The April 29th American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts auction offers a broad selection of rare and fresh-to-market property consigned by estates, private collectors, and institutions from across the country. Rare items of note include a Portrait of George Washington at Princeton, by Charles Peale Polk, circa 1791, a mourning brooch with the hair of George Washington, a large alkaline- glazed storage jar by Dave Drake, dated "1859," an Erastus Salisbury Field “plague series” painting of The Plague of Darkness, a large and intricately worked powder horn made for Thomas Splane of Virginia and Mississippi, and an Andrew Clemens sand-Art bottle for George Brunder, dated "1888."Other portraiture presented are works by Philadelphia's Thomas Sully and Long Island's, Hubbard Latham Fordham, Abraham G.D. Tuthill, Nathan Rogers, and Orlando Hand Bears. Fine timepieces include an extremely rare astronomical regulator clock by Ephraim Byram of Sag Harbor, an inlaid and pen-worked tall clock case signed by John Shearer, Martinsburg, Virginia, two Federal tall case clocks by Aaron Willard, a shelf clock by Simon Willard, and a fine Philadelphia Chippendale Tall case clock with works by Thomas Wagstaffe.Furniture offerings span centuries and regions, ranging from Philadelphia and New England Chippendale chests-on-chests, a desk and bookcase with bust cartouche of George Whitfield, a fine Federal writing desk signed by John Aitken, a few Federal sofas, painted and decorated chests, including one signed by Johannes Ranck, to two Aesthetic Movement carved teak chairs attributed to Lockwood de Forest.Silver lots of tablewares and candlesticks, from early American makers of New England, New York and Long Island, Mid-Atlantic States, and Southern States, and Georgian makers, to a spectacular 20th-century Gorham Martele centerpiece bowl and plateau, offer a diverse selection. Numerous lots of Chinese Export porcelain made for the American and European market will be featured.Folk offerings conclude the auction, and include a small tobacconist figure, a ship weathervane, quilts, a collection of scrimshaw whale teeth and sailor-made whaling items, a group of needlework samplers, and mourning works.

Freeman's | Hindman are pleased to present the Spring edition of Old Masters & 19th Century Century European Art. A wide selection of early French, Italian and Dutch is on offer, among them exquisite still lives by Simon Hardimé, Pierre-Nicolas Huillot and Pieter Faes, as well as a fetching portrait of the Duke d'Angoulême by François-Joseph Kinson.The 19th Century section of the sale is spearheaded by a superb depiction of Notre-Dame by Jean François Raffaëlli, Barbizon landscapes, wonderful genre scenes by Jacques-Émile Blanche, Paul César Helleu, Fernand Toussaint, and a compelling and large portrait of a young woman by Guillaume Seignac. 

Cincinnati

Freeman’s | Hindman’s Impressionist & Modern Art auction on April 30 includes a dynamic selection of fresh-to-market works by major names of the 20th century across Europe and beyond. Leading the sale is the rediscovered James Ensor masterpiece Chinoiseries Fleuries (1936), a rare still life celebrating the artist’s fascination with the Far East, offered at $150,000–250,000. Other headline works include Henri Le Sidaner’s luminous Le Banc (1903), a serene scene set in the artist’s garden at Gerberoy estimated at $200,000–300,000, as well Suzanne Valadon’s Nus à la Toilette (1908), a bold reinterpretation of the female nude offered at $120,000–180,000, reappearing on the market just as the Musée Pompidou showcases its first retrospective of Valadon since 1967.The sale also features works from notable estates tied to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, namely those of Helen Scott and Robert Sturgis Ingersoll, which include a rare double-sided drawing by Alberto Giacometti, and a major surrealist painting by Josef Šíma, respectively. Fresh-to-market pieces by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Odilon Redon from the collection of physicist and peace advocate Dr. John Hagelin will also make a noted appearance on the market this season. Additional highlights include 8 vibrant oils by Le Pho, as well as works by Diego Rivera, Camille Pissarro, Louis Anquetin, Henri Martin and many others, making this a must-watch event for collectors and institutions alike. 

