Painting Bought for $30 Sells for $1.35 Million at Manhattan Auction

A painting acquired for $30 at an estate sale has commanded a record-breaking $1.35 million at auction in Manhattan. The artwork, titled "Alderman Merriam’s Shells" by the late surrealist artist Gertrude Abercrombie, was sold on Thursday at Freeman’s Auctions.

Zachary Wirsum, senior vice president at Freeman’s, expressed delight at the record result, noting the significant return on the initial investment. The buyer, who has chosen to remain anonymous, discovered the painting at the July estate sale of Dr. John T. Reynolds of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Dr. Reynolds had reportedly received the painting from Abercrombie in 1952 as payment for medical services.

The buyer, a collector of vinyl records and furniture, was drawn to the 8×11 inch oil-on-masonite painting when they noticed the signature "Abercrombie, ’51" in the lower-left corner. The artwork depicts ten seashells that belonged to Robert Merriam, a member of the Chicago City Council who represented Hyde Park, the neighborhood where Abercrombie lived and worked.

According to Freeman's, the piece "offers a glimpse into the inception of one of the artist’s signature Surrealist motifs, as well as its striking composition, both technically and conceptually." Abercrombie, who died in 1977 at the age of 68, was a notable figure in Chicago's mid-20th century art scene.

The sale of "Alderman Merriam’s Shells" set a new record for the most expensive work by Abercrombie sold at auction. This surpassed the previous record held by her 1950 painting "Message for Mercy," which sold for $1.02 million at Sotheby’s in November.