PHILADELPHIA — Freeman’s Oct. 2 International Sale was an overwhelming success, achieving a sale total of just over $2.4 million, tripling its presale low estimate total. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
The auction featured lots across multiple departments, including Asian art, British and European furniture and decorative arts, rugs, objets de vertu, European and Old Master paintings and works on paper, and Silver.
Among the many highlights from the sale were several works of Asian Art, most notably a Chinese carved spinach green jade Luduan censer on a gilt metal base (above), which sold for $250,000, outselling its presale low estimate, as well as a Chinese blue and white rectangular porcelain plaque, attributed to Wang Bu (below), delicately painted to depict two fisherman by a river by an old tree. The piece (Lot 65), was originally owned by Dr. Harold H. Louckes and shattered its presale estimate, garnering an impressive $574,000.
“We were extremely pleased with the results of the Asian arts offered,” said Ben Farina, head of appraisals and Asian art states. “It is rare to have the privilege to offer not just one but several private collections which have come down to us by inheritance. Most notable were the strong prices achieved for Chinese scholars items and works of art from the collection of Dr. Harold Louckes, highlighted by the exquisitely painted blue and white porcelain plaque attributed to the highly sought after 20th century Chinese artist Wang Bu, and the fine array of Chinese jade carvings lovingly assembled over four decades by Dr. Frederic and Mrs. Madeleine Zeman. We were also pleased with our successes in the Japanese market, most notably with the album of Japanese surimono woodblock prints, sold for the benefit of the Delaware Art Museum.”
The sale also benefited by timing the online debut of the catalog to coincide with Asia Week, New York, by holding the auction well after the deluge of works crossing the block in New York. Clients reacted favorably and appreciated that they were able to focus without distractions.”
Fine Art highlights primarily included a 16th century Tuscan School Study of a Shouting Man (Lot 459), which also featured a running figure and a figure’s extended arm verso, drawn in black and white chalk on paper. The exceptional drawing sold for a remarkable $418,000, well above its original estimate.
“We are pleased with the results of this International Sale, which is growing to be another popular venue at Freeman’s,” said David Weiss, senior vice president and department head of European art and Old Masters department. “The impressive result obtained for an Old Master Tuscan drawing, as well as several 19th century European paintings, proves how strong the market can be for exceptional pieces, and illustrates our continued belief in such an exciting field. We are now very much looking forward to our fine European Art sale this February, which already promises to be another strong sale.”
Additional noteworthy successes were several lots of fine silver. “We were thrilled with the strong results across all of the collecting categories included in this sale: Asian Arts, British & European Furniture & Decorative Arts, and European Paintings. It was a standout day in particular for continental silver and objets de vertu, which continues to be a very active market for us at Freeman’s, with exceptional prices achieved for Italian, German, and Russian silver,” said Tessa Laney, department head for British and European furniture and decorative arts.
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