Freeman’s | Hindman is pleased to present our April Essential Jewelry auction, featuring property from the collections of Juan F. Montoya, Dr. Julian Katz and Dr. Sheila Moriber Katz, and prominent South Florida, Florida, Atlanta, and Colorado private collectors. From a selection of antique pieces to modern gem-set styles, classic designs by houses including Tiffany & Co., Cartier and more, there is something for every collector.

Freeman I Hindman's American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography Auction contains nearly 300 lots representing many significant moments and figures in our nation's history. From the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and Indian Wars, to westward expansion and abolition, the auction features property with broad appeal. Highlights include a remarkable collection of Native American photographs, ledger drawings, and letters from Native American school children attending Indian Boarding schools, compiled by US Indian Inspector W.W. Junkin, Fairfield, Iowa, 1889-1893; correspondence related to Rear Admiral Hiram Paulding and William Walker's filibustering expeditions into Nicaragua in the 1850s; an important selection of autographs, photographs, and ephemera related to Abraham Lincoln’s life and political career, highlighted by rare stereoviews documenting Lincoln’s funeral; and a William IV silver presentation salver gifted to Philadelphia businessman Thomas Rogers (1792-1856) by African American abolitionist Stephen Smith (ca 1795-1873). Property from several collections will be offered, including flags and patriotic textiles from the Collection of Jeffrey Kenneth Kohn, MD; ephemeral Americana and historical documents from the Collection of James Milgram, M.D.; 19th century photography from the Estate of David O'Reilly, Old Bridge, New Jersey; and a suite of 19th-early 20th century cameras from the Collection of Richard Levinson.

Cowan's Auctions proudly presents its April 2025 Online Sale, to be run in conjunction with our live sale scheduled for April 30, 2025. The sale will open with 19th Century edged weapons, including a pair of Confederate Bayonet Adapters from the collection of Bill Beard, swords from the Early Republic, the Mexican American War, and the Civil War. Ethnographic edged weapons will follow, and include Keris pattern knives from Indonesia, and the Philippines. Following this, the auction will return to the United States and offer an array of 19th Century arms including an Indian War era rebuilt Model 1860 Army revolver. The bidder will then be invited to examine an array of modern firearms, including handguns by Colt, Smith & Wesson, LaFrance Specialties, and more, including custom handguns built by Ron Power and LW Seecamp. Bidders interested in the Semmerling pistols from the live sale will be presented with a large archival lot of Semmerling bulletins, advertising, owner's manuals, spare parts, and accoutrements. Twentieth Century martial arms from both World Wars will follow and include a scarce Springfield Armory 1914 Production Model 1911 pistol, and a 1916 dated DWM Luger. Modern sporting arms will be up next, followed thereafter by an array of modern edged weapons including martial arms, such as bayonets and sabers, and custom knives, the latter including a beautiful Jimmy Lile Button Lock folding knife. In the penultimate phase of the auction, bidders will be presented with Indian Wars era long arms, and rare secondary long arms, such as the Winchester US Model 1879 1st Type Hotchkiss Rifle. Finally, historic European edged weapons will round out the auction, offering bidders a chance at silver hilted small swords of French and English make, and a Luristan Bronze Dagger.

Freeman's | Hindman is excited to present our spring session of Prints, Multiples, and Photographs on May 7th, featuring strong collections of artworks by Contemporary and Modern Masters as well as a curated session of Photographs. An exciting group by Andy Warhol leads our Pop session, including the complete Cowboys and Indians portfolio of ten (1986), Tomato Soup and Chicken Noodle Soup from Campbell's Soup I, and a unique $(4). Also included are highlights by Ed Ruscha, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Frank Stella, Alex Katz, and two impressions from Robert Longo's Men in the Cities. The Modern session highlights a robust and varied selection of etchings, linocuts, and ceramics by Pablo Picasso and other impressive works by Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and Henri Matisse, as well as M.C. Escher. The Photography session includes innovative works by Modern photographers such as Harry Callahan, O. Winston Link, and Aaron Siskind as well as contemporary visions by artists like Peter Beard, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Sebastião Salgado. The sale provides the most discerning collector the opportunity to include these storied examples of Modern and Contemporary art to their collection. 

