Clockwise from top left: Filoli dining room, Palo Alto; Painted Ladies; Fairmont Hotel; Filoli gardens; City Hall; Sonoma vineyard.
Presented by
November 7–9, 2025 | Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, Delaware
One of the most acclaimed antiques shows highlighting the best of Americana! Don’t miss the finest offerings from more than 60 distinguished dealers at this spectacular showcase of art, antiques, and design.
Supported by Chubb and Freeman’s | Hindman
Show Hours
Friday, November 7 | 11:00 am–6:00 pm
Saturday, November 8 | 11:00 am–6:00 pm
Sunday, November 9 | 11:00 am–5:00 pm
Opening Night Party!
Thursday, November 6 | 6:00–9:00 pm
Celebrate the opening of the show with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and exclusive early shopping. Reserve your ticket!
General Admission and Opening Night Party tickets include entry to all three days of the show and to Winterthur during the show dates.
For more information and to view the Exhibitors list, please visit winterthur.org/DAS.
MAGAZINE
WORDS
Pauline Archambault, Tanner Branson, Leslie C. Calero, Courtney Chapel, Raphaël Chatroux, Julia Comacchio, Nick Coombs, Sarah Duncan, Alexandria Dreas, Ben Farina, Kaylan Gunn, Corbin Horn, Katie Horstman, Christina Kiriakos, Madalina Lazen, Xuanyu Li, Tim Luke, April Matteini, Marisa Palmer, Tim Prince, Dominic Somerville-Brown, Alice Strang, Roger Ward
EDITOR
Courtney Chapel
SUPPORTING EDITOR
Michelle Ruiz
DESIGN
Jennifer Castle
PHOTOGRAPHY
Zoë Bare, Violet Christian, Carmen Colome, Manny DaCunha, Adam Donnelly, Jared Hefel, Richard Hogan, Kristen Hudson, David Jackson, Deo Lerma, Roberto Martinez, Libby Moore, Ola Piatkowska, Aleksandra Piatkowska, Mike Reinders, Rachel Smith
COVER, TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 14, NEW YORK
DETAIL
Mark Bradford (American, b. 1961)
Untitled, a set of 3 works, 2007
$300,000 - 400,000 THE FALL 2025 EDITION
THIS PAGE, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 25, CHICAGO
Barry Flanagan (Welsh, 1941–2009)
Hare on Curly Bell, 1980
$150,000 - 250,000
SNAPSHOTS FROM THE PAST SEASON
18 25 26 56 60
COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
AUCTION CALENDAR
UPCOMING AUCTIONS
LOOKING FORWARD
A FOCUS ON THE SIGNIFICANT AND NOTEWORTHY PROPERTY COMING UP FOR AUCTION THIS SEASON
APPRAISALS CORNER
UPDATES, HAPPENINGS, AND ADVICE FROM THE FREEMAN’S | HINDMAN APPRAISALS TEAM
A TRANSATLANTIC VIEW
A VIEW EXTENDING BEYOND THE SHORES OF THE UNITED STATES TO INCLUDE OUR SISTER AUCTION HOUSE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, LYON & TURNBULL
TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 14, NEW YORK DETAIL
Thomas (American, b. 1971)
Atelier & Showroom 2410 Florida Ave West Palm Beach
Boutique 344 Worth AveNUE Palm Beach
SERIES OCT 23 - 26
Fall Series
BENNETT GORDON HALL | OCT 23
ROSAMUNDE
STRING QUARTET
CSO + Berlin/NY Phil All-Stars
MARTIN THEATRE | OCT 25 MATINÉE
JUSTIN ROBERTS & THE NOT READY FOR NAPTIME PLAYERS “TRICK OR TREAT”
MARTIN THEATRE | OCT 24 TAKE 6
Fall Series
Gospel Music Hall of Famers and most-awarded a cappella group ever!
MARTIN THEATRE | OCT 25
SAM BUSH
New Grass Revival and Béla Fleck veteran mandolinist and fiddler
Fall Series
SKC THEATER | OCT 25 + 26
BEN JONES & LAURENCE HOBGOOD
Cabaret-classic traditional pop, jazz, and theater tunes fizz in chemistry with contemporary soul, folk, and rock from critically acclaimed vocalist and Grammy-winning pianist/arranger
TICKETS ON SALE NOW ONLY AT
SPRING // SUMMER 2025 IN REVIEW
A Rare And Large David Drake
Alkaline Glazed Two-Handled
Stoneware Storage Jar
A Legendary Signed Autographed Baseball Featuring Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, Connie Mack, Lefty Grove and George Earnshaw (Beckett Authentication Services) ONLINE
Emerald Cut Diamond Pendant From The Collection of Frances Newman
CHICAGO SOLD FOR $838,700
Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987)
Cowboys and Indians (the complete portfolio of ten), 1986 Property from the David R. Smith Revocable Trust
An Italian Micromosaic and Parcel Gilt Oak Center Table Micromosaic possibly by Cesare Roccheggiani, Second Half 19th Century CHICAGO SOLD FOR $38,400
Hermès, Kelly 32
CHICAGO SOLD FOR $15,360 A Continental Gold, Jeweled and Enamel Decorated “Surprise” Compass-Ring Likely Augsburg, 17th/18th Century CHICAGO SOLD FOR $60,800
PHILADELPHIA SOLD FOR $406,900
Executed 1791-1793
Charles Peale Polk (1767-1822)
Portrait Of General George Washington At Princeton
Gertrude Abercrombie (American, 1909-1977) Set for the Night, 1950 NEW YORK SOLD FOR $267,200
Property from the Metcalf Family Collection, Virginia NEW YORK SOLD FOR $476,750
Fritz Scholder (Luiseño, 1937-2005) Four Indian Riders, 1967
CINCINNATI SOLD FOR $16,640
Perry Shorty (Diné, b. 1964)
18K Gold and 22.7ct Lander Blue Turquoise Ring
CHICAGO SOLD FOR $89,400
George Nakashima (American, 1905–1990)
Exceptional Minguren I coffee table, 1982
CINCINNATI SOLD FOR $24,320
Apsáalooke (Crow) Child’s Beaded Wool Shirt From the Collection of Peter Schramm, Illinois
CHICAGO SOLD FOR $35,200
A Chinese White and Russet ‘Landscape’ Jade Boulder Property from the Collection of M.E.
Hurley, Palo Alto, California
A Roman Marble Torso of a Youthful God Circa 1st Century B.C.-1st Century A.D. CHICAGO SOLD FOR $127,500
Clarence Alphonse Gagnon (Canadian, 1881-1942) Sunday Morning, Québec, c. 1921
Property from the Family Collection of Dr. Percival Eaton, Jr., Provincetown, Massachusetts
PHILADELPHIA SOLD FOR $457,700
Van Cleef & Arpels, Coral, Diamond, and Emerald Jewelry Suite Property from the Estate of a Palm Beach Socialite
In one of the most anticipated sales of the year, Freeman’s | Hindman presented Lincoln’s Legacy: Historic Americana from the Life of Abraham Lincoln, achieving nearly $7.9 million and a 94% sell-through rate. The auction, conducted on behalf of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, more than doubled its $4 million pre-sale estimate, confirming the enduring resonance of Lincoln’s story and the high demand for historical material tied to his life and presidency.
The 144-lot auction offered a deeply personal portrait of Lincoln’s life, spanning from his formative years in Indiana
to the aftermath of the tragedy at Ford’s Theatre. Objects that had once belonged to the 16th President—many of them never before offered publicly—drew fervent bidding from private collectors and institutions across the country and abroad. Notably, 25% of bidders were new to Freeman’s | Hindman, underscoring the broad appeal of the collection.
The top lot, a pair of bloodstained leather gloves carried by Lincoln the night of his assassination, sold for $1.5 million, setting a new auction record for an assassinationrelated relic. A white linen handkerchief from the same
evening sparked a nearly 10-minute bidding battle, ultimately selling for $826,000—more than eight times its estimate. Other emotionally resonant items included a gold and enamel cuff button removed by a physician at Lincoln’s deathbed, which achieved $445,000, and an orchestra ticket to Our American Cousin, which brought in $381,500.
The auction also featured significant material from earlier chapters of Lincoln’s life. A rare manuscript page from his childhood sum book sold for $521,200, setting a record for the earliest known example of his handwriting. In a lighthearted corner of the page, the young Lincoln scrawled: “I wrote in both haste and speed, and left it here for fools to read.”
The auction marked a major step forward for the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, enabling both the retirement of longstanding financial obligations and the continued stewardship of the 1,400 items retained in its care—roughly 90% of the original collection.
ABOVE, CHICAGO
Sold for $381,500
An orchestra seat ticket stub for the 14 April 1865 performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre.
With high engagement from bidders in the U.S. and Europe and records broken across multiple categories, Lincoln’s Legacy reaffirmed Freeman’s | Hindman’s leadership in the field of historic Americana—and highlighted the power of objects to bring the past vividly to life.
OPPOSITE, CHICAGO
Sold for $1,512,500
A pair of stained leather gloves carried by President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre on the night of his assassination, 14 April 1865.
Molly Morse Limmer sells lot 2 of Lincoln’s Legacy: Historic Americana from the Life of Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln’s Autographed Sum Book Leaf, signed twice, Pigeon Creek, Spencer County, Indiana, ca. 1924 for $521,200
FRESH FACES AT FREEMAN’S | HINDMAN
The firm is pleased to welcome Jarrett Anistranski, who has been appointed Chief Operating Officer. With over a decade of experience in the auction industry, he joins from Phillips, where he was Strategic Projects Director. Jarrett previously held senior roles at Sotheby’s, contributing to major projects and sales. In his new role, he will partner with the leadership team to drive the firm’s strategic vision and oversee Auction Operations, Property Management, Technology, Bids, and Client Services across all regions.
Gus Dangremond joins our New York office as Director of Trusts, Estates & Private Clients, bringing over a decade of experience from Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and 1stDibs. He has led client strategy and business development for major auctions, including the David Gilmour Guitar Collection and the Richard Feigen Collection. At Freeman’s | Hindman, he will focus on building relationships and serving clients across New York, New Jersey, and southwestern Connecticut.
