Hindman to Merge with Freeman’s Auction House

Chicago-based auction house Hindman will merge with Philadelphia’s Freeman’s Auctioneers & Appraisers, with the combined business to comprise six salesrooms and 18 regional offices throughout the US.

When the merger is complete, the new business, named Freeman’s | Hindman, will have “the largest coast-to-coast presence of any auction house in the United States,” the companies said Tuesday. There are also plans for Freeman’s — America’s oldest auction house, with a 218-year-history — and Hindman to combine and expand their digital infrastructure and offerings, as well as expand into international markets.

The new entity will be well-positioned in the upper-middle auction market, the companies asserted. Freeman’s | Hindman will open a 5,000-square-foot saleroom in New York this month at 32 East 67th St. For Freeman’s, this marks a return to maintaining a physical presence in New York. The move is in response to the strong demand in the New York art market, the combined company said.

“The merger strengthens our advantage in an increasingly competitive auction market and sets us up for continued growth across the United States and globally, especially with Freeman’s existing international relationship with Lyon & Turnbull [auction house in the UK],” said Jay Frederick Krehbiel, executive chairman of the new firm, who was formerly the CEO of Hindman. Alyssa D. Quinlan has been appointed as CEO of Freeman’s | Hindman. She was the chief business development officer at Hindman.

The combined company will have salerooms in Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; New York; Palm Beach, Florida; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.