Morphy Auctions

Mike Fredericks joins the Morphy Auctions team from James D. Julia and is our Department Head for the Fine and Decorative Arts Division. Mike is a 13-year veteran with the company, most recently as Julia’s Department Head for the Rare Lamps, Glass and Jewelry division, specializing in 20^th century lighting and art glass of the Victorian, Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods.  Prior to this position, he was the Operations Manager and Staff Supervisor of James D. Julia, overseeing logistics and production workflow for the organization. Mike previously worked in the commercial printing industry, having been an Account Executive and Manager for a leading New England company with a niche in the auction catalog market. His love of history, photography, experience with production management, and fascination with the auction process made for a natural transition to our industry. Mike has been a licensed auctioneer since 2011.

A U.S. Army Veteran, Mike graduated from various Professional Development and Leadership schools during his five years of service as a Non-Commissioned Officer, and proudly served during the Gulf War of 1990/1991. Following his military commitment, Mike earned certifications from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, serving both as a Sheriff’s Deputy and Corrections Supervisor.

Noted art dealer Patrick Orbe has joined Morphy Auctions’ team of experts as special consultant to the company’s Fine Art department. In his new position with Morphy’s, Orbe will oversee all fine art consignments, assessing and cataloging works for authenticity, attribution, condition and value. Additionally, he will manage all consignor and buyer relationships that pertain to fine art entrusted to Morphy’s.

Based in Bergen County, New Jersey, Orbe has been an established art dealer in the New York metro area for the past 23 years, advising and selling mostly to a private clientele. He operates his business by appointment only from a gallery space in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. His educational credentials include continuing scholarship at The Art Students League of New York, Pratt Phoenix School of Design, NYU School of Continuing Education, and Bergen Community College (N.J.).

Orbe’s métier is American and European art of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a particular expertise in Hudson River school, modern period, contemporary and French academic paintings. Orbe also works with living artists who are launching or developing their careers. His stellar network of contacts in the trade includes a number of prestigious galleries.

“We are especially pleased that Patrick has joined our team of experts,” said Morphy Auctions CEO Dan Morphy. “His knowledge and connections will enable us to build a strong Fine Art department, an aspect of our business that is going to become increasingly important to us. Some do not realize that Morphy’s is a full-service auction house with a roundtable of top specialists managing our departments. The only missing link was someone highly knowledgeable in fine art who could handle the influx of art consignments coming to us from estates and other consignors. We found the perfect person for the job in Patrick.”

Peter joined Morphy auctions in 2008 as a consultant cataloguing antique and modern silver, and now heads the silver division. For over fifteen years he acted as a collector’s agent and advisor, buying antique silver in London and South- Eastern England for several private collectors, and he continues to keep in contact with the London silver trade. Peter began as a spoon collector in his late teens, with a special interest in silver hallmarks. He has a BA in History and Art History from William & Mary,a Diploma from the Royal Society of Arts in London from the Christies Fine Arts Course, and is a member of the Silver Society (London). He continues to advise private clients on acquisitions of English and American silver, as well as preparing appraisals and inventories.