PHILADELPHIA, PA.- On Wednesday, March 13, 2019, Freeman’s presented an exciting single-owner sale of Antiquities & Tribal Art from renowned New York and Hollywood talent agent Jeff Hunter (1926-2018). Comprising just shy of 50 lots, the sale garnered significant interest from both national and international buyers, achieving an impressive 100% sell-through rate and totaling $536,426, more than double its pre-sale high estimate.

Hunter bought from high quality sources so the emergence of his collection at auction represented an exciting moment for the market. As such, nearly two-thirds of the lots sold above their estimates, with many highlights emerging from the auction. Top price was achieved by a Roman carved marble life-sized torso of Diomedes (Lot 34, Estimate: $20,000-30,000), which, after spirited bidding, ultimately earned $106,250. Other Roman marbles performed very well, including a carved marble torso of the “Spinario”, dating from the 1st century BC-1st century AD (Lot 23, Estimate: $30,000-50,000), which realized $93,750, and a Roman head of Alexander the Great as Helios (Lot 30, Estimate: $10,000-15,000), from the 2nd century AD, that earned over five times its low estimate and sold for $62,500.

Other notable results include a Central Indian torso of a celestial being (Lot 35, Estimate: $2,000-3,000), circa 10th century AD, which sold for $20,800 and an over life-sized sculpture of Buddha (Lot 39, Estimate: $30,000-50,000) from the 1st-2nd century AD, which achieved $59,375. A group of Anatolian carved marble idols dating from circa 2,700-2,100 BC sold for several times their original estimates: Lot 14 (Estimate: $600-800) garnered $7,150; Lot 15 (Estimate: $600800) sold for $6,500; and Lot 16 (Estimate: $800-1,200), of schematic human form from the renowned Ishiguro Collection, realized a remarkable $13,000.

The white glove auction of the Jeff Hunter Collection is testimony to Freeman’s success with refined single-owner collections. “We are very encouraged by the results of this single-owner sale,” remarked Chairman Alasdair Nichol, “as it demonstrates our ability to present, showcase and successfully sell quality and fresh-to-market private collections and to achieve exceptional prices in Philadephia for property found in New York.”