(RAYMOND, Ill.) – An outstanding Texaco Marine Lubricants single-sided porcelain sign, made in 1959 and rated 9.25 out of 10 for overall condition, sold for $6,325 at a two-day, three-session sale held Nov. 6-7 by Matthews Auctions, LLC, based in Nokomis, Ill. The auction was held at the gallery of Gavin Pope Auction, with whom Matthews Auctions often partners.

The sign – measuring 15 inches by 30 inches and featuring a ships and speedboats graphic, with great gloss and color – was the top lot in an auction that saw a staggering 1,500+ lots cross the block over the course of the three rings (sessions) and two days. And since many of the lots were sold in multiples, the final tally of items sold may actually have hit the 3,000 mark.

Headlining the event were the estates of Joe Srholez of Sussex, N.J., and Art Childers of Evansville, Ind., plus Part 2 of the sale of the oil bottle collection of Ron Throckmorton. The Nov. 6 session had 500 lots of petroliana and automobilia signs (to include porcelain, painted steel and cardboard), gas pumps, globes, soda machines, oil and additive cans, and other items.

Nov. 7 was split into two sessions, each one comprising around 500 lots. Session 1 featured a variety of oil and additive cans, original Packard artwork for magazine ads, several radiator mascots, Model A and other brand showroom posters, postcards and various automotive-related literature. Session 2, held later the same day, was dedicated almost entirely to toy cars.

These included nearly 50 lots of promotional toy cars, Metal Craft trucks, Steelcraft blimps and Mack pedal trucks. The session also featured over 100 lots of Japanese tin litho cars, trucks, airplanes and more (some new in the box), German toys (including Bing, Lehmann and others), an Arcade gas pump, toy gas stations and an original Scwhinn Black Phantom bicycle.

“This was a successful auction by any measure,” said Dan Matthews of Matthews Auctions, LLC. “Attendance was high both days, the phones were ringing and around 45 percent of the successful bids were either online or absentee. The Internet bidding, facilitated by Proxibid and LiveAuctioneers.com, attracted winning bids from Europe, Australia, Canada and the U.S.”

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.

Three lots from Nov. 6, Session 1 (aside from the Texaco sign) topped the $4,000 mark. A Ford anniversary crest neon single-sided porcelain rolled edge die-cut sign, rated 8.9, made $4,950; a United Motor Service single-sided porcelain die-cut arrow sign with early touring car graphic rose to $4,950; and an Oilzum Motor Oil single-sided tin sign, framed, broight $4,510.

A Francisco Auto Heater “Summer Here All the Year” single-sided tin sign with great cutaway car graphics, framed and rated 9+, breezed to $3,410; a Genuine Ethyl gas globe with great graphic, a 9.5-rated 13-inch lens and a new Capco globe body gaveled for $3,300; and a Hoosier Pete 100 Regular Gasoline glass gas globe with 13.5-inch lens, rated 6.5, hit $3,310.

A Texaco Certified Lubrication die-cut cardboard sign, 37 inches by 24 inches, with Marfak cardboard easel back display, rated 8.9, topped out at $2,970; a Weed Chains “As Necessary As Gasoline” single-sided tin sign with wood back, rated 7.5, with price wheel, rose to $2,530; and a Gulf Gasoline and Supreme Auto Oil single-sided tin sign, rated 8, hit $2,420.

A “We Sell Socony Motor Gasoline” porcelain flange sign, 24 inches by 20 inches, both sides rated 9, garnered $2,310; a Michelin Bibendum, 11 inches tall, sitting on top of a small air compressor, in very good condition despite a broken dial, realized $1,430; and a Defiance Spark Plugs “Your Engine Knows” double-sided tin flange sign, both sides rated 9, went for $1,430.

The top lots of Session 2 (Nov. 7) were a Sinclair Opaline Motor Oil 1-gallon flat metal can with an early open wheel race car graphic, with good color; and a Manhattan Trop-Artic Oil half-gallon flat metal can with early sedan graphic, rated 9. Both pieces brought a respectable $3,300. Also, a 1910 print on oil cloth of an Oldsmobile Racing A Train commanded $2,475.

