Gertrude Abercrombie's Auction Record Jumps 33% With $1.35m Sale

3 min read · 05 Oct 2026

Alderman Merriam's Shells. Image courtesy of Freeman's

Gertrude Abercrombie, Alderman Merriam's Shells (1951) sold for $1.35m, more than nine times the low estimate at Freeman's in New York on October 1. The oil on masonite in original frame work has been traded once in the past.

The sale beat the artist’s previous auction record by $336,600, a 33% rise.

Message for Mercy (1950). Sold for $1.02m in 2025. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Silo at Aledo (1953). Sold for $864,100 in 2024. Image courtesy of Bonhams

The Magician (1956). Sold for $469,900 in 2024. Image courtesy of Freeman's | Hindman

The Dinosaur (1964). Sold for $387,500 in 2022. Image courtesy of Freeman's | Hindman

Giraffe (1954). Sold for $365,400 in 2021. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Night Arrives (1948). Sold for $149,000 in 2018. Image courtesy of Treadway Gallery

Slaughterhouse (1937). Sold for $100,000 in 2002. Image courtesy of Grogan & Company

Message for Mercy (1950). Sold for $1.02m in 2025. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

The previous record was set by Message for Mercy (1950), which sold for $1.02m at Sotheby's on November 21, 2025. The work had been traded 3 times in the past.

Sale Date	Title	Price	Record Increase	Venue	City
October 01, 2026	Alderman Merriam's Shells	$1.35m	33 %	Freeman's	New York
November 21, 2025	Message for Mercy	$1.02m	18 %	Sotheby's	New York
November 20, 2024	Silo at Aledo	$864,100	84 %	Bonhams	New York
September 25, 2024	The Magician	$469,900	21 %	Freeman's \| Hindman	-
February 17, 2022	The Dinosaur	$387,500	6 %	Freeman's \| Hindman	-
May 19, 2021	Giraffe	$365,400	145 %	Sotheby's	New York
November 18, 2018	Night Arrives	$149,000	49 %	Treadway Gallery	Cincinnati
November 05, 2002	Slaughterhouse	$100,000	-	Grogan & Company	Boston

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