PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Freeman’s will hold its much-anticipated signature American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists sale on December 6th, 2020 which will showcase a large number of American 20th-century icons such as Norman Rockwell, John Singer Sargent, Fitz Henry Lane, Horace Pippin and Bessie Potter Vonnoh.

It will also be an excellent opportunity for collectors to acquire the finest examples of paintings by Pennsylvania Impressionists. December’s sale will offer numerous works by two of the movement’s greats, Daniel Garber and Edward Willis Redfield as well as George Sotter, Walter Schofield and Fern Coppedge.

AUCTION DEBUT OF NORMAN ROCKWELL
Norman Rockwell's 1929 painted advertisement The Melody Stilled by Cold (Lot 48; $300,000 - 500,000) will make its auction debut with Freeman's. The painting, commissioned by Capitol Boilers & Radiators, shows a violinist interrupting his tune to warm his hands. It is an early example of Rockwell’s achievement in blurring the line between advertisement and fine art.

WAKE UP, AMERICA! BY ROCKWELL KENT
Rockwell Kent's Wake Up! (also titled Wake Up, America!) (Lot 34; $200,000 - 300,000) will also be on offer in this sale. The painting is a rare piece by Kent, who was an anti-war advocate, and served as a rallying cry to urge the United States to partake in WWII and fight fascism.




MASTERS OF PENNSYLVANIA IMPRESSIONISM
Bidders will have the chance to bid on a remarkably strong selection of Pennsylvania Impressionist works in this sale which includes eight works by Daniel Garber, six by Edward Willis Redfield and three by George Sotter.

Highlights include Daniel Garber's The Last of Winter (Lot 95; $250,000 - 400,000). The painting is a testament to Garber's attention to detail, from the boy walking home to the vines inching across the house's side. An important early work by Garber, announcing his pivotal landscapes of the late 1910s, this work was widely exhibited during the artist’s career. It was in the private collection of Harold D. Saylor, Garber’s most loyal patron, along with four other works in the sale, including a Redfield.

Garber enthusiasts should take note of Weatherby's Oak (Lot 72; $200,000 - $300,000), which last appeared at auction 25 years ago. Meanwhile, Edward Willis Redfield is well represented in the sale, with paintings such as At the Crossroads (Lot 80; $150,000 - $250,000). Winter scenes of rural Pennsylvania like Crossroads are among the most beloved works by Redfield.

The sale is full of other exceptional Pennsylvania Impressionist paintings, including Mary Elizabeth Price's Mille Fleurs (Lot 93; $60,000 - $100,000) and another Redfield piece, Grey Brook (Lot 85; $100,000 - $150,000).

RECORD-SHATTERING JUNE SALE
The strength of Freeman’s fine art department is well-known. The previous American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists auction set new world auction records for William Langson Lathrop and Jackson Lee Nesbitt. Lathrop's The Bonfire more than quadrupled its pre-sale high estimate of $25,000, crossing the block for $112,500. Overall, the auction enjoyed an impressive 95% sell-through rate, raising the bar for the already prestigious series.