PHILADELPHIA, PA.- The tremendous results for Freeman’s Fall 2021 season of sales confirms overall market strength, deep specialist expertise in Freeman’s team, and the house’s ability to maximize returns on single-owner sales and significant artistic and cultural material.

“With such an abundance of strong results, it’s difficult to present the season’s highlights without missing some important pieces,” says Fraser Niven, Freeman’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our specialist team and support staff have worked tirelessly throughout this challenging year on behalf of our consignors to present auctions to our bidders worldwide. I am looking forward to our 2022 sale season, with exciting consignments already in-house and more to come.”

STELLAR SINGLE-OWNER COLLECTIONS

A season highlight was the white-glove sale of the Peltz Collection, a fresh-to-market selection of paintings by Pennsylvania Impressionists that realized $1.4M. Works like River Road at Centre Bridge by Kenneth Nunamaker, which sold for $252,000, and Butcher Wagon by Morgan Colt, which achieved $100,800, set world auction records for the respective artists. “Even more than our substantial financial gains, we are so pleased to have worked with the Freeman’s team in bringing our collection to auction,” say Virginia and Stuart Peltz. “From our first conversations years ago until the gavel came down, we have had total confidence in Freeman’s power to maximize the outcome of the sale, and in the professionalism and kindness of the team.”

The Alexander Hamilton Collection of John E. Herzog on October 25 was likewise a white-glove single-owner sale, which totaled nearly $600,000 in 44 lots, 185% of the overall high estimate. The auction confirmed Freeman’s strength in securing excellent results for significant historic American material. Freeman’s also secured strong results for Simply American: Fine Art from a Private Texas Collection, the American National Flag Collection of Jeffrey Kenneth Kohn, MD, and selections from the Estate of Gabriele Lee.

AMERICAN ART CONTINUES TO EXCEL WITH $5.15M DECEMBER RESULT

Freeman’s American Art department ended the season with an impressive $5.15M result for American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists, a triumph that confirms Freeman’s strength in the field. In addition to the success of the Peltz Collection, the December 5 auction featured the $390,600 sale of Daniel Garber’s Sycamores and a strong showing for Illustration Art, including Stevan Dohanos’s Tying Flies (Saturday Evening Post Cover), which sold for $252,000—a world auction record for work by Dohanos. Jamie Wyeth’s Saltwater Ice achieved an impressive $226,800, and the $81,900 sale of Donald de Lue’s The Rocket Thrower set a new record for the artist.

LALANNE, BERTOIA, SOUTINE: MODERN & CONTEMPORARY SALE ACHIEVES NEARLY $5M

Freeman’s November 17 Modern and Contemporary Art sale achieved nearly $5M in only 80 lots, led by a suite of playful sheep sculptures by the celebrated French artist and designer François-Xavier Lalanne. The Moutons de Pierre soared past their pre-sale estimates to achieve a remarkable overall result of $2,305,800. The auction also featured eight important sculptures by Harry Bertoia, led by Untitled (Study for Fiery Circle), which achieved $107,100. Le Viaduc Rouge Près de Vence by Chaïm Soutine, the leading painting lot, commanded $302,400 against a pre-sale high estimate of $150,000.

OUTSTANDING HIGHLIGHTS FROM DECORATIVE ARTS

Works of fine furniture, silver, and early American material brought to auction at Freeman’s continue to perform excellently. In a November 10 American Furniture, Folk and Decorative Arts sale, a Chippendale carved mahogany side chair exceeded its pre-sale estimate by more than 12 times to achieve $63,000; a Federal inlaid and figured mahogany pier table sold for $50,400. The top lots in Freeman’s December 8 Art and Design auction were all furniture works by George Nakashima that well exceeded estimates; the season-opening Art and Design sale on September 15 featured the $113,400 sale of a rare four-door “Chan” cabinet by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne.

ONGOING INVESTMENT IN QUALITY TALENT

Against the grain of auction and larger market trends over the past year, Freeman’s has excelled, expanded, and invested in new talent. In the Fall 2021 season, Freeman’s appointed four new specialists: Lauren Colavita, Associate Specialist in Modern and Contemporary Art; Adam Veil, Vice President and Specialist across multiple categories in the Fine Art department; Stella Benakis, Prints & Multiples Specialist; and Lourdes Winnick, Specialist in the Jewelry & Watches department.