The First Six Months of Notable Sales: 2024

By: Waddington's Staff

It’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through 2024, but the slower pace of summer makes it the perfect time to reflect on some of the exceptional results we achieved in the first two quarters. We sincerely thank all of our consignors and bidders for choosing Waddington’s.

While we take a short break in the last half of July and into August, we look forward to a busy fall season. Be sure to keep an eye on our upcoming auctions and sign up for our emails so you don’t miss out. As we plan for more exciting auctions we look forward to connecting with you to talk about consignment opportunities. Contact us to find out more.

We also launched a new auction platform on May 10, 2024, and would like to remind bidders who have not done so to create a new account to participate in our auctions.

Below are a few highlights from the first half of the year. We also invite you to browse the entire list of prices realised from our auctions, and remind you that all prices noted include Buyer’s Premium.

David Hockney, PAPER POOLS, POOL MADE WITH PAPER AND BLUE INK FOR BOOK, 1980 [T. 269; M.C.A.T. 234], Price Realised: $54,750

INTERNATIONAL ART

Superb results were achieved in our major spring auction. Paintings by Irish artist Daniel O’Neill. “Portrait of a Girl” and “Funfair” both doubled their high estimates, selling for $32,470 and $34,910, respectively. A pastel by French artist Léon Lhermitte attracted early and rapid bidding, achieving a price realised of $32,470. Other highlights included a colourful triptych by Norman Bluhm, the 1983 “Sleeping Goddess,” which sold for $27,500, and the atmospheric “Snow Mountain” by Józef Bakoś, which sold for $20,480.

Our International department has been concentrating on presenting a handful of distinctive auction series. A regular feature is the Modern, Post-War & Contemporary art auctions, with a recent standout being “Étude de main gauche, Hand no. 38” by Auguste Rodin, which sold for $13,530. Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings is another such category, with Philip Sadée’s “Departure of the Fishing Boat” quadrupling its high estimate to sell for $24,320.

For the second year in a row, Waddington’s was pleased to present the Photographs in Partnership with CONTACT Photography Festival auction. A mix of Canadian and International photography, we enjoyed presenting Peter Beard’s “A Bend in the River After the Die-Off, 1976” which sold for $25,600.

Last but certainly not least is our Editions auction, a particular speciality of our Director of International Art, Goulven Le Morvan. Before coming to Waddington’s, Le Morvan ran the Editions department at Piasa auction house in Paris. He brings his sophisticated eye and depth of knowledge, making Waddington’s Editions auctions of great interest to collectors at home and abroad.

Highlights from the first half of 2024 include David Hockney’s “Paper Pools, Pool Made With Paper and Blue Ink For Book, 1980,” which sold for $54,750, Keith Haring’s “Plate 4, from “Pop Shop I,” 1987,” which sold for $31,950, Helen Frankenthaler’s “Frankenthaler (Painted Book Cover), 1971,” which achieved a price of $34,350, well over its high estimate, and Joan Miro’s “Querelle d’amoureux, I, from “Allegro Vivace,” 1981,” which more than doubled its high estimate to reach the sum of $17,220.

Norval Morrisseau, NATURE’S BALANCE, 1975. Price Realised: $183,750

CANADIAN FINE ART

The highlight of the year so far has been our major auction of Canadian & International Fine Art. This auction, held at the end of May, was defined by Norval Morrisseau’s “Nature’s Balance,” which sold for $183,750, shattering the record for a work on paper by the artist. Not only did the work set a new record for a work on paper, but is also notable for achieving the second highest price for a Morrisseau work sold at auction.

Jeune fille au voile bleu” by Jean Paul Lemieux also performed exceptionally well, selling for $354,550 – almost double the high estimate.

Another highlight of the spring auction was a rare mid-19th century album containing 66 original watercolours, oils and drawings by artists including Cornelius Krieghoff, James Duncan, Otto Reinhold Jacobi. Coming to Waddington’s from a private collection, this album tells a story of early Montreal, and was likely assembled by Anne McCord, née Ross (1807-1870). The story of the album is an interesting one, and we invite you to read the full details on our website. The final price realised was $30,720, over five times the high estimate.