Cori Pickett has been appointed as Director of Trusts, Estates & Private Clients in Scottsdale, offering a unique blend of academic, institutional, and design expertise. Cori spent 14 years working with the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian. After transitioning to interior design and teaching design history, she pursued an MA in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and looks forward to offering personalized auction services in the Southwest.
SAN FRANCISCO: ART & INNOVATION
The Decorative Arts Trust’s Fall Symposium, October 23–26, 2025, invites participants to explore the intersections of art, architecture, and innovation that define San Francisco and the Bay Area.
With exclusive access to historic homes, world-class collections, and cultural institutions, guests will experience the city’s rich heritage firsthand—from Victorian row houses to the Golden Gate Bridge.
As a sponsor, Freeman’s | Hindman is pleased to support this special event, which celebrates San Francisco’s enduring spirit of creativity and cultural exchange.
MOUNTAIN MEADOW: A CELEBRATION
This September, Freeman’s | Hindman is proud to present Mountain Meadow: The Collection, The Legacy, A Celebration—an evening of reflection, artistry, and celebration in partnership with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Festival Napa Valley, and Filoli Gardens.
Hosted at the storied Filoli Gardens in Woodside, California, this exclusive event will pay tribute to the remarkable lives and enduring legacy of Gordon and Betty Moore, visionaries whose contributions to science, conservation, and philanthropy have shaped generations. The evening will feature a compelling panel discussion with celebrated antiques expert Tim Corfield and Aileen Lee, Chief of Programs at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, offering insights into the Moores’ personal collection and the values that inspired it.
Following the discussion, guests will be treated to a live performance by internationally acclaimed pianist Steven Lin, paired with wines from Rancho Coyote Vineyards, graciously provided by Festival Napa Valley.
Proceeds from the upcoming auction of the Mountain Meadow collection will directly support the ongoing work of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation—continuing a legacy of impact for years to come.
San Francisco City Hall
AUCTION LIKE A PRO
Part II: What Happens Once Your Item Sells
BY LESLIE CALERO, DIRECTOR, TRUSTS, ESTATES & PRIVATE CLIENTS, NAPLES
I’ve heard it countless times, but the excitement never fades—“Going once… going twice… sold!” The gavel falls, sharp and final, and the room exhales. Then comes one of my favorite moments: turning to the seller and saying, “Congratulations—your item is sold.”
At Freeman’s | Hindman, that’s the part everyone sees— the rush, the applause. But for us, it’s just one chapter in a much longer story. Long before bidding begins, we’ve already signed the consignment agreement, collected your items, and given them the full treatment—research, photography, cataloguing, and marketing—all to give them their best chance under the hammer.
One of my most memorable experiences came in 2024, when I received a call about a painting tucked away in a private collection—a study for Happy Birthday Miss Jones by Norman Rockwell. The moment I saw it, I knew we had something special. I worked with the owner to have it authenticated, and after careful review, it was accepted into the official Norman Rockwell catalogue raisonné—a milestone in any art sale.
From there, the preparation began in earnest. Our photography team captured its warmth and detail, our specialists crafted a catalogue entry that told its story, and our marketing team ensured collectors around the world knew it was coming to auction. By sale day, anticipation was high.
The bidding started briskly, quickly surpassing its $60,000–80,000 estimate. Each new bid heightened the energy in the room until the gavel finally fell at
CHICAGO
Rockwell (American, 1894-1978)
$230,000—nearly four times the low estimate. I turned to the seller to share the news and saw a mix of joy, disbelief, and pride in their eyes.
But our work didn’t end there. Payment was collected securely—a wire transfer from the winning bidder. After the funds cleared, our shipping team stepped in, packing the piece with museum-level care and insuring it for every mile of its journey to its new home.
A few weeks later, the seller received their settlement statement—a clear breakdown of hammer price, commission, and final payout. They were thrilled not just with the result, but with the experience. Today, they remain a valued client—a reminder that for us, auctions aren’t just transactions. They’re the beginning of lasting relationships.
Because in the auction world, “sold” isn’t the end. It’s the result of trust, expertise, and preparation—and the first line of the next story.
In Part III of Auction Like a Pro, we’ll explore why timing can make all the difference between a good sale and a great one.
Norman
Study for Happy Birthday Miss Jones Price Realized $292,100 (with premium)
A Celebration of Our Most Remarkable and Unexpected Sales
BY COURTNEY CHAPEL, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS
On November 12, 1805 the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania appointed Tristram B. Freeman to the office of auctioneer in Philadelphia. Over two decades later, the firm that still bears his name is poised to celebrate a milestone anniversary this fall. In honor of this 220th anniversary, we’ve compiled some of the most interesting and unexpected items that Freeman’s | Hindman has sold—from dolls to warships to masterpiece paintings.
How to Auction an Entire Town in Three Days
In 1920, Freeman’s orchestrated the sale of an entire company town in South Manchester, Connecticut, home to workers of the Cheney Brothers mill, then the nation’s largest silk manufacturer. Over three days, the firm auctioned 245 residential parcels—747 homes in total—selling each property on site. The sale brought in over $831,000, added more than 200 new property owners to the town, and cleared nearly 80% of the company’s debt.
The Tree Craze That Swept the East Coast
In the 1830s, a mulberry tree craze swept the East Coast, driven by demand for silk and the fact that mulberry leaves are the preferred food of silkworms. Freeman’s, already a well-known commodities auction house, became a central player in the boom, conducting countless on-site tree sales—sometimes several in a single day. On September 18, 1839, for example, the firm auctioned 20,000 thriving Chinese morus multicaulis trees in Philadelphia’s Hamilton Village, when prices for prime specimens were reported to reach as high as $100 each.
Tristram B. Freeman
made headlines with the auction of the grand but outdated United States Post Office and Courthouse at 426–428 Chestnut. The building sold at public auction for a recordbreaking $425,000, the highest price ever paid for a single property at auction at the time. It was later demolished to make way for the Drexel Building, which served as the city’s stock exchange before its own demolition in 1955.
Sesquicentennial Exhibition: The Giant Liberty Bell That Rang Up Just $60
The Sesquicentennial International Exhibition of 1926 in Philadelphia—planned to celebrate 150 years since the Declaration of Independence—ended in financial collapse after poor attendance and relentless rain. When the event went into receivership, Freeman’s industrial clearance division was brought in to sell off its remains in a series of on-site auctions. Everything from exhibition halls to restaurant equipment went under the hammer, including the exposition’s grand 80-foot steel replica of the Liberty Bell—once lit by 26,000 bulbs— which sold for just $60. This moment in history is especially intriguing as we look ahead to celebrating the nation’s Semiquincentennial next year.
The Van Gogh Hiding in a Wisconsin Living Room
An elderly Wisconsin couple unknowingly lived with a long-lost Vincent van Gogh on their wall for more than 30 years. The 16¼-by-13-inch still life, dubbed Still Life With Flowers by experts, was discovered by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, authenticated by the Rijksmuseum, and later sold for $1.4 million. Inherited from a relative who fled Switzerland during World War II, the masterpiece had quietly hung in their home until the auction house uncovered its extraordinary origin.
Really
In 1954, Freeman’s oversaw the auction of 239 works from Philadelphia’s William P. Wilstach Collection, including paintings, silver, and decorative arts, after the city chose to repurpose Memorial Hall, where the collection was previously held. Among the lots was John Singer Sargent’s 1904 Portrait of a Lady Millicent Hawes, Duchess of Sutherland (now in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid), which sold for a mere $1,400—a striking contrast to the artist’s fame today and the blockbuster Sargent & Paris exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The Declaration of Independence Found in a Bookshop Attic
In 1969, as Philadelphia’s storied Leary’s Book Store prepared to close, its employees were given an extraordinary send-off: they could keep anything in the building as a retirement bonus. While sorting through forgotten crates on the sixth floor, one worker discovered a folded sheet tucked into an old family scrapbook— a rare first printing of the Declaration of Independence, one of only sixteen known copies at the time. Freeman’s brought it to auction, where it sold to Texas industrialist Ira G. Corn Jr. for $404,000, one of the landmark American auction prices of the
, and U.S.S. Michigan scuttling them or selling by sealed bid, Freeman’s auctioned the disarmed vessels as scrap iron at the naval yards—bringing in nearly triple the revenue of sealed-bid
Modern Barbie: Property from the Collection of Janice Pye
Barbie dolls had been among the world’s most popular collectibles for decades, with over a billion sold in more than 150 countries. Mattel estimated there were over 100,000 avid collectors worldwide, many of whom followed the online auction of more than 2,000 Modern Barbies from the collection of Janice Pye, a distinguished member of the International Barbie Community. Her collection ranged from Pink to Platinum Label dolls, with the rare Platinum editions attracting the most attention.
From Stanley Cup Banners to Stadium Garbage Cans
In 1994, more than a thousand sports fans packed into Chicago Stadium one final time—not for a game, but for a daylong auction of its contents run by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. From championship banners to battered turnstiles, every relic of the Bulls’ and Blackhawks’ former home found eager buyers, with the prized 1961 Stanley Cup banner fetching $15,500. Even restroom signs and garbage cans sparked competitive bidding, a testament to the nostalgia surrounding the soon-to-be-demolished landmark. The sale followed the firm’s equally memorable auction of Comiskey Park memorabilia the year before, proving that for fans, the chance to own a piece of sports history is as irresistible as the games themselves.
The Tomahawk that Traveled to the Pacific and Back with Meriwether Lewis
Cowan’s Auctions secured the private sale of the legendary pipe tomahawk once carried by Captain Meriwether Lewis of the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition. Believed to have traveled with him to the Pacific and back, this rare artifact—sold for an undisclosed sum—was one of the only surviving weapons from the Corps of Discovery. Treasured by Lewis’s family for over two centuries, it was destined for an institution where it would be preserved as a true icon of American history.
