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Heffel Auction House

Title: Chipmunks
Artist: John Seerey-Lester (b 1945 Manchester, England)
© www.heffel.com 2003

All aboard! Art auctioning has moved to the internet. Fine art at auction prices is now available to you from the comfort of your own home! Art Auctions are now accessible to everyone and not just to those who are able to attend the 'name' auctions in New York and London. Now you can research, register, and bid online.

One of the leader's in the field of Online Auctions is Heffel Fine Art Auction House, which proudly conducts a monthly auction online. The Heffel family has been in the Art business for generations. They began in 1978 when Kenneth G. Heffel an industrialist and art collector founded Heffel Art Gallery in Vancouver. His sons David and Robert took over the family business after Kenneth's untimely passing in 1987. Since then they have continued to expand the business. While dominating the Canadian Art Market, Heffel has sold works from artists including Picasso, Moore and Zao Wou-ki.

The secret of Heffel Fine Art Auction House's success in the online auction market is easily understood from one visit to their web site. They orient their services to the client. David Heffel, President of Heffel Fine Art Auction House says, “Our philosophy is to make the online auction replicate the live auction experience as much as possible. The primary difference is in the live auction, we sell a 'lot' about every thirty seconds. In the online auction the time line is stretched out and everything in the auction closes at the same time, as opposed to a live auction where you go in a one-lot sequence.”

There is a secured online registration form that is easy to fill out and submit. For those who do not wish to provide financial/credit card information over the web they may provide this information via fax, telephone or snail mail. Thus, registration is simplified and accommodates the client's preferences.

The art is available for viewing online. For those who want a closer look, arrangements can be made to visit the studios in either Toronto or Vancouver. Heffel requires that the artwork be claimed within 7 days but even helps with that for foreign buyers. As David explains, “An out of town buyer would submit a shipping form for the lot, which we then refer to the appropriate shipping company. We take the cheapest and most streamlined [method] in facilitating a shipment of the work.”