Freeman's Celebrates Strong First Half Driven by Historic America 250 Sales, Exceptional Fine Art, and Strength Across Collecting Categories

Freeman’s, America’s Auction House since 1805, reports a strong first half of 2026, achieving a 122% sell-through by value, headlined by its America 250 auction series and white-glove collections. The firmcontinued to deliver outstanding results across Fine Arts, Luxury, Antiquities, Books & Manuscripts, Asian Art, and Decorative Art collecting categories.

“The first half of 2026 demonstrated the enduring strength of exceptional objects with compelling stories,” said Muys Snijders, Chief Executive Officer of Freeman’s. “From rediscovered masterworks to iconic objects of American history, collectors continue to respond to quality, provenance, and scholarship across every category.

$12.2 Million in Total Sales Across Dedicated America 250 Auctions

A central driver of the season was Freeman’s America 250 initiative, which realized more than $12.2 million across dedicated sales celebrating the United States’ Semiquincentennial. The series brought to market historically significant works spanning the nation’s founding, presidential history, American furniture and folk art, Western art, and printed Americana—demonstrating sustained demand from both private collectors and institutions.

Highlights from the America 250 series included a rare John Hancock signed Revolutionary War manuscript(Sold for $563,200), a George Washington autograph letter(Sold for $371,200), and an exceedingly rare Lincoln-Johnson campaign parade flag(Sold for $281,600), reflecting sustained strength in the market for museum-quality Americana.

Landmark Rediscoveries Lead the Season

Josef Šíma (Czech, 1891-1971) 'Europa, 1927' | John Jacob Astor IV's Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co., 18K Yellow Gold Pocket Watch and Battin & Co., Yellow Gold, Diamond, and Sapphire Pencil Case, Property Of The Astor Family

The season featured landmark discoveries and headline-making results, notably Josef Šíma's monumental Europa (1927), which sold for $1.53 million following an international campaign that celebrated its rediscovery and art historical significance, and the sale of John Jacob Astor IV's Patek Philippe pocket watch for Tiffany & Co., which brought more than $1 million and generated more than 379 million media impressions globally. Together, these campaigns demonstrated Freeman's ability to pair specialist scholarship with strategic storytelling to reach collectors well beyond the traditional auction audience.

Achieving White-Glove Status: Fine Books and Antiquities

Christopher Brink, Associate Vice President, Senior Specialist, Books & Manuscripts, Accepting White Gloves for The Library of Stephen J. Farber

Equally significant were two major white-glove sales that anchored the season: The Library of Stephen J. Farber, which achieved 100% sell-through and realized more than $1 million, and Antiquities of the Garden, which realized a combined $3.5 million across two auctions, with its first session selling every lot offered. These results highlight Freeman’s strength in single-owner collections and the market’s appetite for fresh-to-market, scholarship-driven property.

Fine Art delivered several of the season’s strongest results beyond Šíma’s Europa, including works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Allan Houser, and leading American, Western, Native American, and contemporary artists, reinforcing continued demand for rare and academically significant works.

Across 64 auctions during the first half of the year, Freeman's maintained an 87% sell-through rate by lot, with more than half of all lots selling within or above estimate. Nearly one quarter of buyers were new to the firm, underscoring Freeman's continued ability to expand its collector base while serving established clients through specialist expertise and trusted client service. Buyers participated from 52 countries, reflecting the firm's growing international reach.

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 locationsnationwide, 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.