FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Fine American & European Paintings & Sculpture

Contact: Lily Stone, 267.414.1240, lstone@freemansauction.com

Led by the success of lot 148, Daniel Garber’s “Old Farm in the Hills,” which realized $457,000 (all prices include buyer’s commission) against an estimate of $200,000-300,000, Freeman’s June 13 sale of ‘Fine American & European Paintings and Sculpture’ of 166 lots was a testament to the strength and resilience of the current art market. Works by other Pennsylvania artists also fared well, as did a number of British and Continental paintings, with 87 percent of the lots offered selling (by value), for a total of $2,089,433.  The Garber was privately consigned from a California collection, having originally been acquired from the artist by a Philadelphian in 1957.  A fresh to market work by the Bucks County master, “Old Farm In the Hills” was painted in spring 1946, above Holland, New Jersey.

Two Dutch paintings, each having remained in respective private family collections for decades - “Street Scene with Figures” by Cornelis Springer, lot 25 (estimate $60,000-100,000) and “At the Beach,” lot 29 by Bernardus Johannes Blommers  (estimate $80,000-120,000) were but two of many European paintings that sparked transatlantic bidding wars, with the former, a fine ‘day-in-the-life’ Dutch townscape in ‘as found’ condition and merely needing a light cleaning - selling for $193,000, and the latter, one of the largest seashore pictures by The Hague master to come to market recently - bringing $109,000.

Other highlights amongst the Continental paintings offered in this sale included lot 46, Edouard Jean Baptiste Detaille’s “L’Oeil Du Maitre” (estimate $20,000-30,000), a crisply rendered French military scene with scores of costumed soldiers and their mounts, with Napoleon Bonaparte along the shoreline, which more than trebled its low estimate at $67,000. The two preceding lots, also in keeping with the soldier/cavalier theme were also good sellers, with lot 45, “A Quick Smoke” by Paul (Louis Narcisse) Grolleron bringing $7,500 (estimate $2,500-4,000), and “Musketeer” by Raphael Enriquez y Villanueva selling for $16,250 (estimate $1,000-1,500), a world record for the artist. Also of note was Armand Laroche’s “Female Nude by Pond with Water Lilies” (sold $12,500) and Jacques Francois Carabain’s “Continental Street Scene” (sold $8,750).

Painters from the UK were well represented in the sale, with highlights from those artists including lot 12, Thomas Stringer, “A Bay with Groom in Landscape” realizing $8,750 (estimate $3,000-5,000), a collaborative work by Edward Charles Williams and William Shayer, “Carrying the Hay,” lot 15, bringing $13,750 (estimate $6,000-8,000), $11,250 realized for lot 16, “The Port of London” by marine painter Claude T. Stanfield Moore, Edward Pritchett’s pair of Venetian scenes, including “The Doge’s Palace,” lot 17 bringing $10,000, and perennial Scottish favorite Edward Atkinson Hornel’s “Young Girl by a Tree,” lot 20, bringing $9,375. A late, but memorable addition to this sale was lot 57, one of the larger decorative canvases – 51 x 76 ¾ inches - by French modern master Le Pho to appear on the market in recent years. Privately consigned and originally retailed by Wally Findlay Galleries, it sailed over estimate, finally settling at a remarkable $91,000.

“Interest has remained consistently strong for good blue chip paintings by American masters, including the leading lights amongst the Pennsylvania impressionists,” remarked Vice-Chairman and head of department Alasdair Nichol. “The demand for works by top tier artists is there, as evidenced not only by the great result realized for the Garber, but also for the solid prices we achieved for works by Fern Coppedge, William Lathrop, Walter Schofield, Arthur Meltzer, and Martha Walter, all secured from private collections,” added Nichol.

In this auction, Freeman’s sold four Coppedge oils, including two classic 30 x 30 inch winter vistas, lot 140, “The Hill Road,” and lot 152, “Winter Solitude, Lambertville,” of particular note, with each having been originally acquired directly from Coppedge, and each eclipsing their respective low estimates, the former realizing $85,000, the latter selling for $67,000. A large (44 x 42 inch) pastoral painting of ‘Meridale Jersey Farms,’ lot 156, painted by William Lathrop, brought $40,000, while two Cornwallian views by Walter Schofield, lots 164 and 164A, “The Coast of Cornwall” and “The Outer Harbor, Polperro (Cornwall)” brought $22,500 (estimate $10,000-15,000) and $35,800 (estimate $25,000-40,000), respectively. Additionally, lot 142, a small but choice ‘Manayunk’ oil by Arthur Meltzer more than doubled its low estimate ($5,000-8,000), bringing for $11,250, while two winter scenes by another Pennsylvanian, Walter Emerson Baum, each exceeded their high estimates, with lot 144, ‘Covered Bridge, South Perkasie, PA.’ and lot 145, ‘Houses in a Winter Landscape’ realizing $11,250 and $9,375, respectively. An interesting ‘Town Bench, Naples, Florida’ painting, lot 165 by the collected but less widely known Richard Gibson Wedderspoon brought $16,250, lot 165, also selling for above estimate, a fine mixed media painting by Jessie Willcox Smith, ‘Ploughing the Furrow,’ lot 114, brought $43,000, while a large – 51 x 38 inches – well rendered impressionist interior by local favorite Martha Walter, ‘Boy in Black Cape,’ lot 133, was hammered down at $85,000.

Aside from successes achieved from the sale of paintings by Pennsylvania artists other American paintings also in this sale and of particular note included William Hart’s ‘Cattle Watering at Sunset, lot 87 and William Edward Norton’s ‘Sailing Boats in the Mist,’ lot 91, bringing $10,000 and $10,625, respectively. Landscapes by 19th century artists based in New York, also sold well in this auction: lot 65, ‘Steamships and Sailing Boats in New York Harbor’ by Edward Moran (estimate $10,000-15,000) sailed to $32,200, and lot 73, ‘Coast Bit, West Lulworth’ by Hudson River stalwart Jasper Francis Cropsey (estimate $20,000-30,000) realized $40,000. Finally, a handsomely executed landscape by Californian Edgar Payne, lot 126, ‘Teton Slopes,’ brought $46,000, exhibiting Freeman’s ability to both sell scenes of, and appeal to, good buyers on both coasts.

Freeman’s next sale of ‘Fine American & European Paintings and Sculpture’ will be held December 5th. Consignments are currently being accepted through mid-October. For further information please contact:

David Weiss 267.414.1214

dweiss@freemansauction.com