American Art 

Andrew Wyeth Winter Corn Fields

Freeman’s sales of American Art feature some of the most recognizable names in the field, including three generations of the Wyeth family (N.C. Wyeth, son Andrew, and grandson Jamie); icons of American art and illustration like Norman Rockwell; graduates of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, such as Cecilia Beaux and Thomas Eakins; and notable Philadelphia figures like William Glackens, Arthur B. Carles, Jessie Willcox Smith, and the Peale family (Charles Wilson, Rembrandt, and Raphaelle).

As the only house outside of New York with auctions devoted solely to American Art, Freeman’s consistently sells high-quality works in various media and subject matter. Our team of specialists brings years of expertise in the field to our twice-annual auctions, resulting in standout sales with impressive results.

Between December 2020 and June 2021, our American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists results set new house records, with over $10M realized in fewer than 200 lots. Our June 2021 American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists auction alone achieved nearly $3.5M in 89 lots—including rare works by Albert York, shattering a previously held world auction record for his paintings—confirming Freeman’s strength in presenting important American art at auction.

In recent years, Freeman’s has won the consignment of several major American art collections, including The George D. Horst Collection of Fine Art ($4.4M), The Collection of Dorrance “Dodo” H. Hamilton ($6.1M), and the Ottenberg Collection—all white-glove sales that yielded impressive prices for works by renowned American artists, from Frank Weston Benson and Jonas Lie to Childe Hassam, Martin Johnson Heade, and Martha Walter.

 

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Records and Results

Paintings from the Ottenberg Collection featuring Arthur Beecher Carles
Paintings from The Collection of Dorrance 'Dodo' H. Hamilton installed in the Hamilton home

The Collection of Dorrance "Dodo" H. Hamilton 

April 29, 2018

Freeman’s proudly brought to auction the collection of Dorrance "Dodo'" H. Hamilton, renowned Philadelphia philanthropist and horticulturist. The sale of more than 150 lots was led by a rare painting by Paul Cézanne and featured works by William Trost Richards, Martin Johnson Heade, Childe Hassam and Maurice Prendergast, all of which reflected her preference for surrounding herself with what she loved, without concern for trends.

 

Sell-Through Rate: 99%
Pre-sale Estimate: $3,369,750–5,421,250
result: $6.1M
Artwork from the George D. Horst Collection of Fine Art as originally installed

The George D. Horst Collection of Fine Art

March 30, 2014

The fine art collection amassed by Pennsylvania businessman George D. Horst hung in a custom built gallery on his estate, unseen by the public for nearly a century. Mr. Horst’s collection reflected his special love for Pennsylvania Impressionists, such as Daniel Garber, Edward Willis Redfield, William Lathrop, as well as for American artists known as 'The Ten,' including Childe Hassam and Frank Weston Benson. Other sale highlights included a magnificent still life by Emil Carlsen, an impressive Jonas Lie, as well as an idyllic George Loftus Noyes landscape, which all set new world auction records for their respective artists. Overall, the white glove auction garnered much attention and elicited consistently strong bidding, setting new world auction records for 20 artists.

 
Sell-Through Rate: 100%
Pre-sale Estimate: $1,268,800–1,904,200
result: $4.3M

Contact a Specialist

 

 

Alasdair Nichol

Chairman | Head of Fine Art

267.414.1211

EMAIL

David Weiss

 

David Weiss

SVP | Senior Specialist

267.414.1214

Email

adam veil

 

Adam Veil

VP | Specialist

215.485.0704

Email

 

Raphaël Chatroux

Specialist | Head of Sale

267.414.1253

Email

 

 

Melissa Flack

 

Melissa Flack

Cataloguer I American Art 

267.414.1251

Email

Tori Craig

 

Tori Craig

Registrar, Fine Art

267.414.1200

Email

News

 

 

12/10/2022    

Who Were the Philadelphia Ten?

The 20th-century women who made their mark in Philadelphia and beyond

12/02/2022    

Bo Bartlett’s Vision of American Realism

Exploring the contemporary painter’s genre-defining work

11/22/2022    

Vibrant Inspiration: Robert Henri in Spain

How the eminent painter took Madrid, and its people, as his subject

10/07/2022    

From East to West, Highlights from the Jeffrey M. Kaplan Collection

Works from the Tang dynasty to the contemporary moment, on offer this fall

05/31/2022    

Why the Still Life Still Matters

Exploring the lush world of American still life painting

05/24/2022    

What Is Illustration Art?

A look at the Golden Age of Illustration—and how it captivated audiences

05/13/2022    

The Most Significant Canvas from Childe Hassam's Parisian Period

The enticing, serene canvas leading Freeman's June 5 sale

11/22/2021    

William Zorach: Spirit of the Sculptor

The Art Deco sculpture that launched the artist's career

11/19/2021    

The Enduring Legacy of the Wyeth Family

N.C., Andrew, and Jamie: A tradition of excellence

11/15/2021    

Scenes from an American Life

Grandma Moses, Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, and more

07/16/2021    

Freeman’s Spring/Summer 2021 Season Builds on its Successes to Shatter Auction Records

A look back on this season's auction highlights

06/09/2021    

Freeman’s American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists Auction Sets Multiple Auction Records

The best year to date for American Art