Freeman's Achieves White-Glove Status With Antiquities of the Garden Combined Total Across Two Auctions Exceeds $3.5 Million

Freeman’s Antiquities auction series achieved remarkable success on May 20, realizing $3,521,152 in total sales. Session I, Antiquities of the Garden: A Collector’s Living Ancient World, achieved white-glove status, with all 110 lots sold and 73% of lots selling at or above estimate.  

Robust bidding persisted throughout the day, with 94% of lots sold across both sessions and participation from 17 countries. Spanning centuries and civilizations, the day’s top offerings included works of ancient Egyptian, Byzantine, Phoenician, Roman, and Greek provenance, punctuated by spirited bidding over several hours. 

Reflecting on the results, Jacob Coley, Head of Department, Antiquities & Ancient Art, commented: “Today’s results are highly encouraging for Freeman’s antiquities market. Collectors showed strong enthusiasm for objects that stand out due to their quality, provenance, and historical significance.”  

Antiquities of the Garden, Session I: White-Glove Status   
 

 

From Left to Right: 
Lot 20 | An Egyptian Bronze Falcon | Sold for $217,600 

Lot 56 | A Byzantine Silver Plate | Sold for $121,600 
 

Antiquities of the Garden: A Collector’s Living Ancient World, a distinguished private collection, achieved white-glove status, realizing $2,617,152, with a sell-through rate by value of 177%. The session featured a carefully curated selection distinguished by a cohesive collecting vision, with works chosen for their historical resonance and enduring presence. 

Top lots included an Egyptian bronze falcon (Lot 20), which realized $217,600 (estimate $60,000–$80,000); a Byzantine silver plate (Lot 56), which achieved $121,600 (estimate $12,000–$18,000); and a Phoenician gold ceremonial axe (Lot 38), which realized $115,200 (estimate $40,000–$60,000). 

 

Ancient Animal Depictions: Recumbent Figures Smash Auction Estimates  

From Left to Right: 

Lot 19 | An Egyptian Black Marble Recumbent Lion | Sold for $70,400 
Lot 70 | A Eurasian Gold and Turquoise Inlay Vessel in the form of a Recumbent Ram | Sold for $57,600

Lot 111 | A Roman Bronze with a Slain Amazon on Horseback | Sold for $32,000 

 Animal-form works were among the sale’s standout successes, including an Egyptian marble recumbent lion (Lot 19), a Eurasian gold-and-turquoise inlay vessel in the form of a recumbent ram (Lot 70), and a Roman bronze depicting a slain Amazon on horseback (Lot 111), which realized $70,400, $57,600, and $32,000, respectively. 

 These works reflect enduring relationships between humans and animals in the ancient world, evoking themes of domestication, power, and reverence. For a collector attuned to gardens and growth, such objects retain a vivid sense of life and presence. 

 

Session I, Additional Highlights: 

• Lot 88 | A Roman Mosaic Panel with Hippolytus and Phaedra 
  Sold for $102,400 

• Lot 93 | A Greek Gold Necklace with Acorn Pendants  
  Sold for $89,600 

• Lot 39 | A Greek Bronze Phrygian Helmet 
  Sold for $83,200 

• Lot 113 | A Roman Pavonazzetto Marble Laconian Hound 
  Sold for $76,800 

 

Antiquities and Ancient Art, Session II 

 

 

From Left to Right: 

Lot 158 | An Apulian Red-Figured Volute Krater | Sold for $83,200 
Lot 188 | A Roman Giallo Antico Head of Zeus Ammon | Sold for $76,800 

 

The afternoon continued with Session II, Antiquities and Ancient Art, a various-owner sale spanning the ancient Near East, Egypt, and the Greco-Roman world. The session exceeded its low estimate, totaling $904,000, with a sell-through rate by value of 163% and 68% of lots sold above the low estimate. 

Greek and Roman vessels and sculpture led the session, including an Apulian red-figured volute krater (Lot 158) and a Roman giallo antico head of Zeus Ammon (Lot 188), which realized $83,200 and $76,800, respectively. 

Session II, Additional Highlights: 

• Lot 192 | A Roman Marble Head of Apollo Citharoedus | Sold for $76,800 

• Lot 149 | A Minoan Terracotta Amphoroid Krater | Sold for $70,400 

• Lot 176 | A Greek Bronze Warrior | Sold for $70,400 

• Lot 130 | A Cycladic Marble Female Figure | Sold for $64,000 

 

Overall, the auction series reflects the breadth and richness of craftsmanship across the ancient world. Faces, helmets, animals, and sacred objects speak to enduring human concerns—power, mortality, beauty, protection, memory, and the relationship between humanity and the natural world.