Also from Session 2, Nov. 7: A Standard Oil of Indiana Polarine Motor Oil one-gallon flat metal can with early touring car summer-winter scene, rated 7/8, brought $1,980; an oil on canvas rendering of a Packard Phaeton Deluxe convertible car, for a magazine ad, coasted to $1,760; and a Standard Oil of New Jersey Polarine Gear Oil one-gallon flat metal can hit $1,650.

A Wonder-Mist Cleanser and Polisher half-gallon flat metal can with limousine graphic, both sides rated 9, climbed to $1,072.50; a 1957 Chevrolet full-line showroom catalog filled with color plates, rated 9, fetched $770; and a 1922 framed print of a “Careful Crossing Campaign” showing a car about to be hit by a train at a train crossing, 30 inches by 36 inches, rose to $770.

The top lot of Session 3, Nov. 7 (all toys), was a West German-made Gama 300 Cadillac four-door sedan tin litho friction-power toy car, 12 inches long, rated 8.5 with good paint. It sold for $852.50. Runner-ups were an Arcade “Andy Gump” cast iron car, rated 7 with paint wear ($770); and a Marx Sparkling Rocket fighter ship tin litho wind-up toy, 12 inches long ($715).

Other star lots from Session 3 included a Fontaine Fox Toonerville tin litho wind-up trolley by Dent, new in the box, 5 inches long ($632.50); a large 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air 2-door Japanese tin litho friction car, 15.5 inches long and rated 8.5, with very light wear ($605); and a tin litho wind-up toy Vespa Scooter with sidecar and riders, 6 inches long, rated 6.5 ($935).

Matthews Auctions, LLC’s next big auction will be held Saturday, Dec. 11, at 10 a.m. (CST), also at the Gavin Pope gallery (at 823 North O’Bannon in Raymond, Ill.). Offered will be hundreds of antiques, toys and advertising items, many of which would make excellent holiday presents. Online bidding again will be facilitated by Proxibid.com and LiveAuctioneers.com.
Matthews Auctions, LLC is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, estate or a collection, you may call them toll-free, at (877) 968-8880. Or, you can e-mail them at danm@matthewsauctions.com. To learn more about the firm and its calendar of events, to include the big Dec. 11 auction in Raymond, Ill., log on to MatthewsAuctions.com.

Some current live auctions for oil and gas signs on eBay:

sign (Category: Gas & Oil ): sign (Category: Gas & Oil )

• Vintage Pair Contains Lead Porcelain Gas Pump Signs

US $61.00 (12 Bids) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:30:34 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• ~~GULFLEX WHEEL BEARING GREASE PORCELAIN STRIP SIGN~~ NICE…

US $79.95 (1 Bid) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:36:41 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• ~~UNION 76 PORCELAIN WELL SIGN~~ L@@K…

US $61.99 (4 Bids) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:39:33 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• VINTAGE RICHFIELD GASOLINE OIL DEALERSHIP METAL SIGN DATED 30 YEAR AWARD PLAQUE

US $127.50 (9 Bids) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:41:01 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Nice Steel Replica 31″ x 21.5″ Pennzoil Gas Oil Sign Gas Pump Oil Vintage Style

US $91.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:42:10 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Pep Boys/Vintage oil can/Route 66/Neon Sign

US $96.00 (3 Bids) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:42:10 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• RARE VINTAGE 1950s 60s METAL TIN GULF OIL GAS STATION MOTOR OIL SIGN GulfPride 2

US $99.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:48:39 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Pep Boys/Vintage oil can/Route 66/Lighted Sign

US $75.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:49:06 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• RARE VINTAGE 1950s 60s METAL – TIN GULF OIL GAS STATION MOTOR OIL SIGN GulfPride

US $99.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:49:44 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Gorgeous! Old! SINCLAIR OIL Oil/Gas Porcelain Sign w/DINOSAUR!

