This spring, Freeman’s will bring to market a remarkable single-owner collection of American paintings, including several rare and sought-after Pennsylvania Impressionist canvases.
Pride of Place: Works from the Estate of Sydney F. Martin, a select 26-lot sale held June 4, highlights the passionate collecting activity and discerning eye of Sydney Martin, an avid and early collector of Pennsylvania Impressionists and other Pennsylvania-related works who has largely contributed to the newfound curatorial interest in this collecting niche, through prestigious loans to local institutions.
“We’re delighted and honored to bring the esteemed collection of Sydney F. Martin to market,” says Freeman’s Chairman Alasdair Nichol. “The selection itself is remarkable, having been carefully acquired by Martin and his wife Sharon over several decades, and reveals the couple’s deep Pennsylvania roots. It’s also an occasion to bring together the strengths for which Freeman’s is best known: sales of Pennsylvania Impressionists and single-owner collections.”
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PENNSYLVANIA IMPRESSIONISTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The sale is led by Edward Redfield’s Spring Veil, offered at an estimate of $300,000-$500,000 and which represents one of the most powerful springtime scenes ever executed by Edward Redfield; the enormous canvas depicts the Valley of Point Pleasant in full bloom. Widely exhibited, this exemplary canvas constitutes the pinnacle of Pennsylvania Impressionist collecting opportunities.
Pride of Place: Works from the Estate of Sydney F. Martin brings the leading visionaries of the New Hope School to market, including Daniel Garber’s The Delaware River ($200,000-$300,000), a newly rediscovered and fresh-to-market landscape depicting a bend in the river near New Hope itself. Fern Coppedge’s Winter from Skillman’s ($60,000-$100,000) offers a quintessential view of Lambertville, New Jersey, as seen from New Hope, and is one of the artist’s sought-after winter scenes.
The June 4 auction presents A Glorious Day ($60,000-$100,000), a summer Bucks County scene by Morgan Colt, a colossal talent and founding member of the New Hope School whose work remains a desirable market rarity. The sale also features several works by John Fulton Folinsbee, including the one-of-a-kind Golden Afternoon ($40,000-$60,000), an autumnal triptych commissioned in 1920 that displays the artist’s masterful brushwork.
PRIDE OF PLACE: PENNSYLVANIA MATERIAL
Alongside Martin’s esteemed Pennsylvania Impressionists collection is a selection of seven works by William B. T. Trego, a Pennsylvania painter best known for his military works; Pride of Place includes several American Civil War scenes.
“Sydney and Sharon Martin, longtime Doylestown, Pennsylvania, residents, were driven by a deep sense of loyalty and love for their region and its rich history and artistic traditions. This is amply reflected in their personal collection, which offers a window into this history, as well as the artistic luminaries who have settled in and taken inspiration from the area,” says Nichol.
Another section of Martin’s works will be included within Freeman’s June 6 Collect: American Art auction.
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ABOUT SYDNEY F. MARTIN
A longtime patron and collector of Pennsylvania art and artists, Sydney F. Martin spent most of his adult life in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and was an active member of the Bucks County art community. A man of many talents and interests, Martin was also one of the world’s leading experts on early American coins and a collector of pocket watches. Following engineering studies at MIT, he enjoyed a long and illustrious career in the defense and intelligence industries.
Sydney and Sharon Martin were active philanthropists in and around Bucks County, as well as avid supporters of some of the region’s most distinguished artists. Pride of Place: Works from the Estate of Sydney F. Martin presents a lifetime of devoted collecting from one of Bucks County’s most respected art connoisseurs.
ABOUT FREEMAN’S
Founded in 1805, Freeman’s is America’s oldest auction house, an esteemed presence with deep-rooted expertise. Our year-round auctions feature the sale of art and luxury goods across multiple categories—from fine and decorative arts to jewelry, design, and more—catered to first-time buyers and established collectors alike. As Philadelphia’s international auction house, Freeman’s offers specialized, attentive client services to buyers and sellers regionally and around the world, bringing the best of art, design, and luxury to market.
HEAD OF SALE
Alasdair Nichol, anichol@freemansauction.com
PRESS INQUIRIES
Heather Holmes, press@freemansauction.com
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