Famous Names Take Center Stage at Auction
Celebrity auctions have a way of turning the ordinary into the unforgettable. When Oprah Winfrey’s Chicago apartment went to auction, nearly 800 bidders joined in for the rare chance to step inside the world of a media icon. In Palm Beach, the Lilly Pulitzer sale became a celebration in itself, the saleroom awash in pink and green as devoted fans, many dressed head-to-toe in the designer’s signature style, arrived from across the country. And in Denver, the Caribou Ranch auction offered a glimpse into music history, with more than 1,500 bidders competing for pieces from the legendary recording studio that welcomed artists from Elton John to U2. Each sale proved that when a famous name is attached, an auction becomes more than a transaction—it becomes an event.
UPCOMING AUCTIONS
OCTOBER
8 CHICAGO
Mountain Meadow: Property from the Collection of
The Estate of Posy Krehbiel, Part I 12 TIMED ONLINE
TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 16, CHICAGO
Bulgari, Yellow Gold and Diamond Bracelet
Property from the Collection of Phyllis and Fred Pressman
$12,000 - 18,000
Bulgari, Yellow Gold and Diamond Necklace
Property from the Collection of Phyllis and Fred Pressman
$30,000 - 50,000
LOOKING FORWARD
CAMP ROSEMARY: THE ESTATE OF POSY KREHBIEL
ECHOES OF THE PAST: PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE COLLECTION
LAND OF SAGE AND CEDAR : ERNEST MARTIN HENNINGS AND THE SPIRIT OF THE SOUTHWEST
A HISTORY OF FRIENDSHIP: ALBERTO GIACOMETTI’S PORTRAIT OF PIERRE LOEB
KEITH HARING IN LINE AND COLOR: A PRINTMAKER’S LEGACY
POSTMODERNISM REVISITED: BOLD, BRASH, AND BACK AGAIN
GLISTENING LIKE THE MOON A GOLDEN GUARDIAN
A FOCUS ON THE SIGNIFICANT AND NOTEWORTHY PROPERTY COMING UP FOR AUCTION THIS SEASON
PANINI’S VISION OF ROME: A RARE CAPRICCIO MASTERPIECE A RARE OPPORTUNITY: BRING HOME SIGNED JEWELRY
HER STORY: THE COUTURE COLLECTION OF CHICAGO CIVIC LEADER MAUREEN DYWER SMITH
MOUNTAIN MEADOW: A LEGACY OF TASTE AND PHILANTHROPY
THE MOLLUSK TELLS ALL: THE STORY OF NATURAL VS CULTURED PEARLS
GARDEN PARTY: THE COLLECTION OF RENNY REYNOLDS
LARRY NESS’S LIFETIME COLLECTION OF NATIVE AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY COMING TO AUCTION
PRECISION AND RARITY: THE CONFEDERATE 2ND QUALITY WHITWORTH RIFLE
BY CORBIN HORN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, EUROPEAN FURNITURE & DECORATIVE ARTS AND ALISON LYNCH, ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST, EUROPEAN FURNITURE & DECORATIVE ARTS
Camp Rosemary, as it is affectionately known by the family who have been its stewards since 1988, comprises nearly nine acres of awe-inspiring gardens and a classically proportioned red brick Georgian house designed in 1904 by Benjamin Marshall for John Taylor Pirie (1871-1940) and his wife Sophie Skirving Hunter (1872-1966). At the time, Marshall engaged Bostonian landscape architect Rose Standish Nichols to design the estate’s formal gardens. Today, the house and gardens are a culmination of thirty years of collaboration between Posy Krehbiel, her family, a dedicated team of workers,
architects, designers, and distinguished gardeners. Towering mature trees punctuate expansive vistas across 21 “garden rooms.” Shocks of color from abundant beds add endless variety to the blooming splendor.
Posy Krehbiel, a renowned philanthropist, artist, athlete, world traveler, and avid gardener, cultivated an extraordinary life at Camp Rosemary. Beginning with renovations by Chicago architect Thomas Beeby, Kirsten Beeby, and later working with Imogen Taylor of Colefax and Fowler—the leading arbiters of English country house
“I remember my mother would stay out-of-doors all day long during the spring and summer to garden, observing—like the artist she is—Lake Forest’s combination of long summer days, the golden light enhanced by the humidity, and the reflection of Lake Michigan.”
- Meg Krehbiel -
taste—Posy and John Krehbiel preserved and enhanced their historic property, a treasured stalwart of Lake Forest heritage. This December 10 and 12, Freeman’s | Hindman will offer over 450 lots from Camp Rosemary in a twopart auction series in Chicago.
With a thoughtful eye for preservation and a keen sense of taste, Posy and John Krehbiel breathed new life into the home, expanding its footprint through the addition of features such as a delightfully ornamental swimming pool folly with a Dutch-inspired gable rising over an open terrace. The pool house’s interiors, on the other hand, are inspired by classical Swedish rooms, with trompe l’oeil painted murals. A destructive fire in 1995 ruined part of the garage wing and the apartment above it, providing an opportunity to build a conservatory and with it an adjoining guest house. Meadeside, the property adjoining Camp Rosemary to the North, was purchased so the gardens could be expanded to include a green house, a vegetable garden, and an apple orchard. And on and on, creating a stylish, comfortable, and unpretentious
residence, as well as perhaps the finest private garden in North America.
Throughout her home’s collection, the connection to the garden is profound. Botanical upholstery, framed specimens, and leaf-form ceramics are pervasive. Eighteenth century English and Continental furniture complete the country house idyll. Now, the thousands of enthusiasts who followed Posy Krehbiel through her garden gate can acquire one of many objects in which her vibrant, joyful essence is palpable.
INQUIRES: europeanfurniture@hindmanauctions.com
VIEWING: By Appointment 222 N Maplewood Ave, Chicago, IL
OPPOSITE: Photo by Tom Rossiter
BELOW, LEFT, TO BE OFFERED DECEMBER 10, CHICAGO
A Regency Black Painted, Parcel Gilt and Faux Book Front Cabinet
$1,500 – 2,500
BELOW, RIGHT, TO BE OFFERED DECEMBER 10, CHICAGO
A Pair of English Celestial and Terrestrial Table Globes, Circa 1813
$5,000 – 7,000
Echoes of the Past: Property from an Important Private Collection
BY MADALINA LAZEN, VICE PRESIDENT, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, OLD MASTERS & 19TH CENTURY EUROPEAN ART AND RAPHAËL CHATROUX, VICE PRESIDENT, IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART
Avisionary collection built on decades of passion and discernment takes center stage in Philadelphia on November 4 at Freeman’s | Hindman. Assembled by a distinguished European collector, it brings together Old Master drawings and paintings of exceptional quality, complemented by 19th- and early 20th-century works from artists whose reputations have stood the test of time—among them Giuseppe De Nittis, Giovanni Boldini, and Federico Zandomeneghi.
With a strong emphasis on Italian art, the collection also includes exceptional French works, such as a delicate pastel by François Le Moyne and a striking portrait of the actress and demimondaine Sarah Bernhardt by LouisAlbert Besnard. The collector’s unique sensibility is further revealed in the inclusion of two early cartoons: one for the tomb of the humanist Niccolò Perotti, and another for a magnificent 16th-century Florentine tapestry.
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 28, NEW YORK
Fernand Léger (French, 1881-1955)
Le Combattant (Design for the Cover of Fortune Magazine), 1942
$100,000 - 150,000
A standout of the Echoes of the Past sale is a diminutive, exquisitely rendered oil on copper Sacra Conversazione by Carlo Dolci, dating to around 1630, when the artist was still in his youth. Exceptionally rare, the painting has remained in private hands for the past twenty years. It is a significant early work that shows the influence of Dolci’s master, Jacopo Vignali. Its unusual composition presents the mature Christ between the Virgin and Saint Joseph, with the Holy Spirit and God the Father above—uniting the Terrestrial and Celestial Trinities. This theological interpretation reflects Dolci’s intellectual depth even at a young age.
Also featured is a newly discovered drawing by Parmigianino, depicting a group of women gathered near a column. Once known only through an etching by Francesco Rosaspina, the drawing is now identified as an original work from Parmigianino’s Roman period. It is closely related to his Marriage of the Virgin (École des Beaux-Arts), Christ Healing the Sick (Angers), and The Worship of Jupiter (British Museum), and is inspired by Raphael’s Vatican frescoes.
Among the 20th-century highlights to be offered in the October 28 auction of Impressionist and Modern Art are works on paper by Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin. Foremost among them is Fernand Léger’s original 1942 design for the cover of Fortune magazine, the influential American business magazine renowned for its innovative, boldly illustrated covers. Executed during Léger’s wartime exile in New York, this dynamic gouache captures the renewed creative vitality the artist found in America. Against sweeping rays of yellow, red, and blue—hallmarks of his distinctive palette—Léger arranges monumental oil derricks, industrial structures, and the colossal head of a man gazing directly at the viewer. His bold, unflinching stare serves as a silent witness to humanity’s grave reckoning with the escalating global tensions of the era.
INQUIRES: madalinalazen@hindmanauctions.com
VIEWING: October 25-November 1 32 East 67th St, New York, NY
THIS PAGE, TOP, TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 4, PHILADELPHIA
Carlo Dolci (Italian, 1616-1686)
The Holy Family with God the Father and the Holy Spirit above: a Sacra Conversazione
$80,000 - 120,000
NOVEMBER 4, PHILADELPHIA
A Group of Figures standing by a Column, Two Women, one with a Baby, the other with a Child, and a Man in the Background
$70,000 - 90,000
THIS PAGE, BOTTOM, TO BE OFFERED
Girolamo Mazzola, called Parmigianino (Italian, 1503-1540)
Land of Sage and Cedar : Ernest Martin Hennings and the Spirit of the Southwest
BY ALEXANDRIA DREAS
Ernest Martin Hennings (American, 1886–1956) holds a distinctive place in Western American art as one of the leading members of the Taos Society of Artists—a group instrumental in shaping the visual narrative of the American Southwest. Trained at the Chicago Art Institute and the Munich Academy, Hennings combined academic precision with a deep sensitivity to light, atmosphere, and cultural authenticity.
In Land of Sage and Cedar, he captures the vast, highdesert landscape of northern New Mexico, where three riders move quietly through sagebrush and sunlight. The figures are not posed as central heroes but instead blend seamlessly into the environment—reflecting Hennings’ belief in the profound connection between people and land.
