Important Canadian warks at auction to take place Nov. 9 Michael Becker Newsvoom Editor mbecker@usnews.com TWO West Vancouver brothers have parlayed a lifelong love of Canadian art into a booming business. David Heflel, 38. and Robert Heflel, 36, are at the helm of The Heffel Group. The company includes 3 gallery on Granville Street in Vancouver, a tine art auction “house and Heffel.com, a virta- af auction house. Their father Kenneth start- ed the gallery in 1978. Kenneth had collected paintings for years. He had a particular interest in Canadian art. When he passed aw ay in 1987, Robert and David took on the gallery. They operated it strictly asa yallery until 1995. ; Said Robert, “When we expanded into the auction business in 1995 it was really fortuitous timing. Our B.C. economy was stronger than it was in eastern Canada and a lot of people from out east were sending us their paint- ings. Right now the economy is strong all around the world, including B.C.” The company’s first of monthly online auctions took place in September last year. Said Robert, “It’s really a month-long silent auction which happens to be run on the Web. By running it on the Web, someone anywhere in the world can also bid on it.” West Vancouver jeweler “Christian Cavelti recently joined Heffel as director of the fine jews Welry deparument. The - auction house will present its ’ first fine jewelry auction in May. ~ Heffel’s reputation contin- ues to be buil on speciali ving in Canadian art, but the “+ gallery has expanded its scope © to include photography, American and European art. Said David, “We're seeing more and more foreigners interested in Canadian art. It has always been undervalued. . Ifyou look at the other G7 © countries and compare the value of our art, it’s a real bac: “gain. We're now selling paint- ~ ings as far away as Hong Kong, Japan, Europe and across the States.” »- David said works by impor- MT. Garibaldi as depict- ed by Donald M. Flather. tant masters in other G7 coun- tries have been selling for $1 miliion plus for some time. “That didn’t happen in Canada until last vear. There's really a 10-year lag time between us and other coun- tries. Part of it was the cvele of the art market, with the previ- ous peak being in 1989. Canada never made that explosion that was really evi- dent in places like the States.” In May, Heffel sold the canvas version of Emily Carr's War Canoes, Alert Bay for $1,018,750. Carr's water colour of the same subject is up this time around at an auc- tion on Nov. 9 for an estimat- ed $50,000 to $70,000. The Heffels believe Canadian art continues to be a good investment — monetari- Friday, November 3, 2000 — North Shore News - 15 inesse fine art market NEWS photo Mike Waketald WEST Vancouver brothers David, left, and Robert Heffel operate the Heffel Fine Art Auction House. The Heffels are holding an auction of fine photography and Canadian art, Thursday, Nov. 9 at Sheraton Wali Centre Hotel. ly and spiritually. Said Robert, “I think the best investment is the enjoy- ment that you get from it and the quality of lite improvement for not only you, but whoever you share your home with.” There are potential financial rewards. Typically, thev’ve seen . Photo Neil Leifer THE Knockout, Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston, Lewiston, Maine, 1965. Ectimate $6,000 to $8,000. early Group of Seven works from the 1930s or 1920s with original price tags of $25 or $30 thar now sell for $25,000 to $30,000. The majority of works that pass through Hettel are sold across Canada, with about 30 per cent sold in British Columbia. Among the Canadian artists represented at the Nov. 9 auction, 7:30 p.m. at Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel: Group of Sevea’s Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, F.H. Varley, J-E.H. MacDonald, Franklin Carmichael, ‘Tom Thomson and AJ. Casson. Also up for offer: seven works by Emily Carr — the Heftel brothers’ favourite Canadian artist — and art by W.P. Weston, E.J. Hughes and Jack Shadbolt. . Preview the art at Heffel Gallery Nov. 4 through Nov. 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday Nov. 9, 10 a.m. to - 11:45 a.m. at 22-47 Granville ~ St. Among the fine photogra- phy to be auctioned will be work by William Claxton, George Hurrell, Ruth Bernhard, Keith Carter. O. Winston Link, He. ri Cartier Bresson, and Barrie Wentzell. We're upgrading the central portion of the store interior to offer you a finer selection in ar. even more inviting new gallery. RE! NOVAr ION Savings of up to 50% - on many items throughout the store until Nov.3oth! Discover today’s trends, tomorrow’s treasure in our 20,000 square foot showroom... Ginger Jar Interiors 1420 Fell Avenue, North Vancouver 988-7328 Open seven days. Marine Drive at Fell Avenue. American and European art auction takes place 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel. The online catalogue is available at . Some American and European art will be up for bidding as well, Among the artists, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso. The fine photography and LAUDATE SINGERS lars Kaario, Conductor Music of the Masses Stnday, Nevenbrr 5, 2000 7 3 pn West Vancouver Cnited Church § Sublime nnuesic from masses by Palestrina and Frank Martin. and a unigae composite of selections front masses by Byrd, Dufay. 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