Frank Gehry’s Icehenge Achieves World Auction Record at Freeman’s

Freeman’s announced the results of its July 15 sale, highlighted by the impressive sale of Frank Gehry's Icehenge (2012), which fetched $243,200 — the highest auction price ever for a work of design by the artist.

The 16-piece glass installation (Lot 108), created for the lobby of Chicago’s Inland Steel Building, exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $100,000–200,000 after active online bidding. This result highlights growing interest in Gehry’s work and establishes Icehenge as a notable example at the intersection of sculpture and architecture.

“We were thrilled when the opportunity to sell Icehenge was presented to us. Although we knew it might be a difficult object to place due to its size and heft, buyers from a variety of backgrounds and locations turned out in force, a testament to Gehry's enduringstar power as one of the preeminent design visionaries of our time,” said Roger Ward, Vice President, Head of Department, Design. “The buyer is also dedicated to maintaining public access to Icehenge and is considering a temporary loan to a suitable museum or institution. Currently, no specific plans have been finalized.”

Weighing about 15,000 pounds, Icehenge drew interest for its jagged, glacier-like composition of pale green glass, marked by internal bubbles, distortions, and refracted light. The work goes beyond its original purpose as a reception desk, standing as a sculptural environment that reflects Gehry’s ongoing experimentation with industrial materials.

A Landmark Work in Chicago Architectural History

Chicago Architectural Projects by Frank Gehry

Icehenge is closely connected to Chicago’s architectural history. Gehry’s early impression of the Inland Steel Building in the 1950s influenced later projects in the city, such as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and BP Bridge in Grant Park. His partial ownership and restoration of the building in 2005 set the stage for Icehenge, an unconventional response to the site’s modernist style.

Created by the John Lewis Glass Studio in Oakland, California, the work shows Gehry’s interest in material transformation, turning glass into both structure and spectacle. Its record-setting sale points to growing interest from institutions and collectors in works that blur the lines between art, design, and architecture.

Additional Strong Results

The success of Icehenge anchored a vibrant auction that brought together post-war and contemporary art with innovative design. Additional highlights included:

• Lot 169 | Karl Priebe (American, 1914-1976) | Young Whip-Poor-Will, 1946 
  Estimate: $4,000 – $6,000
  Sold for $16,640
  Realized four times the estimate, signaling a robust market moment for Karl Priebe, previously a member of the Magical Realist movement and an influential friend of the celebrated artist Gertrude Abercrombie.
• Lot 80 |Vladimir Nemukhin (Russian, 1925-2016)| Solitaire (ПАСьЯНС), 1967 Estimate: $15,000 – $25,000
  Sold for $44,800
• Lot 163 | Thomas Martin Uttech (American, b. 1942) | Untitled, 1982 | Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000
  Sold for $44,800
• Lot 94 | Paul Jenkins (American, 1923–2012) | Phenomena Offshore, 1964 | Estimate: $15,000 – $25,000
  Sold for $41,600

About Freeman’s

Freeman’s is a premier American auction house offering services in multiple categories including fine art, jewelry, design, books and manuscripts, furniture, decorative arts, antiquities, couture, and Asian works of art. With 16 regional locations nationwide, the firm provides auctions, appraisals, private sales, and art advisory services, connecting clients to the global art market. Freeman’s strives to bring art, history, and design to life by connecting people with extraordinary objects through exceptional service and expertise.