A thirty-dollar purchase at a Michigan estate sale in July turned out to be a genuine Gertrude Abercrombie painting, and it’s now headed to auction with an opening bid of $75,000. The canvas, titled“Alderman Merriam’s Shells,”is signed“Abercrombie’51”and depicts the shell collection of Chicago Alderman Robert Merriam. A nationally recognized expert authenticated the work, confirming it as a piece by the renowned post-War surrealist.
The buyer’s discovery story is almost too perfect. While on a family vacation in Milwaukee, he took a detour and spotted his painting in an exhibition catalogue. That chance encounter kicked off the authentication process, and Freeman’s Auctions in New York is now handling the sale, where the piece could fetch up to $250,000. Zachary Wirsum, Head of Post War and Contemporary Art at Freeman’s, is overseeing the auction.
The painting’s history adds another layer. Abercrombie gave it to Dr. John Reynolds in 1952 as payment for an operation, meaning it spent more than seventy years quietly changing hands before landing at that estate sale. It’s a reminder that masterpieces don’t always announce themselves. What’s the best hidden gem you’ve ever stumbled across at a sale?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.