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What and where is the oldest auction house in America?

  1. New York (Sotheby's)

  2. Boston (Skinner)

  3. Philadelphia (Freemans)

  4. Chicago (Heritage Auctions)

The correct answer is: Philadelphia (Freemans)

The correct answer is that the oldest auction house in America is located in Philadelphia and is known as Freeman's. Founded in 1805, Freeman's has been a significant institution in the American auction landscape, specializing in fine art, antiques, and collectibles. Its long history places it at the forefront of the auction business in the United States. Other auction houses, while notable, do not have the same historical significance in terms of longevity. Sotheby's, for example, originated in London and established a presence in New York later on, Skinner operates out of Boston and was founded in 1962, and Heritage Auctions is a more recent establishment based in Dallas and has a strong focus on collectibles. None of these hold the historical title of being the first auction house in the U.S.