Ron Wallace Collection to be sold by Showtime Oct. 2-4 The Ron Wallace Collection -- an amazing accumulation of vintage advertising, gambling, saloon, brothel, country store and general store items -- will be sold Oct. 2-4 by Showtime Auction Services.
News-Antique.com - Aug 04,2009 - (ANN ARBOR, Mich.) – After skipping its customary live spring sale to conduct a catalog auction, Showtime Auction Services will return this fall to stage a remarkable three day event with the entire collection of Ron Wallace, a dedicated collector for over 30 years and former president of shipping giant UPS. Mr. Wallace has turned his focus to opening a chain of Celtic Pubs and serving as Captain of the Alpharetta Police department. All of the Pubs are decorated with original antique fixtures and he has found that searching for these fixtures has replaced his desire to continue growing his collection of fine antiques.
In addition to this fabulous collection will be about 1,000 other lots of investment-grade antiques and collectibles from several other prominent collectors. The auction is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 2-4.
The auction will be held at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road in Ann Arbor, Mich., the venue of choice for Showtime Auction Services over the past several years. The firm only conducts two sales annually and they must be held somewhere commensurate with the size and importance of the auction. In the case of the Oct. 2-4 sale, no small auction hall would have sufficed.
Ron Wallace himself is a larger-than-life figure, with a 44,000-square-foot home in suburban Atlanta. It’s where he houses his massive collection of vintage advertising, gambling, saloon, brothel, country store and general store items – 800 lots in all. These are displayed in a mind boggling, full scale replica of Tombstone, Arizona as it existed in 1892.
Mr. Wallace enlisted Rick Clark who has done work for Six Flags of America to construct 14 facades (storefront replicas) for one wing of his home. It consists of over 200 running feet and stands 27 feet tall. Other great items will include a Brunswick Balke & Collander front and back bar, circa 1890. This is the desirable mahogany L.A. model, featuring two hand carved, full bodied nudes and matching liquor cabinet.
In addition to the collection of Mr. Wallace the sale will also feature gambling, toys, advertising, barber shop, country store, soda fountain, paintings, western memorabilia, coin-op, trade signs, folk art and many other surprises, about 1,800 lots in all. A crowd of between 400 and 500 people is expected (typical for a Showtime Auction). Phone, internet and absentee bids will be accepted on Saturday and Sunday but only live audience members can bid on Friday. Online bidding will be facilitated by iCollector and LiveAuctioneers.
One lot sure to turn heads is a Moxiemobile car, a later replica of the vehicles first created in 1915 by Frank Archer to advertise and promote the soft drink Moxie. Originally known as the Moxie Horsemobile, there were several Moxiemobiles on American roads in the 1930’s, mainly in parades. The example to be sold is a Rolls Royce version Moxiemobile with a Ford engine. It’s in excellent condition.
Advertising signs include a National Fine Beers tin sign (New Orleans, La.), made by
