Peace Medal Incites Bidding War At Freeman's Americana Sale

PHILADELPHIA, PENN.

:Freeman's recent sale of Americana got off to a roaring start with a series of estimate-smashing results, beginning with three early American medals. A circa 1757 George II peace medal engraved in Philadelphia by Edward Duffield is inscribed, "Let us look to the most high who blessed our fathers with peace." These medals were originally presented to local Indian chiefs by the Quakers. Several phone bidders battled against a single bidder in the room, who eventually prevailed at a price of $106,425.

The first lot of the sale was a set of three "History of the Revolution" medals designed in Philadelphia by Joseph Sansom and engraved by John Reich ($6/8,000), circa 1808, which sold for $65,725, followed by a single similar example, which sold for $20,315.

The nearly 500-lot auction contained high points from start to finish, resulting in a total of $1.1 million against a low estimate of $770,000. More than 20 percent of lots sold went to bidders on eBay Live Auctions - an unusually high number for Americana - and 76 percent of the lots in the sale were sold.

Continuing with the Revolutionary War theme was a silver-hilted eagle head American Revolutionary sword, originally carried by Captain Michael Whitley of the Seventh Company of Colonel Robert Elder's Fourth Battalion, Lancaster County, Penn. The sword ($30/50,000) fell to a New Jersey buyer at $33,460.

Freeman's record with Pennsylvania painted boxes continued to be strong, with a Nineteenth Century painted and incised salt box ($6/8,000) reaching $86,040. Other folk art pieces included a whimsical painted cast iron "Shake Hands with Uncle Sam Strength Tester" ($2,5/3,500), which sold to a California buyer for $14,340.

The sale contained a number of examples of fine classical furniture from Philadelphia, all of which fared well. Leading the way was a large classical mahogany and mahogany veneer center loo table ($4/6,000), circa 1830, that soared to $38,240.

A classical mahogany breakfront, circa 1825, fetched $35,850, followed by 17 circa 1820 mahogany dining chairs at $29,675. Other furniture highlights included a Federal inlaid mahogany secretary and desk attributed to John Aitken (Philadelphia, active 1795-1810), at $22,705, a Federal giltwood girandole looking glass, circa 1810, at $17,925, and a Queen Anne walnut highboy, Pennsylvania, circa 1760, at $20,315.

A Scottish School Eighteenth Century portrait of Benjamin Franklin, which made its way back to Philadelphia from a Scottish consignor (through Freeman's strategic partner, Lyon & Turnbull), was the subject of tremendous presale attention. The lot demonstrated the effectiveness of the Freeman's/Lyon & Turnbull alliance by achieving $33,460, selling to a buyer from New Jersey.

All prices include the buyer's premium of 19.5 percent for the first $75,000 and 12 percent after. Freeman's next Americana sale, scheduled for November 18-19, will include the second annual Pennsylvania Sale, devoted to Pennsylvania historic and creative output from the last three centuries. For information contact Lynda Cain at 215-563-9275, extension 3038, or lcain@freemansauction.com.