A painting bought for $30 at a Michigan estate sale has sold for $1.35 million at auction. The work, identified as Gertrude Abercrombie’s Alderman Merriam’s Shells (1951), set a new auction record for the late American painter.
The 8-by-11-inch piece sold at Freeman’s Post-War & Contemporary Art sale on October 1, far surpassing its $150,000–$250,000 estimate. The sale highlights Abercrombie’s rising prominence in the art market, driven by renewed interest in her psychologically charged, spare scenes.
From Garage Find to Record-Setter
The collector who purchased the painting for $30 is a vintage furniture and vinyl records enthusiast. They spotted the work hanging near a garage at the estate sale. Months later, they recognized it in an archival image from the Milwaukee Art Museum’s touring exhibition, Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery.
The painting was authenticated by Susan Weininger, an Abercrombie scholar. Research traced its history to John Reynolds, a Kalamazoo doctor who received it from Abercrombie in exchange for medical services. It remained in his family for decades before resurfacing at the estate sale.
A Glimpse into Abercrombie’s Evolution
The work, Alderman Merriam’s Shells, depicts nine shells across a muted environment. It bears the inscription “abercrombie ‘51” in the lower left corner. Zachary Wirsum, Freeman’s senior vice president, noted its significance in Abercrombie’s Surrealist evolution, particularly the cracked nautilus shell at center left, which became a recurring motif in her later works.
Abercrombie, who often operated outside traditional art-market structures, has seen her work gain visibility since 2018, with museum exhibitions and growing market interest. Her Midwestern roots and ties to Chicago’s artistic and jazz communities have contributed to her reevaluation as a key figure in midcentury American painting.
A Remarkable Transformation
For the collector, it’s a sign of the value of keen observation and the enduring allure of Abercrombie’s work.
The sale also reflects Abercrombie’s growing market presence. Alderman Merriam’s Shells became her first work to exceed $1 million at the hammer, marking a significant milestone for the artist’s legacy.