffel Gallery (220 Manning Road NE, Unit 1080)
• Vancouver: October 16 – 21, Heffel Gallery (2247 Granville Street)
• Montreal: October 31 – November 5, Heffel Gallery (1840 Sherbrooke Street W)
• Toronto: November 12 – 19, Heffel Gallery (13 Hazelton Avenue)

The three-session auction will take place on Wednesday, November 20 in Toronto. In addition to in-person bidding, the sale will be broadcast live at Heffel.com and several remote bidding options will be available.

• 5:00 pm ET — Post-War & Contemporary Art
• 7:00 pm ET — Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art
• Followed by Legendary: The Collection of Torben V. Kristiansen

For further details about this exciting auction and to explore the online catalogues, please visit www.heffel.com or contact Heffel's specialists.