After first visiting Taos in 1917, Hennings was deeply moved by the region’s luminous light, dramatic scenery, and Native cultures. Unlike others who romanticized or exoticized the Southwest, he portrayed its people with empathy and realism, integrating them into harmonious, balanced compositions.
Collectors of both fine American and Western art will be eager to see Land of Sage and Cedar, a spectacular painting by Ernest Martin Hennings, cross the auction block on Thursday, November 6th, in our Western and Contemporary Native American Art sale. This work is a quintessential example of Hennings’ mastery of composition, color, and technique, appealing equally to fine art connoisseurs and Western art enthusiasts seeking both beauty and legacy.
TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 6, DENVER
Ernest Martin Hennings (American, 1886-1956)
Land of Sage and Cedar
$120,000 – 180,000
Color is central to the painting’s effect. Hennings uses soft greens, dusty blues, and golden hues to evoke the dry air and clarity of the Southwestern light. His use of aerial perspective—softening tones toward the horizon—adds depth and grandeur.
Land of Sage and Cedar is more than a landscape; it is a meditation on place, identity, and stillness. It exemplifies Hennings’ unique ability to merge technical mastery with lyrical expression, securing his legacy as one of the Southwest’s most eloquent visual storytellers.
INQUIRIES: fineart@hindmanauctions.com
A History of Friendship: Alberto Giacometti’s Portrait of Pierre Loeb
BY RAPHAËL CHATROUX, VICE PRESIDENT, IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 28, NEW YORK
Alberto Giacometti (Swiss, 1901-1966)
Pierre Loeb Seated in the Office of the Galerie Pierre / Pierre Loeb Seated (verso), 1946
$40,000 - 60,000
This fall, Freeman’s | Hindman will offer a rare double-sided drawing by Alberto Giacometti from the estate of Helen Elliot Scott of Philadelphia. Executed in 1946, it depicts—through the artist’s characteristic swift, searching pencil lines—the legendary Paris dealer Pierre Loeb in the intimate setting of his renowned Galerie Pierre.
A pivotal figure in the 20th-century art world, Loeb championed Surrealism in the 1920s and introduced French audiences to Miró, Picasso, and Dubuffet. He was also the first gallerist to sign Giacometti, exhibiting him alongside Arp and Miró in 1930. Reconnecting after Giacometti’s wartime exile in Switzerland, the two were planning a sculpture exhibition when this portrait—one of several—was executed.
Here, Loeb’s familiar crossed legs, tilted head, and the canvases surrounding him evoke both his characteristic demeanor and his distinguished career. More than a likeness however, this intimate, previously unrecorded work captures the enduring friendship and shared vision of two figures who shaped the course of postwar modernism.
INQUIRES: rchatroux@freemansauction.com
VIEWING: October 21-28
32 East 67th St, New York, NY
Pierre Loeb and Alberto Giacometti, 1954 Archives Denise Colomb
Keith Haring in Line and Color: A Printmaker’s Legacy
BY CHRISTINA KIRIAKOS, ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST, FINE ART
Freeman’s | Hindman is pleased to present a session of screenprints and lithographs by Keith Haring (American, 1958–1990), created between 1985 and the artist’s untimely death in 1990. Printmaking allowed Haring to experiment with form while expanding the reach of his public-centric practice.
After moving to New York in 1978, Haring became known for his subway drawings: rapid, expressive chalk drawings on unused advertising panels emphasizing line. Influenced by artists such as Jean Dubuffet, Pierre Alechinsky, and William Burroughs, as well as comic books, Pop Art, and popular culture, Haring noted in 1984 that he was “continually amazed at the number of artists who continue working as if the camera were never invented, as if Andy Warhol never existed, as if airplanes and computers and videotape were never heard of.”[i]
Interacting with the public daily, Haring emphasized a strong use of outline and recognizable iconographical language—angels, contoured people, scissors, flowers—to convey his thoughts and critiques of contemporary life to the widest possible audience, for which he became worldrenowned.
As a part of his goal of increasing engagement with his work, Haring opened the Pop Shop in SoHo in April 1986. He stated, “I wanted to attract the same wide range of people, and I wanted it to be a place where, yes, not only collectors could come, but also kids from the Bronx.” [ii] Alongside toys, ephemera, and T-shirts, he created six
sets of four screenprints (1987–1989) specifically for sale at the shop—five impressions of which are featured in our September 26th sale.
Also included are two impressions from Three Lithographs (1985), a striking series in black, white, and red that echoes the aesthetics of his subway drawings; two vibrant works from the Flowers series (1990), from the Collection of Alan Cooper; and International Volunteer Day (1988), a reminder of Haring’s lifelong commitment to social activism.
As art historian Werner Jehle described, these works are “phosphorescent and fluorescent manifestations of mass culture.”[iii] This collection offers an exciting opportunity for collectors to engage with Haring’s enduring legacy through color, line, and message.
INQUIRIES: christinakiriakos@hindmanauctions.com
VIEWING: By Appointment
1550 W Carroll Ave and 222 N Maplewood Ave, Chicago, IL
TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 26, CHICAGO
Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990)
Untitled (from Three Lithographs), 1985
$50,000 - 70,000
[i] Werner Jehle, “Keith Haring: His Choice of Media,” in Keith Haring: Editions on Paper, 1982-1990, ed. Klaus Littmann (Stuttgart: Edition Cantz, 1993), 8.
[ii] “The Pop Shop,” The Keith Haring Foundation, accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.haring.com/!/pop-shop
[iii] Jehle, 8.
TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 20, CHICAGO
Martine Bedin (French, b. 1957)
Super Table Lamp
Memphis
$800 - 1,200
Postmodernism is the cilantro of design—either you love it, or you’d rather deal with bedbugs than bring a piece into your home. As the design world reexamines the late 20th century, postmodernism is having a resurgence, led by a new generation of collectors.
Postmodernism is in essence a colorful and spirited rejection of modernism and Mies van der Rohe’s edict “less is more.” While classic modern design distilled form to function, postmodernism flips that approach, celebrating ornament for ornament’s sake—especially when it references or reimagines historical styles. Despite its deep roots in art, architecture, and literature, postmodern design feels playful, ironic, and at times absurd. It doesn’t follow rules—it breaks them, gleefully.
The movement was global but found its highest expression in Italy, the crucible of so many design movements, and was elevated in the noted design collective Memphis Milano, founded by Ettore Sottsass.
Two standout pieces from our upcoming Modern Design auction on November 20 perfectly capture the spirit of the movement. Gaetano Pesce’s Amazonia vase (estimate: $600–900) playfully subverts Murano glass tradition, resembling a melting blob of plastic with platypus-like feet—early versions were hand-built to embrace imperfection and irregularity. And when one critic famously described postmodernism as a “shotgun wedding between Bauhaus and Fisher-Price,” they could have easily been referring to Martine Bedin’s Super table lamp (estimate: $800–1,200), shaped like a toy car— complete with functional wheels. Playful and whimsical, who could resist a traveling lamp?
Postmodernism Revisited: Bold, Brash, and Back Again
BY ROGER WARD, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, DESIGN
TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 20, CHICAGO
Gaetano Pesce (Italian, 1939–2014)
Amazonia Vase
$600 - 900
Other postmodern designers whose work will be featured in the auction include Nathalie du Pasquier, Matteo Thun, Alessandro Mendini, Hans Hollein, Pierre Sala, and Richard Meier, among others.
Love it or hate it, postmodernism is back—bold, brash, and impossible to ignore.
INQUIRIES: rogerward@hindmanauctions.com
“Praising Crystal”
By Wei Yingwu
(Tang Dynasty 618-907 CE)
"Reflecting objects, it takes their hues; Embracing emptiness, no form shows through. Held up to the bright moon, Its glitter fears to melt to dew."
BY XUANYU LI, ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST, ASIAN ART
(映物隨顔色，含空無表裏。持來向明月， 的爍愁成水。唐.韋應物〈詠水精〉卷 193
I
n ancient China, rock crystal was imbued with poetic reverence. The Tang poet Wei Yingwu (韋應物) offers a meditation on the metaphysical nature of rock crystal, blending sensory observation with philosophical depth.
Mythological texts from the Jin dynasty (266–420 AD) further elevated the status of rock crystal. According to the Records of the Supernatural (Soushenji搜神記), the immortal Chisongzi (赤松子) consumed crystal referred
to as “water jade” (服水玉，能入火自燒), so “the Legend gained extraordinary abilities: immunity to fire and the power to travel freely between heaven and earth.”
Archaeological evidence reveals the early use of rock crystal in China. A Neolithic-era crystal earring, exquisitely polished and unearthed from a Lingjiatan culture site (3800–3300 BCE) in Anhui, attests to ancient artistry. By the Warring States period (476–221 BCE), advancements
in sourcing larger materials led to creations like the 2,500-year-old rock crystal cup collected in Hangzhou Museum—a national treasure whose sleek, almost modern design continues to astonish. Yet it was not until the Qing Dynasty, particularly during the Qianlong period (1736-1796 AD) that scholarly artworks in crystal flourished, reaching their zenith of refinement.
During Asia Week in September, Freeman’s | Hindman will present an exceptional single-owner collection of Chinese rock crystal vessels and scholarly items, acquired between 1986 and 1996. Highlights include an 18th/19th century ruyi scepter adorned with lingzhi motifs, comparable to an 18th-century example in the Heber R. Bishop collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; a rare Qing dynasty censer featuring an unusual openwork domed cover, evolved from earlier jade prototypes such as one housed in the Palace Museum, Taipei (故玉000882N000000000); an elegant small Qing dynasty vase and cover flanked by lingzhi, similar to a coverless example in Taipei (故雜000133N000000000); and a floral vase whose composition references late Qing designs such as a Victoria and Albert Museum lidded vase (724 to B-1903), accessioned in 1903 from the W. H. Cope collection.
The legacy of Chinese rock crystal collecting owes much to visionary Western connoisseurs such as Heber R. Bishop, whose monumental 1902 bequest of Asian decorative arts—including jades and carved hardstones—formed the cornerstone of the Metropolitan Museum’s holdings; and Major General and Mrs. William Crozier, whose 1944 donation of exquisite Chinese art, including imperial crystal objects, enriched the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
These rock crystal vessels and scholarly items offer a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire works often overlooked by many connoisseurs—it is a privilege to see these precious gems shine again.
