The historic Hudson's Bay Company is liquidating its entire fine art collection this Wednesday in what experts describe as an unusually poignant auction event. The centerpiece of this significant sale is a rare painting by Sir Winston Churchill titled "Marrakech," estimated to fetch between $400,000 and $600,000 at the Heffel Fine Art Auction House in Toronto.
A Historic Collection Comes to Market
This comprehensive auction represents the dissolution of one of Canada's most significant corporate art collections, gathered over centuries by the company that helped shape the nation. From its origins as a 17th century fur trading enterprise to its modern retail presence, HBC accumulated artworks through purchases, gifts, and commissions that now tell the story of Canadian exploration and commerce.
The collection includes numerous paintings that Canadians will recognize from HBC calendars and advertisements throughout the years. These works depict grand scenes of pioneering explorations across Canada's rugged northern and western landscapes, including a dramatic painting of an HBC-branded birchbark canoe navigating rapids on the Fraser River.
Churchill's Moroccan Masterpiece
The standout item, Churchill's "Marrakech," was created during a pivotal period in the statesman's life. Painted in 1935 while he was out of political office, the work captures palm trees in Marrakesh, Morocco, during Churchill's first visit to the country. His greatest challenges and victories as wartime British Prime Minister still lay ahead of him.
Churchill traveled through North Africa that year, journeying from Cairo through Tunis to Casablanca before reaching Marrakesh. Upon his return to London, he wrote in The Daily Mail: "Here in these spacious palm groves rising from the desert, the traveller may rest assured that he will never find the world dull."
The painting's significance lies not only in its artistic merit but in its connection to one of the 20th century's most important historical figures.
Additional Notable Works
Beyond the Churchill piece, the auction features several other significant artworks. A portrait of Rear Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, painted just two years after his death at the Battle of Trafalgar, represents the historical depth of the collection.
Another highlight is Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith's 1894 painting "Lights of a City Street," which captures a rainy evening scene from a bygone Toronto. The work shows the view east from Yonge Street along King Street toward the spire of the Cathedral Church of St. James, featuring men in top hats and police officers in capes. According to auction house executive Robert Heffel, many of the characters' faces are based on people in Bell-Smith's family.
The collection also includes various historical scenes featuring the iconic HBC multi-coloured stripes that became synonymous with wilderness protection in Canadian history.
Many of these artworks previously hung in the company's headquarters just north of Toronto's financial district. They're now displayed at Heffel Fine Art Auction House properties in Yorkville, awaiting their fate at Wednesday's auction.
In addition to the fine art collection, Heffel is selling numerous lesser items from HBC's inventory, including wool coats in the classic striped pattern and official Olympic gear from past Games, many signed by athletes.
The auction marks the end of an era for one of Canada's most historic companies, offering collectors and institutions a rare opportunity to acquire pieces of Canadian history while closing a significant chapter in the story of Canadian commerce and culture.
