Don Freeman Auction Prices and Value Guide

Don Freeman auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 365 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Don Freeman auction prices: quick answer

Don Freeman auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Don Freeman
Source records
365
Market update
2026-02-06

Don Freeman market snapshot

Don Freeman shows deep auction liquidity with 235 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $375. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 17 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2026-01-29.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (80.5% · 149 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (18.4% · 34 sales)
  • $10,000+ (1.1% · 2 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$700
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
17
Median shift vs prior year
+40.0%
Latest recorded sale
2026-01-29

Artist context

About Don Freeman

Born

1908

Died

1978

Nationality

American

Don Freeman (1908–1978) was an American painter, printmaker, cartoonist, and illustrator best known for his vivid depictions of New York City life and for authoring and illustrating beloved children's books. Born in San Diego, California, Freeman moved to New York where he became a keen observer of urban culture, frequently setting his work in and around Times Square. Active from the 1930s through the 1970s, he worked across fine art and commercial illustration, producing paintings, lithographic prints, editorial cartoons, and book illustrations. His children's books earned lasting popularity, while his paintings and prints of city scenes captured the energy and character of mid-century Manhattan. His family continues to steward his creative legacy through an official website and posthumous publications.

paintingprintmakingillustrationdrawingTimes Square and New York City urban scenesChildren's book illustrations

Common works and media

Collectors and appraisers may encounter Don Freeman's work in several forms: original oil and watercolor paintings of New York City street scenes, particularly Times Square; lithographic and other prints; editorial cartoons and drawings; and original illustrations created for his children's books. Preliminary sketches and manuscript drawings also circulate. His published children's books, while primarily collectible as literature, can carry added value when accompanied by original artwork or signed by the artist.

Market and appraisal context

Don Freeman's work appears at auction across several categories, including original paintings, prints, works on paper, and children's book illustration art. Collectors most frequently encounter his New York City urban scenes, which are his most recognizable fine-art subjects. Appraisal considerations include whether a work is an original painting, an original print, or a book illustration reproduction; the subject matter and period; provenance history; and condition. His dual career as fine artist and children's book author means his work may appear in both illustration-art and American-painting auction contexts. Consulting comparable public auction records and verifying attribution are recommended steps for any Freeman appraisal.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Value drivers

  1. Medium and technique: oil paintings and original prints generally carry more weight than reproductions or book illustrations
  2. Subject matter: works depicting his signature Times Square and New York City scenes are particularly recognizable
  3. Provenance and attribution: works with clear provenance from the artist's estate or verified exhibition history are more firmly attributable
  4. Children's book original illustrations and preliminary drawings represent a distinct collecting category

Appraisal caveats

  • No specific auction records or realized prices are available in the collected source pack; market observations above are based on the artist's documented media and subject categories.
  • Don Freeman's dual identity as both a fine artist and a children's book illustrator means works may appear in different auction categories with different buyer pools.
  • The collected sources do not include auction-house records; collectors should consult dedicated auction databases for comparable sale results.

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

Data basis

This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for Don Freeman

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Don Freeman worth?

Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.

Can Appraisily value my Don Freeman artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.