Freeman’s Presents Antiquities of the Garden: A Collector’s Living Ancient World Two Sessions of Ancient Art to be Offered May 20, 2026

 From Left to Right:  
Lot 120 | An Over Life-Size Roman Marble Portrait Head of a Julio-Claudian Emperor | Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000 

Lot 121 | A Roman Marble Bust of the Emperor Trajan | Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000 

Lot 122 | A Roman Marble Portrait Head of the Emperor Caracalla | Estimate: $30,000 - $50,000 

 

Freeman’s will present a two-session auction series on May 20, commencing with the single-owner collection Antiquities of the Garden: A Collector’s Living Ancient World at 9:00 AMCT, followed by a second session at 12:00 PM CT, entitled Antiquities and Ancient Art. 

 

The day’s offerings include works across centuries and from various civilizations, such as Roman marble sculptures, Greek arms and armor, Egyptian bronzes, Near Eastern votives, and intricately crafted silver and gold objects. 

Speaking to his impressions of the sales is Jacob Coley, Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Antiquities & Ancient Art: “It's a rare opportunity to offer a collection of this caliber alongside a second session of equally compelling material. May 20th promises to deliver a full day dedicated to the ancient world at its finest.”  

 

Alive in the Past and Present: Antiquities of the Garden, Session I 

   
 
From Left to Right: 
Lot 113 | A Roman Pavonazzetto Marble Laconian Hound | Estimate: $80,000 - $120,000 
Lot 20 | An Egyptian Bronze Falcon | Estimate: $60,000 - $80,000 

 

Antiquities of the Garden: A Collector’s Living Ancient World is a private collection inspired by personal appreciation and curiosity. Rather than being tied to a single location, the collection is unified by a distinct perspective. Each object was carefully selected for its history and enduring character. As the collector explains, “I collected these antiquities because they spoke to me. I felt that they were here with me, teaching me. I also chose some that were like me, as in ‘alike.’ I experience this with the flowers I plant in my garden, too—Pelargonium hortorum. Like my antiquities, they are alive.”  

This is especially evident in a group of Roman marble portrait heads depicting emperors Augustus (Lot 120, estimate: $40,000 - $60,000), Trajan (Lot 121, estimate: $40,000 - $60,000), and Caracalla (Lot 122, estimate: $30,000 - $50,000). These portraits convey the authority of Augustus, the ambition of Trajan, and the ruthlessness of Caracalla. Together, they personalize Roman history and highlight the individuals behind imperial power. 

The top lot of the sale is a Roman marble sculpture of a seated Laconian hunting hound (Lot 113, estimate: $80,000 - $120,000), carved from pavonazzetto marble. The sculpture stands out for its realism and symbolism. The dog’s alert posture and strong features capture the breed’s reputation for speed and loyalty. Sculptures like this, often placed in gardens and tombs, symbolized protection and were admired in both Greek and Roman times. This piece, similar to others now in museums, illustrates why dogs were such a popular subject in ancient art. 

 

From Left to Right: 
Lot 41 | A Greek Bronze Corinthian Helmet | Estimate: $60,000 - $80,000 

Lot 39 | A Greek Bronze Phrygian Helmet | Estimate: $80,000 - $120,000 
Lot 40 | A Greek Tinned Bronze Chalcidian Helmet | Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000 

The collection also features Greek helmets, such as a tinned-bronze Chalcidian helmet (500–301 B.C.) (Lot 40, estimate: $15,000 - $25,000), a bronze Phrygian helmet (circa 350–300 B.C.) (Lot 39, estimate: $80,000 - $120,000), and a bronze Corinthian helmet (6th century B.C.) (Lot 41, estimate: $60,000 - $80,000). These objects demonstrate how honor, protection, and legacy were central to ancient Greek life. 

A highlight of Session I is an Egyptian Bronze Falcon (Late Period, 26th–30th Dynasty, 664–343 B.C.) (Lot 20, estimate: $60,000-$80,000), a hollow bronze casting associated with Horus. Used in votive practices and once containing mummified birds, this sculpture underscores the significance of animal cults in Late Period Egypt. Its impressive size and fine details make it particularly noteworth

 
 
Lot 25 | A Mesopotamian Marble and Lapis Lazuli Inlay Recumbent Calf | Estimate: $5,000 - $7,000 

 

The earliest objects in the session trace the origins of civilization. Near Eastern animal statuettes, like a limestone-and-lapis lazuli calf from the Late Uruk–Jemdat Nasr period (circa 3300–2900 B.C.) (Lot 25, estimate: $5,000 - $7,000), point to early agriculture and the enduring relationship between people and nature. These themes mirror the collector’s interest in cultivation and growth. 

 

Antiquities and Ancient Art, Session II 

The afternoon continues with Antiquities and Ancient Art (Sale 6523, Lots 123–205, 12:00 PM CT), a curated selection spanning the ancient Near East, Egypt, the Greco-Roman world, and beyond, offering further opportunities to acquire objects of enduring historical and aesthetic significance.  

Highlights include a rich selection of Egyptian amulets, South Arabian works, Near Eastern votive objects, and classical antiquities that together form a collection of remarkable breadth and coherence. 

Seen as a whole, the sale series reads less as a survey than as a tapestry. Faces, helmets, animals, and sacred objects speak in different registers, yet all reflect enduring human concerns: power, mortality, beauty, protection, memory, and life lived in relation to the natural world. In this way, Freeman’s presents the ancient world not as distant or inert, but as a living field of encounter—an environment shaped by several collectors sustained and deeply personal engagement with the past. 

Session II Highlights 

• Lot 130 | A Cycladic Marble Female Figure | Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000 

• Lot 141 | An Egyptian Limestone Sarcophagus Lid | Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000 

• Lot 158 | An Apulian Red-Figured Volute Krater | Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000 

• Lot 176 | A Greek Bronze Warrior | Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 

Auction Details 
Antiquities of the Garden: A Collector’s Living Ancient World 
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | 9:00 AM CT 
Live | Chicago 

Antiquities and Ancient Art 
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | 12:00 PM CT

Live | Chicago 

 

Highlights Preview 

Freeman’s New York 

32 East 67th St 
New York, NY 10065 

When: 
May 6-8: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

May 9: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM 
Closed Sunday, May 10 
May 11-13: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

 

Inquiries: 
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