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Norman Rockwell White House Quartet Hits Auction as Historical Association Bids

The nonprofit seeks to return the 1943 series to the collection following a court ruling that confirmed family ownership.

Overview

  • Heritage Auctions opened bidding in Dallas at $2.5 million, with estimates of $4 million to $6 million.
  • The auction house says clients are ready to compete for the one-of-a-kind four-panel narrative, So You Want to See the President!
  • The White House Historical Association relies on private donations and has previously paid at most $1.5 million for a painting.
  • Rockwell gave the drawings to FDR press secretary Stephen Early, and they hung in the West Wing from 1978 until their return in 2022.
  • A federal appeals court in May upheld ownership for descendant William Elam III, enabling the family to consign the works.