INQUIRES: xli@freemansauction.com
VIEWING: September 12-13, 15-18
32 East 67th St, New York, NY
ABOVE, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 19, NEW YORK
Three Chinese Rock Crystal Scholar’s Objects, 19th-20th Century
晚清民國 水晶文玩一組三件
$2,500 - 3,500
OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 19, NEW YORK
A Chinese Rock Crystal Vase Flanked by Flowers, early 20th Century
二十世紀初 水晶靈芝芙蓉花樽
$1,500 - 2,500
A Small Chinese Rock Crystal Vase and Cover with Wood Stand, Qing Dynasty
清 水晶靈芝如意小蓋壺
$1,000 - 2,000
A Chinese Rock Crystal Censer and Openwork Cover, early 20th Century 二十世紀初 水晶鏤空龍紋銜環香爐
$1,500 - 2,000
A Golden Guardian
BY BEN FARINA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, ASIAN ART
In Chinese religious settings—particularly in monasteries and prayer halls—the figure of Weituo, protector of the Dharma or Buddhist teachings, is often found. Frequently depicted in one of two poses: standing with hands held together in anjali mudra, with a sword laid horizontally behind the hands and resting on the forearms in a posture of devotion; or, as seen here, standing with a stylized vajra (thunderbolt weapon) held upright in the right hand, while the left hand is raised elegantly in front of his armored chest. Both versions are usually portrayed in the elaborate armor of a Chinese general, complete with flowing scarves and fluttering draperies.
Weituo is often regarded as a Sinicized version of Skanda, tasked by the Buddha with a protective role, or as a manifestation of Vajrapani—an early attendant and symbol of the Buddha’s power. This example, dating to the Ming dynasty, is notable for retaining its stylized vajra (often lost), the powerful quality of its casting and chasing, and the exceptional preservation of its gilding.
This gilded bronze is further distinguished by its provenance, having formerly been in the collection of noted fashion designer Mary McFadden. It once graced the gilt-stenciled living room of her extraordinary Manhattan apartment and was featured in an article published in the October 1, 2001, issue of Elle Décor Undoubtedly, the sculpture appealed to the designer not only for the golden glow of its surface—harmonizing with her gilded walls and ceilings—but also for the tactile patterning of the guardian’s armor: an exotic figure of strength and power.
INQUIRIES: bfarina@freemansauction.com
VIEWING: September 12-13, 15-18
32 East 67th St, New York, NY
TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 19, NEW YORK
$25,000 - 35,000
A Chinese Gilt Bronze Figure of Weituo Pusa, Ming Dynasty
A Connoisseur’s Delight
BY BEN FARINA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, ASIAN ART
Exquisitely potted and painted, “Dragon” bowls, such as the present example to be offered in our Asia Week auction in New York, September 19—are among the finest of the Kangxi Imperial wares. They were likely created late in the reign (1662–1722), as they display many characteristics that became more fully developed in the wares of the succeeding Yongzheng Emperor’s reign.
Decorated in rich sapphire blue against a snowy white ground, with a pair of sinuous five-clawed Imperial dragons pursuing a pair of standards bearing the auspicious characters Fu (Good Fortune) and Shou (Longevity). These bowls have long been sought after for their beauty and elegance.
This particular bowl descended through the family of American Ambassador Irwin Boyle Laughlin (1871–1941), a career diplomat who served as Minister to Greece (1924–1926) and Ambassador to Spain (1929–1933).
Laughlin was also a connoisseur, active in American and European artistic and cultural circles.
In collaboration with architect John Russell Pope—best known for designing the National Gallery of Art and the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.—Laughlin helped design Meridian House in Washington, D.C. Once hailed as one of the finest examples of French-influenced urban architecture in America, Meridian House housed Laughlin’s collection of Asian porcelains, as well as drawings by 18th-century French and Italian masters, many of which were later gifted to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
INQUIRIES: bfarina@freemansauction.com
VIEWING: September 12-13, 15-18
32 East 67th St, New York, NY
TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 19, NEW YORK
An Imperial Chinese Blue and White Porcelain ‘Dragon’ Bowl, Kangxi SixCharacter Mark and of the Period (1622-1722)
$5,000 - 7,000
Under the Spell of Françoise Gilot
BY RAPHAËL CHATROUX, VICE PRESIDENT, IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART
In keeping with the tradition that has made Françoise Gilot a regular presence in Freeman’s | Hindman’s Impressionist and Modern Art auctions, the forthcoming October 28 edition will feature four additional works by the artist—each offering fresh insight into her remarkable, 80-year-long career.
Varying in medium, size, and price point, the quartet underscores—if further proof were needed—that Gilot was far more than Picasso’s wife. She was an artist in her own right, one who not only forged her own style but continually reinvented it, decade after decade. Together, the works reveal her mastery of both draughtsmanship and color.
Leading the group is Flower Spell (estimate $25,000–40,000).
Dominated by shades of blue, the composition recalls a stained-glass window and reflects Gilot’s experiments with abstraction during the 1990s. Its three circular red blossoms and curling green vines nod to the moniker “La Femme Fleur” (the Flower Woman), bestowed upon her by Picasso in the 1950s—here reclaimed as a title of her own choosing.
Gilot’s resolute temperament also emerges in L’Artiste Peintre (estimate $20,000–30,000), an earlier colored-crayon work on paper depicting the artist sketching her friend Geneviève— often described as her mirror image—thereby affirming her role as the architect of her own artistic destiny.
INQUIRES: rchatroux@freemansauction.com
PREVIEW: October 21-28
32 East 67th St, New York, NY
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 28, NEW YORK
Françoise Gilot (French, 1921–2023)
L’Artiste Peintre (Novembre 53), 1953
$20,000 - 30,000
Françoise Gilot (French, 1921–2023)
Flower Spell
$25,000 - 40,000
Panini’s Vision of Rome: A Rare Capriccio Masterpiece
BY MADALINA LAZEN, VICE PRESIDENT, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, OLD MASTERS & 19TH CENTURY EUROPEAN ART
TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 4, PHILADELPHIA
Giovanni Paolo Panini and Studio (Italian, 1691-1765)
Rome’s ancient architectural treasures have captivated artists and travelers for centuries. Chief among them is the Pantheon, built in the 2nd century AD. One of the most frequently depicted landmarks of the Eternal City, it boasts the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. Consecrated as the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs in 609 AD, the Pantheon has miraculously withstood the passage of time and remains one of the best-preserved monuments of antiquity in Rome.
Giovanni Paolo Panini, the celebrated Baroque painter and architect, was among its most devoted admirers, depicting it in numerous works created for his elite clientele. He was a master of capricci—architectural fantasies that creatively combined ruins and landmarks in imaginative, fictional settings.
Renowned for his vedute of Rome and its surroundings, Panini documented the city’s most iconic monuments with remarkable accuracy. He elevated the capriccio genre by juxtaposing true-to-life renderings of famous structures. In the present painting, A Capriccio with Figures Gathered Around the Obelisk of Augustus, a View of the Pantheon, the Statue of Marcus Aurelius and the Temple of Sybil, Tivoli, Panini combines recognizable sites in a fantastical composition, animated by staffage—figures
A Capriccio With Figures Gathered Around the Obelisk of Augustus, a View of the Pantheon, the Statue of Marcus Aurelius and the Temple of Sybil, Tivoli
$100,000 - 150,000
added to provide scale and visual interest without serving as the painting’s primary focus.
This work is a variant of a painting in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (inv. 2857), while another version was sold at Christie’s in 1994. Two additional versions, differing in scale and composition, are noted by Professor Ferdinando Arisi.
Offered in the Old Masters & 19th Century European Art sale on November 4 in Philadelphia, this painting presents a rare opportunity to acquire an exquisite masterpiece that returns to the market after nearly two decades in a distinguished private collection.
INQUIRIES: madalinalazen@hindmanauctions.com
NEW YORK VIEWING: October 25-November 1 32 East 67th St, New York, NY
PHILADELPHIA VIEWING: November 1-3 2400 Market St, Philadelphia, PA
A Rare Opportunity: Bring Home Signed Jewelry
APRIL MATTEINI, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, JEWELRY
On September 16, Freeman’s | Hindman will have the distinct honor of presenting Important Jewelry, including property from the Collections of Phyllis Pressman and Carol Hardin Davis, together with the jewelry of other esteemed collections from across the country.
With the phrase ‘signed jewelry’ taking top billing, let’s clarify what it means. Signed jewelry usually refers to a piece that bears a maker’s mark or signature of the designer, manufacturer, or house behind the jewelry. This small mark on the back of a piece can increase its value. Some marks are more significant than others because their presence shows that the piece was created with the highest standards of design, craftsmanship, and stone selection. Therefore, purchasing signed jewelry at auction is a wonderful way to start building a jewelry collection or to confidently make the step toward a five- or six-figure purchase.
Panthère is synonymous with Cartier, one of the most highly collectible jewelry houses. Jeanne Toussant’s 1940s design is amongst the house’s most iconic, whether in the three-dimensional form of the powerful, graceful feline or simply the pattern of its coat executed in diamonds and gemstones or enamel. Panthère pieces have appeared in the collections of the Duchess of Windsor, Daisy Fellows, and Barbara Hutton. The earrings from the Collection of Phyllis Pressman—a member of the family behind Barneys New York—are hoop designs of pavé-set diamonds
THIS PAGE, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 16, CHICAGO
Cartier, diamond and sapphire ‘panthère’ hoop earrings
$25,000 – 50,000
Property from the Collection of Phyllis and Fred Pressman
OPPOSITE PAGE, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 16, CHICAGO
An Important Van Cleef & Arpels, Burmese Ruby and Diamond Brooch
$50,000 – 70,000
Jewelry from the Estate of Carol Hardin Davis
accented by calibre cut, buff top sapphire spots. These earrings are emblematic of Phyllis Pressman’s discerning and sophisticated eye.