Chicago

Chicago

The May 13th Post War & Contemporary Art auction at Freeman’s | Hindman is a thoughtful and creatively curated presentation of 114 lots of paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Spanning decades of Art History from the 1930s to the 2020s and ranging from well-established blue-chip makers to more emerging rising stars, the sale offers many opportunities to chase market darlings and discover the next big thing. Among the top billing in the auction are one of Fritz Scholder's most iconic images Four Indian Riders (1967) that graced the cover of his landmark 2008 retrospective Indian/Not Indian; a jazz-witchy quintet of simple and strange paintings by of the moment Chicago Surrealist Gertrude Abercrombie, four of which belonged to artist friend Karl Priebe including an early and rare 1935 watercolor self-portrait with her expressively expression echoing cat; and an expansive 1977 Frank Stella mixed media wall relief from his Exotic Bird series. Other especially noteworthy lots in the sale are an important and richly saturated Magdalena Abakanowicz woven tapestry, a hypnotically vibratory Roy Lichtenstein Electric Seascape, an impactful geometric abstract by Mary Heilmann, and four dreamily stylized landscapes by Lois Dodd. The auction also excitingly includes works from significant collections with added associative value. We are pleased to highlight works by Esteban Vicente, Alex Kontopoulos, and Ervand Kotchar that all once belonged to visionary collector Lydia Winston Malbin, who famously put on Detroit's first exhibition of abstraction in the early 40s. These are complemented by another Vicente and a Michael Goldberg painting that were part of Chicago gallerist and connoisseur Bud Holland's personal collection. Also featured is an efficiently minimal 1965 Dan Flavin black paper study gifted to his friend and photographer, Gretchen Lambert, who documented the work of Flavin as well as other artists in his circle. Property from the distinguished Estate of Mimi Kazon of New York includes elegantly precise hard edged mid 60s examples from Robert Smithson and Richard Anuszkiewicz, an intimately scaled and themed 1961 Tom Wesselmann Little Great American Nude painting and a Willem de Kooning work on paper fascinating acquired from The Wheel of Art at the fabled East Hampton Fishermen's Fair. We are also thrilled to be collaborating with Los Angeles-based art advisor Emily Friedman on a guest-curated session of vibrant and compelling artworks aptly and poetically titled ‘A Vision in Color’. Encompassing lots 31 to 81, this cohesive grouping is anchored by a powerful selection of abstracts by once overlooked but nonetheless vital female artists including but not limited to Alice Baber, Emily Mason, Michael Corinne West, Ethel Schwabacher, and Sonia Getchoff. A more in depth look at this dynamic session can be found in the following feature of Head of Sale Zack Wirsum In Conversation with Emily Friedman.

Freeman’s | Hindman is excited to present a tightly curated selection of Western and Contemporary Native American art in our May 15th auction. With artwork ranging from historical masters through contemporary marvels, the auction includes property from private collections, estates, and important institutions from throughout the United States. This rendition of our biannual auction features paintings and sculpture by artists including Frederic Remington, Edgar Payne, Gustave Baumann, Percival Leonard Rosseau, Bill Anton, John Moyers, Frank McCarthy, Dave McGary, Gary Ernest Smith, Earl Biss, Fritz Scholder, and more!

More than 150 years after his untimely death, Abraham Lincoln remains a towering figure in our nation’s collective memory. His purpose, to save the Union, was never in doubt. His legacy, likewise, remains assured. Other than George Washington, there is perhaps no president whose leadership proved as pivotal to American history. Lincoln’s integrity of character, determination to ensure the success of the American experiment, and hope for our nation’s future endure as guiding principles for our country. He represents, in many ways, the very promise of America: that a man, with no family connections but possessing a keen intellect and a willingness to work, could rise to hold the most important office in the country. This spring Freeman’s | Hindman will have the great honor to offer selections from the Lincoln Presidential Foundation’s collection of Lincolniana, one of the most important Lincoln collections ever brought to market. Presented chronologically, every era of Lincoln’s journey to the presidency is represented in the Foundation’s collection. Frontiersman. Lawyer. Husband. Father. Politician. President. Lincoln's Legacy will explore the evolution of Abraham Lincoln’s personal and political life via around 140 lots of historic Americana ranging from manuscripts to artifacts from Lincoln’s Illinois law office, to campaign ephemera, early photography, and relics associated with Lincoln’s assassination.