US $78.44 (8 Bids) End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 17:52:12 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Yahoo! News
Thu Sep 18, 2008

“Several rare and significant neon signs, memorabilia and service station items to be offered at the Mecum muscle car auction in St. Charles, IL

Marengo, IL (PRWEB) September 18, 2008 — The Mecum muscle car auction at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois on October 3-5, 2008 will be the site of one of the largest sales of automotive-related vintage neon, metal and porcelain signs, memorabilia and service station items (also know as “petroliana”) to be held this year. Over 175 individual lots are expected to be sold.”

Read the Full Story >>

Dwight Stevens described the October 20 auction as “a man’s sale” because so many of the items in the single-owner collection relate to cars, motorcycles, petroliana, knives and weaponry. The collector, a resident of Canton, Miss., has consigned more than 500 lots. His rifle, shotgun and handgun collection alone would be a show-stopper at most other sales. About 300 guns will be sold.

“About 30 of the firearms are antiques,” Mr. Stevens pointed out, “but most are field-ready, for hunting purposes. All are in immaculate condition, well-oiled and beautifully maintained.” Featured will be examples from world-renowned makers like Winchester, Remington and Colt. There is also a Winchester Model 9432 rifle (ca. 1890), as well as high-powered rifles, small boot guns and derringers.

Over 150 collector knives will be offered, most by major manufacturers and some from collector editions of Southern favorites such as John Deere, John Wayne and Elvis Presley. Military swords will also be sold. And the selection of petroliana advertising signs is breathtaking, with some forgotten names like Delco and Red Crown, as well as some old familiar faces like Shell and Pennzoil.

Previews will be held the day before each sale, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Both sales will be held at Stevens’ showroom, at 609 No. Meridian Street in Aberdeen, Miss.

For more information, visit the Stevens Auction website at www.stevensauction.com.

Gas Station Collectibles, Old Toys, Railroad Memorabilia from the private collection of Oscar and Linda Hayes

Over 400 Lots to be sold!
Preview: Friday, March 24 from 2:00 to 6:00 PM and 8:30 AM on Auction Day

Live Online Bidding Available

Online catalog here at http://www.proxibid.com/asp/Catalog.asp?aid=3702

Auction gallery is located at 44777 St. Rt. 18 E. Wellington, Ohio 44090

Auction lots include:

- Signs including Pennzoil, Mail Pouch Chewing Tobacco Thermometer, En-Ar-Co Motor Oil Thermometer, Amalie Motor Oil, Valvoline, Oilzum, Fire-chief Texaco, Power-lube, Unoco, Ford Motor and more.

- Oil bottles racked and singles including Dover, BOE, Marquette, Jay B. Rhodes, Caltex, Staminol, Solvol, Esso, Littauer, Valvoline, Essolube, etc.

- Hundreds of toys including automobiles, construction/farm equipment by Nylint, Hubley, Tonka, Sun Rubber, Tootsietoy, Ertl, Tonka, Wyandotte, Marx, Chein, Midgetoy, Auburn, Lansing, Arcade, Dinky, Structo, Doepke, Heil Co., Cortland, Slik, Buddy L.

- Over 40 Railroad lanterns including Dressel, Adlake, Dietz, Keystone, Hanlan, for numerous railroads. Also, Railroad Locks.

- Over 100 Oil Cans including Sinclair, Gulf, Mobile, MacMillan, Gargoyle, Par-O-Vis, Amalie, Enco, Penn, Veedol, StaLube, Texaco, Kendall, Midland, Chemcoa, Shell, Castrol, Valvoline, Wynns, Atlantic, Cen-Pe-Co, Monarch, Oilzum, Centennial, Sohio and more.

- Also, Kendall 2000 Mile metal display cart, gas pump globes, stoplight, car and motor oil can coin banks, vintage sleds, display cases and other related items.