An Important Burmese Ruby and Diamond Floral Spray Brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels, from the collection of Carol Hardin Davis, exemplifies a classic, glamorous, feminine design of the mid-20th century. With a clientele that included Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly, the house of Van Cleef & Arpels is renowned for its use of high-quality diamonds and gemstones—Burmese rubies, displaying no evidence of heat treatment, are among the rarest gemstones in the world. The term pigeon blood red historically refers to rubies from Burma, which display a particularly intense red color, which is actually due to the high levels of chromium in the gemstones. The original mines have been depleted. While Van Cleef & Arpels is known for florals and other natural motifs, a piece like this brooch would have been produced in very limited quantities.
This auction, scheduled for September 16 in Chicago, offers a rare opportunity to acquire signed pieces from renowned houses such as Buccellati, Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., and Harry Winston.
INQUIRES: aprilmatteini@hindmanauctions.com
VIEWING: September 11-15
1550 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL
The Couture Collection of Chicago Civic Leader
Maureen Dywer Smith
BY TANNER C. BRANSON, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, LUXURY HANDBAGS & COUTURE
Maureen Dywer Smith, a respected Chicago civic leader and philanthropist, cultivated a wardrobe that reflected both sophistication and an eye for exceptional design. Her couture collection brings together garments by Ralph Rucci, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, and Emilio Pucci, paired with handbags from Chanel, Judith Leiber, and Hermès—pieces that speak to timeless style and impeccable taste.
Select pieces from Mrs. Smith’s refined wardrobe—curated with both elegance and practicality in mind—will be featured across three luxury auctions at Freeman’s | Hindman: Fall Fashion, Holiday Lux, and The Holiday Edit. More than a style icon, Maureen Dywer Smith was a dedicated patron of the arts, founder of the Joffrey Ballet Women’s Board, and a beloved figure in Chicago’s cultural and philanthropic circles.
TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 12, CHICAGO
Hermès, Kelly 32 in Noir Box Leather
$4,000 - 6,000
Mrs. Smith was born in New York City on February 7, 1945, and grew up in New Rochelle, New York. She graduated from the Ursuline School before earning a B.A. in Painting and Studio Art from Newton College of the Sacred Heart in 1966. After college, she pursued graduate studies at The New School for Social Research in New York, focusing on the linguistic philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Mrs. Smith began her professional career in advertising at Benton & Bowles in New York. In 1968, she joined American Heritage Publishing Company, later Horizon Books as an associate editor. There, she researched and contributed to the writing and editing of seventeen art and history books, covering topics as diverse as Colonial America, Russia, and China.
In 1974, Maureen married Edward B. (“E.B.”) Smith, Jr., and moved to Chicago. While in Chicago, Mrs. Smith began a new career as a retail consultant, primarily with Marshall Field & Co., while dedicating herself to civic leadership. She served as Chair of the Board of the Joffrey Ballet, where she also founded its Women’s Board. Her leadership was widely credited with helping to establish a sound financial and managerial foundation for the Joffrey Ballet.
Mrs. Smith’s dedication to the arts and education extended to numerous other institutions. She was a Trustee of the Field Museum, the Chicago Public Library Foundation, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and After School Matters. She also co-authored 100 Masterpieces, the Art Institute of Chicago’s centennial publication. In addition, she served on the Women’s Boards of the Field Museum, the Art Institute, Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern University, the Alliance Française, the Goodman Theatre, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. Her commitment to civic engagement earned her shared awards from the Harvard Club of Chicago and DePaul University.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith built significant collections of contemporary glass paperweights and American paintings, as well as secular and religious stained-glass windows spanning eight centuries. Much of their collection is now housed in Chicago museums.
INQUIRIES: tannerbranson@hindmanauctions.com
VIEWING: September 9-11 1550 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL
TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 18, CHICAGO
Emilio Pucci, Orange Embellished Kaftan
$400 - 600
TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 12, CHICAGO
Emilio Pucci, Fuchsia Embellished Kaftan
$400 - 600
TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 18, CHICAGO
Emilio Pucci, Pink Heavily Beaded Kaftan
$400 - 600
BY NICK COOMBS, VICE PRESIDENT, SENIOR SPECIALIST, EUROPEAN FURNITURE & DECORATIVE ARTS
Positioned atop the verdant Santa Cruz foothills along the San Francisco Peninsula, a Tudor Revival structure by renowned turn-of-the-century architect Gardner Dailey rises amongst the towering redwood trees that surround the splendid property. For more than 30 years, this estate—christened Mountain Meadow—had been the home of Betty and Gordon Moore. Alongside art advisor Tim Corfield, the Moores assembled a collection of fine, rare, and unusual English and Irish Georgian furniture and decorative arts to suit their Tudor idyll. On October 8th, the interior contents of Mountain Meadow will be offered at Freeman’s | Hindman in a single-owner auction to benefit the charitable endeavors of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Assembled over several decades, the collection at Mountain Meadow became a reflection of the interests and personalities of Betty and Gordon as they scoured the world for superlative British furniture. As co-founder of Intel Corporation, Gordon’s spirit of scientific curiosity is perhaps best represented by several clocks in the collection—most notably, an unusual Scottish tall case clock from the mid-18th century, originally built for the aptly named Duke of Gordon (1743–1827). This extraordinary piece, likely created for the Duke’s hunting lodge beside a stream, lacks a traditional pendulum and weights and is instead powered by flowing water. Gordon Moore had the clock ingeniously plumbed at Mountain Meadow using the original 18th-century water-wheel propulsion system to drive the movement.
In addition to sitting on the Fine Art committee for neighboring Filoli Gardens, Betty Moore drove the acquisitions of Mountain Meadow with a discerning eye for quality design and emblematic examples English and Irish furniture. From pronounced hairy-paw feet on a pair of Irish George III side chairs to the deep-shell carvings on the back of hall chairs that could only come from the famous English firm of Gillows, Betty’s taste and understanding of furniture would continue to elevate the collection as their acquisitions grew in the latter part of the 20th century and beyond.
The sale of this collection will benefit the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s advancement of scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and stewardship of the special character of the San Francisco Bay area, core values of the philanthropic mission that Gordon and Betty continually championed in their lifetime.
INQUIRIES: nickcoombs@hindmanauctions.com
NEW YORK VIEWING: September 22-26
32 East 67th St, New York, NY
CHICAGO VIEWING: September 29-October 6
1550 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL
By Appointment
222 N Maplewood Ave, Chicago, IL
ABOVE
Exterior of Mountain Meadow
Betty and Gordon Moore, Woodside, California
OPPOSITE, TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 8, CHICAGO
A George III Mahogany Side Chair
Mid 18th Century
$600 - 800
The Mollusk Tells All: The Story of Natural vs Cultured Pearls
BY MARISA PALMER, SENIOR APPRAISER, JEWELRY AND WATCHES
The year is 1917, the setting, New York's 5th Avenue. Maisie and Morton Plant, Pierre Cartier, and a double strand of natural pearls are the key players. Maisie Plant fell in love with a strand of natural pearls from Cartier. Morton Plant and Pierre Cartier struck a legendary deal, the necklace in exchange for the Plant Mansion. More than a century later, this story still ignites romance and awe. A piece of jewelry for a mansion, you may wonder how that could be possible.
The magic that makes natural pearls special is in their formation. Natural pearls, unlike their cultured counterparts, form without human intervention. Microscopic irritants slip past the mollusk’s lips and embed in the tissue lining. In response, nacre is secreted to soothe the unwelcomed intruder. Over time, from this soothing, a pearl is formed. Rarity and allure made these natural gems a luxury only the wealthiest could afford yet coveted by all.
As with most innovative technologies, the cultured counterparts became popular. With this increase in popularity, prices dipped for natural pearls and led to misinformation and confusion on the terms natural vs cultured. This remains true today. While the advent of culturing pearls increased access, the demand for the rarer natural pearl is again on the rise.
Kokichi Mikimoto saw an opportunity with the pearl craze and set out to streamline the process. He discovered that inserting an irritant into a mollusk could replicate natural pearl formation. Further experimentation led to the development of maximum return, with several perfectly round pearls being cultured in one mollusk at a time. Mikimoto brought pearls, albeit cultured pearls, to the masses.
This exceptional Antique, Diamond and Natural Pearl Necklace may not be the same one from the famous trade but it’s sure to enchant and leave you feeling like royalty.
INQUIRIES: marisapalmer@hindmanappraisals.com
VIEWING: September 11-15
1550 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL
THIS PAGE, LEFT, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 16, CHICAGO
Cartier, natural pearl and diamond earrings with additional carved emerald drops
$60,000 - 80,000
THIS PAGE, ABOVE, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 16, CHICAGO
Antique, diamond and natural pearl necklace
$50,000 - 70,000
OPPOSITE, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 16, CHICAGO
Natural pearl and diamond necklace
$5,000 - 7,000
THE COLLECTION OF RENNY REYNOLDS
BY PAULINE ARCHAMBAULT, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, SENIOR SPECIALIST, FINE ART
OPPOSITE, TOP TO BOTTOM, TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 21, PHILADELPHIA
Edward Willis Redfield (American, 1869-1965)
Spring Meadow
$25,000 - 40,000
Robert Spencer (American, 1879-1931)
Waterloo Row, 1917
$60,000 - 100,000
Daniel Garber (American, 1880-1958)
Sycamore and Elm, 1932
$50,000 - 80,000
As a landscape architect, Renny Reynolds has long championed the beauty and joy of gardens, turning his career into a lifestyle. His journey began in the 1960s with the opening of his first shop in New York City, soon followed by a commission from fashion icon Bill Blass to design a penthouse terrace garden. Over time, Reynolds’s client list grew to include Giorgio Armani, Diana Ross, Andy Warhol, and others. He planned legendary events at Studio 54—including the launch of Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium—and orchestrated receptions at the White House for Presidents Ford, Nixon, Reagan, and Clinton following his tenure in Washington. In 1972, he founded Renny Design for Entertaining, later Renny & Reed, and in 1992, published The Art of the Party, often referred to as “the party planner’s bible.” His achievements were recognized in 2008 with the Great American Gardener Award, the American Horticultural Society’s highest honor.