Other highlights from the spring auction included “Bonne fête, Raga, 1967” by Yves Gaucher, which sold for $49,550, and A.J. Casson’s “Sun After Rain, 1959,” which sold for $116,650.

Over the past year, our International and Canadian departments have enjoyed presenting several auctions in tandem, particularly the popular Modern, Post-War & Contemporary art series.

Standouts from 2024 so far have included Norval Morrisseau’s “Spring Season Cycle of Fowl, Animal, Fish, Birds,” which sold for almost five times its high estimate in June, selling for $47,110, Jean Paul Riopelle’s “Sans Titre (From “Les Oies Détraquées”),” ca. 1985, which almost tripled its estimate to reach the price of $27,060, and Roy Kiyooka’s “Lime,” 1966, which sold for $14,760.

 

A Rare Yellow Jade Bowl, Qing Dynasty, 18th Century 清 十八世纪 黄玉光素盌. Price Realised: $72,750

ASIAN ART

Our Asian Art department remains at the forefront in Canada, collaborating with prominent collectors and estates both nationally and internationally. While Chinese art forms the cornerstone of our auctions, we proudly showcase a diverse array of art and artistry from across Asia. Our offerings include notable historic and contemporary objects, reflecting the rich and varied cultural heritage of the continent.

The Asian Art department held a major auction in April of 2024. Standout sales included a group lot of four copper-red, blue and white snuff bottles from the 18th-19th century, which sold for six times their estimate to fetch $9,225, a rare yellow jade bowl, Qing dynasty, 18th century which more than doubled its estimate to sell for $72,750, a Chinese agarwood ‘Eight Immortals’ Ruyi sceptre, 19th Century, which almost quadrupled its estimate to sell for $19,680. Selling for $10,455, a mother-of-pearl and hardstone inlaid Zitan box and cover, 18th century also performed well.

Originating from outside of China, a large 18th century bronze figure of Parvati sold for almost five times the high estimate to reach a price of $9,840, and a rare Satsuma ‘Noh Masks’ dish, late 19th/early 20th century doubled its estimate to sell for $12,300.

 

CHÂTEAU LATOUR 1982, 1 mag. Price Realised: $9,120

FINE WINE & SPIRITS

As the only auction house working under the auspices of the LCBO, Waddington’s continues to lead the Canadian market.  Now in our ninth year, we are pleased to offer our consignors and buyers the best platforms to buy and sell wine and spirits. Our team presented four successful auctions so far in 2024 with four more scheduled in the fall.

The fine wine highlights of 2024 include the sale of a magnum of 1982 Château Latour which realised an exceptional price of $9,120. Since 1995 this wine has been reviewed five times by the Wine Advocate and each time given the praise worthy score of 100! An OWC of 2001 Château Haut Brion realised a final price of $9,120. It is a great addition to any cellar as is the 2017 Pétrus that achieved $5,040. Napa has come in very strong with many bids placed on both the 2012 Screaming Eagle and the OWC 2015 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon.

Fine Spirits highlights include a rare bottle of Harmony Master’s Select Hibiki Japanese Whisky which realised a final price of $1,560.  As always, there is a strong interest in Bourbon. A 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle realised $5,400 in June’s auction tripling its estimate.  The Macallan’s continue to be top sellers in our auctions with a rare Macallan realising $2,400.  Always collected, this Rémy Martin Louis XIII realised a price of $3,000.

 

Davidee Mannumi ᒪᓄᒥ , Kinngait (Cape Dorset) / Iqaluit (Frobisher Bay) TRANSFORMING SPIRIT, CA. 1961. Price Realised: $25,000

INUIT & FIRST NATIONS ART

Setting a record for the artist, “Transforming Spirit,” circa 1961 by Davidee Mannumi, fetched $25,000, soaring over the estimate of $5,000-7,000. This remarkable and apparently unique transformation sculpture from the artist is documented both in George Swinton’s original 1972 publication “Sculpture of the Eskimo,” and again in the revised 1994 iteration of the text. The work is a significant departure from the artist’s known oeuvre.

