A forgotten masterpiece by surrealist Gertrude Abercrombie, titled “Alderman Merriam’s Shells,” has fetched an astonishing $1.35 million (approximately ₹13 crore) at auction, after being purchased for a mere $30 (around ₹2,900) at a Michigan estate sale. This remarkable sale, facilitated by Freeman’s auction house, establishes a new record for Abercrombie’s work.
Discovery in a Dark Corner
The 8-by-11-inch painting, created in 1951, had been out of public view for nearly 75 years. It was found tucked away in a "dark corner" of a hallway during a July estate sale in Michigan. The astute buyer, described as a "longtime hunter of record albums and mid-century furniture," spotted a barely visible signature reading "Abercrombie, ‘51," leading to the incredible discovery.
Following the purchase, the buyer even redirected a family vacation to visit the Milwaukee Art Museum, where an Abercrombie exhibition was on display. A 1952 Chicago Tribune clipping within the exhibition catalogue notably featured the painting alongside the real-life shells it depicted.
Authentication and Restoration
Art history professor Susan Weininger of Roosevelt University, a renowned Abercrombie expert, authenticated the painting, which was still in its original frame. Julian Baumgartner, an art restorer, subsequently cleaned the artwork. He described it as being in "perfect condition" beneath layers of grime and clouded varnish, stating, "It was drab, missing its life, but now cleaned, retouched, and revarnished, it’s alive and radiant."
Abercrombie's Legacy and Rising Market
“Alderman Merriam’s Shells,” depicting ten seashells – a recurring motif in Abercrombie’s art – appeared in six of her solo exhibitions between 1951 and 1953. The artist never sold the piece, instead gifting it to a doctor in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in exchange for medical services. It later passed down through the doctor’s estate before reaching the recent sale.
Freeman’s had initially estimated the painting’s value between $150,000 and $250,000. The final sale price of $1.35 million significantly surpassed this, setting a new auction record for Abercrombie. This record follows Sotheby’s 2025 sale of her work “Message for Mercy” for $1.02 million. Gertrude Abercrombie, who passed away in 1977, was largely self-taught and celebrated for her dream-like works and her vibrant Chicago salons that hosted jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.