Cashing In On Betty Freeman

If this Roy Lichtenstein work that sold tonight at Phillips de Pury looks familiar that’s because it was part of Betty Freeman’s extraordinary sale at Christie’s in May of 2009 where an important collection served to beat back the misery of the credit crisis and financial panic gripping the world.

This Lichtenstein made just a hair under $2m at that sale. It was flipped tonight for a number near the low estimate—$3.44m but still enough to generate a solid 50% return in three years time.