At his core, Reynolds is a steward of gardens and architectural treasures. Both his “Dogs and Frogs” estate—a 1780 farmhouse in Bucks County—and Hortulus Farm, an 18th-century homestead he restored with partner Jack Staub (1951–2020), reflect that lifelong devotion. The latter was eventually turned into a foundation to publicly showcase its gardens and the couple’s private art collection.
It’s no surprise, then, that Reynolds developed a deep affinity for the Impressionist painters of Bucks County, whose works mirror his reverence for both natural and designed landscapes. The collection offered at Freeman’s | Hindman this fall speaks in a vibrant pictorial language that parallels his vision of landscape—both raw and refined.
Two artists in particular embody this duality: Daniel Garber and Edward Willis Redfield. Sycamore and Elm epitomize Garber’s soft lyricism and thoughtful assemblage of quaint details filling the landscape with soothing poetry, while Spring Meadow exemplifies Redfield’s muscly approach, wrestling beauty from the landscape, shown in its full vigor and seemingly untouched.
Yet the line between raw nature and designed landscape can be misleading. Thoughtful garden design often conceals its own construction—enhancing nature through subtle, deliberate arrangements.
Works by Fern Coppedge, Samuel George Phillips, and R.A.D. Miller further this idea, highlighting a harmonious interplay between built structures and the natural world. These scenes reflect the philosophy behind a well-designed garden: curated yet organic, framed yet free.
Through sensitive composition, light, and color, the paintings elicit varied moods. In winter nocturnes by Harry Leith-Ross and George Sotter, the mood is hushed and contemplative. In contrast, Robert Spencer’s Waterloo Row, the top lot, captures the calm before a day’s labor begins—still and full of quiet expectancy. A leading figure of the New Hope art colony, Spencer portrayed working-class life with empathy and honesty. In Waterloo Row, nature subtly disrupts the grid-like structure, just as a garden might soften architecture with the promise of renewal.
The theme of cultivation extends beyond paintings. Reynolds’s furnishings reflect a blend of formal 18th-century style and rustic charm, with painted surfaces, patinated finishes, and playful contrasts. Indoors and outdoors merge through majolica tableware, beaded floral arrangements, tinware lighting, and garden seating.
The sale is rounded out by over 150 volumes from Reynolds’s personal library on garden design and architecture, featuring works by Humphry Repton, Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West, William Robinson, and others—offering a window into the mind of a lifelong gardener, collector, and designer.
INQUIRES: aveil@freemansauction.com
VIEWING: September 15-20
2400 Market St, Philadelphia, PA
By Appointment: September 21
LARRY NESS’S LIFETIME COLLECTION OF NATIVE AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY COMING TO AUCTION
BY KATIE HORSTMAN, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, AMERICAN HISTORICAL EPHEMERA & EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY AND KAYLAN GUNN, SPECIALIST, AMERICAN HISTORICAL EPHEMERA & EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY
Most collectors can point to one object or experience that jumpstarted their collecting journey. For Larry Ness, the spark was an arrowhead he found at the age of seven. No one— including himself—could have predicted that, over the next several decades, he would amass a remarkable collection of photographs of Native American Plains peoples.
For Ness—a resident of Yankton, South Dakota, a town along the Missouri River—these photographs reflect his deep admiration for the Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains. His collection tells the story of the region and its people through images, beginning with photographs from the latter half of the 19th century by some of the era’s most skilled photographers, including A. Zeno Shindler, Alexander Gardner, Charles M. Bell, William Henry Jackson, and David F. Barry.
of photographs documenting the principal figures and events that shaped the Plains peoples’ interactions with White Americans as they moved West after the Civil War.
"As I began collecting and researching Plains Indian art and artifacts like beadwork, quillwork, tools, and weaponry, I came upon published images of Plains Indians and soon found myself compelled to seek original photographs to enhance my collection."
– Larry Ness –
On October 23, the first installment of Ness’s lifelong Native American photography collection will be offered in Freeman’s I Hindman’s Cincinnati saleroom. From studio portraits of Native subjects to intimate views of camp life, to dramatic scenes capturing the aftermath of conflict, the sale is comprised of a carefully curated assemblage
OPPOSITE, TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 23, CINCINNATI GARDNER, Alexander (1821-1882), photographer. Indians on Visit to their “Great Father.” Washington, DC, 23 February 1867. $20,000 - 30,000
Among the many highlights is an exceptional selection of portraits of Native American treaty delegations visiting Washington, D.C., including a mammoth plate photograph by Alexander Gardner entitled Indians on Visit to Their “Great Father.” Taken in February 1867, this image depicts a rare view of Sioux delegates standing below the balcony of the White House with President Andrew Johnson and his staff.
The interactions between Native American leaders and the U.S. government—such as the one shown in this photograph—were seldom without controversy. They reveal a deeper, enduring tension between the pursuit of peace and the realities of power. This dissonance lies at the heart of the Native American legacy in the United States and resonates through every image in this extraordinary collection. On October 23, that story will be made visible—one lot at a time.
INQUIRES: katiehorstman@hindmanauctions.com
VIEWING: October 21-23
5030 Oaklawn Dr, Cincinnati, OH
Precision and Rarity: The Confederate 2nd Quality Whitworth Rifle
BY TIM PRINCE, SENIOR CONSULTANT, ARMS, ARMOR & MILITARIA
One of the rarest, most expensive, and most desirable firearms from the American Civil War is the handful of Whitworth Rifles purchased by the Confederacy and put to devastating use by Southern sharpshooters against the Union Army. These guns were all 2nd Quality Military Match Rifles, and at least some of the later deliveries were equipped with 4-power Davidson telescopic sights. Earlier deliveries used Whitworth’s conventional long-range ladder rear sights and globe front sights.
Although it is unlikely that more than fifty or sixty of these mechanically rifled, hexagonal bore rifles were imported to the South during the war, their legendary long-range accuracy and battlefield effectiveness have made them iconic pieces in the history of American arms collecting.
During 1861 and 1862, while the Confederacy was actively attempting to acquire these extremely accurate and expensive rifles, Confederate Major Anderson noted that they cost as much as “about $1,000, in the equivalent of gold, for each rifle and one thousand rounds of ammunition.” That price in 1861 would be equivalent to roughly $37,000 today.
Surviving examples of these guns are exceedingly rare, with only about twenty legitimate specimens known. Authentic examples appear within a limited serial number range—typically from the mid-B prefix (around B-5XX) through to the mid-C prefix (around C6XX)—and all bear the “2nd Quality” mark engraved on the triggerguard tang.
Some of the best-known examples include:
#B509, donated by Confederate General A.P. Stewart to the Tennessee State Historical Society (now at the Tennessee State Museum)
#B547, formerly part of the George Wray Collection and now in the Atlanta History Center
#C321, in a private collection and pictured on page 183 of The English Connection: Arms, Material and Support Furnished to the Confederate States of America by Great Britain by Pritchard, Huey, Prince, Nichols & Thomas
#C619, formerly in the collection of Richard D. Steuart and now held by the Virginia Historical Society
This fall, Cowan’s Arms, Armor & Militaria department will offer Confederate 2nd Quality Whitworth Rifle #B922. In October 2022, Cowan’s sold Whitworth Rifle #B902 for $108,000, including the buyer’s premium.
The #B922 example has been known since the 1960s, when it was first discovered and brought to market by pioneering antique arms collector and dealer Turner Kirkland of Dixie Gun Works. At the time, the rifle had been smoothbored and half-stocked, but retained its original components from the rear barrel band to the butt, including the rear sight, lock, and triggerguard. The rifle was later returned to its original configuration by the legendary Ned Hipp, renowned for museum-quality restoration work for institutions such as the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA).
Now fully restored to its original appearance, this rifle represents a rare opportunity for advanced collectors to acquire one of the scarcest and most coveted firearms of the American Civil War—without necessarily having to spend the $100,000+ that these rifles typically command.
INQUIRES: timprince@hindmanauctions.com
VIEWING: October 20-21
5030 Oaklawn Dr, Cincinnati, OH By Appointment
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 22, CINCINNATI
From the Flem Rogers Collection
A 2nd Quality Marked Confederate Whitworth Rifle #B922
American Civil War, 19th Century
$50,000 – 80,000
AI AND THE FUTURE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY APPRAISALS:
OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
BY TIM LUKE, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR, HINDMAN APPRAISALS LLC
In recent years, the evolution of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way professionals across various industries conduct research, analyze data, and produce reports. For personal property appraisers, those entrusted with determining the value of tangible assets such as fine art, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, and more, the rise of generative AI introduces both promising capabilities and new ethical responsibilities.
THE ROLE OF GENERATIVE AI IN PERSONAL PROPERTY APPRAISALS
In simple terms, generative AI refers to algorithms, often based on large language models or image synthesis tools, that can produce content, such as text, images, audio, and more, in response to user prompts. These tools can help appraisers in several key areas:
1) Enhanced Research Capabilities
Appraisers often conduct deep research into the provenance, historical context, and market trends associated with a particular item. Generative AI tools can:
→ Summarize large volumes of market data.
→ Cross-reference auction results across various platforms.
→ Offer contextual historical insights about artists, periods, or manufacturing techniques.
RESULT: Significantly reduces the time spent on manual research while increasing the depth and breadth of information considered.
2) Streamlined Data Collection
Collecting relevant data about comparable sales or market data can be cumbersome. AI can aid in:
→ Automating the retrieval of public auction data.
→ Organizing and categorizing image archives for visual comparison.
→ Identifying gaps in data that require human followup.
RESULT: AI tools can even generate structured datasets from unstructured sources, allowing appraisers to base valuations on a broader and more nuanced dataset.
3) Report Writing and Presentation
Generative AI can assist with drafting sections of appraisal reports, including.
→ Descriptive summaries of items.
→ Market analysis narratives.
→ Glossaries and appendices.
RESULT: It can also help create visual presentations that accompany reports, such as annotated images or charts, improving client understanding and engagement.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR APPRAISERS
While the potential of generative AI is significant, its
integration into appraisal practice carries important responsibilities. Generative AI tools acknowledge the possibility of producing errors. Appraisers must exercise independent judgment and verify the accuracy of the tool’s output. The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) requires the appraiser to consider the Scope of Work Rule, the Competency Rule, and the conduct section of the Ethics Rule, which states in part, “An appraiser...must not communicate assignment results with the intent to mislead or to defraud; and must not perform an assignment in a grossly negligent manner.”
