PHILADELPHIA, PA.- It was one of Joseph Sorger's last wishes to have his estate sold at auction at Freeman's, a venue at which he had procured much of his collection. Tuesday, that wish was realized, and with great success. A full sale room, over 17 busy phone lines, and 294 online bidders indicated the interest of buyers in Sorger and his notable estate.

Unpredicted action was seen on a number of pieces at the auction, including many lots of Asian art, and culminating in the pinnacle sale: the second to last item up for auction. The painting was by The French School, circa 1800, of Coriolanus, which fetched $46,600 more than 30 times the estimated value.

The sale of Sorger's estate clearly attracted attention due to not only the quality of his collection, but also due to the legacy of his personality. Kate Molets, the Exhibition Manager for the sale, mentioned that "As people came through the exhibition (held at Sorger's home at 2003 Delancy), they often mentioned the stories Sorger would tell about each of his pieces. Sorger had a story for nearly every piece."