TORONTO — The bidding was furious and several records were set as the works of some of Canada's greatest artists went on the block Thursday night in Toronto.

The highest priced painting, Alex Colville's "Man on Verandah," went for $1.1 million -- actually $1,287,000 with the 17 per cent buyers' premium added -- and a record for a Colville.

With bidders weighing in from across Canada, the U-S, Europe and Asia, the Heffel Fine Art Auction House says $14 million worth of Canadian art went under the hammer -- setting 13 Canadian Fine Art Auction records.

"Sans titre," a large abstract palette knife painting by Jean-Paul Riopelle sold for $1,111,500.

Robert Heffel, vice president, Heffel Fine Art Auction House, said it was a tremendous achievement to see two paintings break the million dollar mark and 23 others sell for more than $100,000.

Other auction highlights included a Lawren Harris' oil sketch for Clouds, Lake Superior, which sold for $497,250. Emily Carr's Fauvist-influenced watercolour of First Nations totem poles went for $585,000, and a Bill Reid bronze sculpture sold for $234,000.