Another notable auction result was a large and gracefully carved example of a rearing caribou sculpture by Osuitok Ipeelee, which went nearly three times over its high estimate to reach a price realised of $54,430. Also notable were Davie Atchealak’s “Dancing Bear,” circa 1990 and Judas Ullulaq’s “Spirits Embrace,” circa 1985, both of which went double their high estimate to reach $10,625 and $10,000, respectively.

Following the success of an early dome top Mi’kmaq quilled box in our December 2023 auction of art from the Collection of Steven Blevins & Sonja Morawetz which soared to a price realised of $15,006, we were thrilled to see this fine diminutive ovular quilled box in our major spring 2024 auction reach $9,375. This marks two record auction prices in recent years.

Other excellent results from First Nations artists included a Pook-mis mask by Beau Dick, which almost tripled its high estimate to achieve a price realised of $42,230, and a 19th century standing male figure by an unidentified Tlingit artist, with exceptional provenance which almost doubled its high estimate to reach a price realised of $16,250.

 

Danish Silver ‘Pyramid’ Fish Platter with Cover, and Mazarine, #600, Harald Nielsen for Georg Jensen, Copenhagen, post-1945. Price Realised: $69,500

DECORATIVE ARTS & DESIGN

Perhaps the most diverse department at Waddington’s, our Decorative Arts & Design department has had an exciting – and eclectic – start to 2024.

The very successful sale of a Vistosi ‘Pulcino’ bird in March led to the consignment of another for the June auction, which also flew –  even higher! The former sold for over double its high estimate $7,995, while the latter sold for almost triple, fetching $9,375.

Two lots of silver stood out, a Victorian cast and repoussé silver kettle on lampstand by John Hunt & Robert Roskell, 1868 sold for $8,610, while a covered fish platter with a superb pierced mazarine designed by Harald Nielsen for Georg Jensen, from the collection of Sam and Esther Sarick, sold for $69,500.

Antiquities performed especially well in our June Cabinet of Curiosities auction. A Roman marble figure of a youth from the 1st century AD almost doubled its high estimate to sell for $21,760, an Etrusco-Corinthian bronze helmet, 5th/4th century BC, sold for $10,880, and a selection of Apulian pottery (lots 404, 405 and 406) attracting significant interest.

Two vases were particularly notable, including a Moorcroft Waratah vase, designed for the Australian market, which almost quadrupled its high estimate to fetch $7,995. An exceptionally rare and well-fired Zsolnay flask-form vase was sold for ten times its conservative estimate, after spirited bidding from European institutions and collectors brought it to the final price of $49,550.

Rounding out the season were a finely detailed Wedgwood Victoria Ware Urn, which sold extremely well despite some restoration, to reach a price of $9,225; a Gallé marquetry vitrine from a private collection of good Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts furniture more than doubled its high estimate to sell for $12,300; a fine period cast bronze Cossack group by Evgeny Lanceray brought $53,250, and a glass sculpture by Mark Peiser from the Janak Khendry collection shattered its high estimate of $2,000 to ultimately sell for $15,000.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual ‘Submariner’ Wristwatch, With Date, circa 1970. Price Realised: $19,680

FINE JEWELLERY & WATCHES

During the first six months of the year, the Fine Jewellery & Watches department held three auctions, two featuring Estate Jewellery and one for Watches. Results were strong, with established jewellery houses such as Cartier and Tiffany & Co. continuing to command premium prices. Examples include a Tiffany & Co. platinum ring, which sold for $9,375, a pair of Tiffany & Co. Paloma Picasso 18k yellow gold earrings which sold for over three times the high estimate to reach a sum of $2,091, and a Cartier 18k rose gold ‘Love’ bangle which reached a price of $12,300.

Our specialists have also noticed finely-crafted and whimsical animal-themed pieces continuing to charm buyers, with examples including an Italian 18k yellow gold bar pin formed as three birds on a branch which soared five times over its high estimate to fetch a price of $3,075, and a Tiffany & Co. platinum pin formed as a galloping horse, which sold for $1,375.

In the Watches category, ‘big steel’ from the 1960’s and 1970’s continues to appeal to watch collectors, with notable sales including a Rolex Oyster Perpetual ‘Submariner’ Wristwatch, with date, which sold for $19,680, and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer wristwatch, which realised $14,760.


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