1) Verification of Information
AI-generated content can be impressively fluent, but not always accurate. Personal property appraisers must:
→ Independently verify all AI-generated facts.
→ Avoid relying solely on AI for provenance or valuation conclusions.
→ Maintain professional judgment as the final authority in all appraisal elements.
RESULT: AI should be treated as an assistant or a tool, not an expert.
2) Data Privacy and Confidentiality
AI tools, especially those operating in the cloud, may inadvertently expose sensitive client information. Appraisers must:
→ Avoid inputting confidential details into public AI tools.
→ Utilize secure, vetted AI systems that adhere to data protection standards.
→ Ensure that client data remains strictly confidential, as required by professional standards (USPAP).
3) Transparency in Methodology
Clients and users of appraisal services deserve clarity about how an appraisal conclusion was reached. If AI played a role in the process, appraisers should:
→ Disclose the nature and extent of AI use in their methodology.
→ Be prepared to explain how AI-assisted data contributed to the final valuation.
→ Document sources and reasoning just as they would with traditional research methods.
RESULT: Hindman Appraisals has developed a Generative AI Disclosure Statement to be included in all appraisal reports.
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSION
The adoption of generative AI in personal property appraisals is not just a technological evolution; it’s a critical pivot point for the profession. The Appraisal Foundation in Washington, D.C., and more specifically the Appraisal Standards Board, will likely issue guidance on the ethical use of AI. Appraisers who responsibly and ethically embrace AI can gain a competitive advantage while maintaining the trust and rigor that the appraisal profession demands.
CONCLUSION
At its best, generative AI will not replace the human appraiser but rather empower them, helping uncover hidden patterns in data, increase report quality, and provide richer context for valuation. Yet, its use demands a strong ethical foundation, careful oversight, and adherence to the core principles of the appraisal profession (USPAP). As technology advances, so too must the commitment of appraisers to accuracy, confidentiality, and transparency, ensuring that AI remains a tool in service of human expertise, not a substitute for it. With great power comes great responsibility. As with all powerful tools, success depends not just on how AI is used, but on the wisdom and integrity of those who wield it.
This article utilized Generative AI and was fact-checked and enhanced by the author.
SUPPORTING TOMORROW’S ICONS
The Luminarts Cultural Foundation identifies, amplifies and invests in exemplary emerging artists through financial awards, artistic opportunities, and mentoring to bridge the gap between education and career.
A TRANSATLANTIC VIEW
A VIEW EXTENDING BEYOND THE SHORES OF THE UNITED STATES TO INCLUDE OUR SISTER AUCTION HOUSE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, LYON & TURNBULL
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 22, LONDON, LYON & TURNBULL
The Airlie Tiara
A Late 19th Century Pearl and Diamond Tiara
£50,000 - 70,000
A NOBLE HERITAGE: THE AIRLIE TIARA
Lyon & Turnbull are delighted to be celebrating the apex of their “Autumn of Airlie” by bringing to the market for the first time ever, the historic Airlie Tiara.
The Airlie Tiara was first owned by Mabell Frances Elizabeth Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie (née Gore; March 10, 1866 – April 7, 1956). In 1901, Mabell was appointed Lady of the Bedchamber to the Princess of Wales—a role she continued to hold for Queen Mary following King George V’s accession to the throne in 1910.
Most recently the Airlie Tiara was frequently seen on Virginia Fortune Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, DCVO (née Ryan; February 9, 1933 – August 16, 2024) in her role as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II. Virginia Ogilvy was the first American ever to serve as a Lady-inWaiting to a British monarch, a position she held from 1973 until Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022.
The Ogilvy family, hereditary Earls of Airlie, have held land in Angus, Scotland since at least the 15th century. Their ancestral seat, Airlie Castle, dates to 1432 and has
expanded in prominence over the centuries. Today, the estate spans approximately 30,000 acres and includes multiple properties and sporting facilities.
The Airlie Tiara is understood to have been crafted by Garrard, then the Crown Jewler, in the late 19th century. It is set throughout with substantial natural pearls and diamonds. Virginia, Countess of Airlie, often wore the tiara in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II, along with numerous other jewels that will also be offered in this collection.
The Airlie Tiara is offered as part of a collection of fine jewelry and objects of vertu formerly belonging to the late Countess, including a unique unicorn brooch by Verdura (representing Scotland’s national animal), as well as pieces by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Fabergé.
Historic tiaras of this provenance rarely appear on the market. Combined with its noble lineage and direct association with the late Queen Elizabeth II, this piece represents an incredibly rare and desirable opportunity for collectors.
AUCTION: London Jewellery, October 22 VIEWING: 22 Connaught St, London, England INQUIRIES: sarah.duncan@lyonandturnbull.com
This beautiful tiara is so unique in that it has been a ‘working tiara’ for decades. It came directly from Buckingham Palace to the auction house. Not something that happens every day.
- Sarah Duncan G.G. Head of Jewellery, Lyon & Turnbull, London -
THE LIBRARY OF JAMES STIRLING, MATHEMATICIAN
James Stirling (1692-1770), of Garden House, Stirling, Scotland, was one of the leading mathematicians in Europe in the 18th century. A protégé of Sir Isaac Newton and a key figure in the Newtonian revolution in mathematics, he made valuable contributions in the fields of infinitesimal calculus and infinite series. His name lives on in the Stirling numbers and Stirling’s formula.
As a young man, Stirling was expelled from the University of Oxford owing to his Jacobite sympathies. He subsequently spent several years in Venice, earning the family nickname “the Venetian.” For many years afterward, he maintained productive relationships with his peers on the continent. His library contains a remarkable collection of letters from scholars including Leonhard Euler, Nicolaus Bernoulli, and Gabriel Cramer, all featuring demonstrations and discussions of the latest mathematical discoveries.
Stirling’s principal contribution to mathematics, Methodus differentialis (1730), is represented in the library in three forms: his original holograph manuscript, his personal
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 23, EDINBURGH, LYON & TURNBULL
James Stirling (1692-1770)
'METHODUS DIFFERENTIALIS SIVE TRACTATUS DE SUMMATIONE ET INTERPOLATIONE SERIERUM INFINITARUM'
author's holograph manuscript, c.1730, written in ink on loose leaves
£40,000 - 60,000
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 23, EDINBURGH, LYON & TURNBULL
Sir Isaac Newton ANALYSIS PER QUANTITATUM SERIES, FLUXIONES, AC DIFFERENTIAS CUM ENUMERATIONE LINEARUM TERTII ORDINIS. London: ex officina Pearsoniana, 1711
£40,000 - 60,000
corrected copy of the first edition, and a copy of the first English edition with autograph letters from the translator. His notebooks—covering subjects ranging from infinite series to the figure of the Earth and ancient weights and measures—are accompanied by carefully chosen works by his contemporaries. Highlights include a large-paper copy of Newton’s Principia Mathematica, a first edition of Newton’s extremely rare Analysis per quantitatum series, fluxiones, ac differentias, and a first edition of Colin Maclaurin’s Treatise on Fluxions (a work to which Stirling contributed), along with presentation copies of works by Brook Taylor, Abraham de Moivre, and French Newtonian pioneer Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis. The books and manuscripts are complemented by a selection of scientific instruments believed to have been used by Stirling himself.
AUCTION: The Library of James Stirling, Mathematician, October 23
The Scottish Colourist John Duncan Fergusson’s Place de l’Observatoire will be a highlight of Lyon & Turnbull’s Scottish Paintings & Sculpture auction on December 4. Created shortly after he moved from Edinburgh to Paris in 1907, this work is a gem of Colourist painting—celebrating the light, color, architecture, and chic lifestyle of the French capital.
Born in Leith near Edinburgh, Fergusson (1874-1961) settled in Paris following the start of his relationship with the American artist Anne Estelle Rice (1877-1959). He declared “Paris is simply a place of freedom” and rented a studio in Montparnasse, the renowned artists’ quarter.
As seen in Place de l’Observatoire, Fergusson became swept up in the inspiration of Paris’s pre-war art world, as he absorbed and evolved the latest developments in the works of artists including Pablo Picasso, André Derain, and Henri Matisse. It comes from a series of renowned street scenes, painted spontaneously on the spot, in which he gloried in his new surroundings. The scene here depicts an area near the Observatory, founded by Louis XIV in 1667 on the Left Bank of the Seine.
Deft brushstrokes outline figures, trees, buildings and street furniture. Vibrant color accents—such as the striking blue of the full-length dress worn by the central figure—create rhythm across the surface of the painting. The entire scene is bathed in the light of an idyllic blue sky. Certain passages, like the short strokes of green at the far left, verge on abstraction, revealing Fergusson’s newfound confidence and innovative approach to painting. His evolving style led to his election as a Sociétaire of the progressive Salon d’Automne in 1909, in recognition of his contribution to the modern movement.
Place de l’Observatoire was on long-loan to the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh from a private collection from 2001 until 2025.
AUCTION: Scottish Paintings & Sculpture, December 4
VIEWING: 33 Broughton Place, Edinburgh, Scotland
INQUIRIES: alice.strang@lyonandturnbull.com
TO BE OFFERED DECEMBER 4, EDINBURGH, LYON & TURNBULL
John Duncan Fergusson R.B.A. (Scottish 1874-1961)
Place de L’Observatoire, 1907
£50,000 - 80,000
The American Ceramic Circle (ACC), founded in 1970, is a community of professionals, collectors, and enthusiasts that share an appreciation and interest in the study of ceramics of all kinds, periods, and origins. This knowledgeable group hosts several events to provide opportunities to discover and learn more together.
This fall, October 22–25, the annual symposium will be held in Atlanta in partnership with the High Museum of Art and the Atlanta History Center. In addition to events, our numerous member benefits include:
Member price for Annual Symposium
ACC Journal
ACC digital newsletter
Access to the membership directory and archive of ACC publications
To inquire about how to join or to learn more about the annual symposium, visit our website at americanceramiccircle.org or contact Emily Campbell, ACC Administrator, at admin@americanceramiccircle.org.
