Heffel spring auction totals $16.2m with record E.J. Hughes seascape
At Heffel's spring auction in Toronto on May 21, E.J. Hughes's Coastal Boats Near Sidney, BC (1948) fetched C$5.7m ($4.1m), establishing a new record for the artist. The piece, provided by Emily Carr University of Art and Design, will support student awards. The auction reported a sell-through rate of 93.75%, with total sales reaching C$22.4m ($16.2m), a decrease from C$31m ($22.1m) in November 2025. Four items surpassed C$1m, including Mary Pratt's Snow Light in My House (2010) at C$205,250 ($149,000), Jean Paul Riopelle's untitled (1950) at C$1.3m ($959,000), and Tom Thomson's Early Winter Frost (1914) at C$1.2m ($872,000).
Key facts
- E.J. Hughes's Coastal Boats Near Sidney, BC sold for C$5.7m, tripling its high estimate and setting a new artist record.
- The painting was consigned by Emily Carr University of Art and Design; proceeds benefit student awards.
- Heffel's spring auction total was C$22.4m ($16.2m), down from C$31m ($22.1m) in November 2025.
- 93.75% sell-through rate: 75 of 80 lots sold.
- Four lots exceeded C$1m: Hughes, Riopelle, Thomson, Lismer.
- Mary Pratt's Snow Light in My House tripled its estimate to C$205,250.
- Takao Tanabe set a new auction record with Inside Passage 12/98 at C$511,250.
- A rediscovered Peter Lely portrait of Prince Rupert from the Hudson's Bay Company collection sold for C$217,250.
- Works from Luc Plamondon and Luigi Rossi collections were included.
- Serge Lemoyne's painting sold for $49,250; auctioneer wore a Montreal Canadiens jersey.
Entities
Artists
- E.J. Hughes
- Emily Carr
- Guido Molinari
- Mary Pratt
- Jean Paul Riopelle
- Alex Colville
- Takao Tanabe
- Tom Thomson
- Arthur Lismer
- A.J. Casson
- Lawren Harris
- Peter Lely
- Serge Lemoyne
- Prince Rupert
Institutions
- Heffel Fine Art Auction House
- Emily Carr University of Art and Design
- Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts
- Audain Art Museum
- Museum of Modern Art
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Hudson's Bay Company
- National Hockey League
- Montreal Canadiens
- Toronto Maple Leafs
Locations
- Toronto
- Canada
- Sidney
- British Columbia
- New York
- United States
- Yorkville
- Montreal
- Alberta