Petroliana and automobilia at Check the Oil auction, June 23 in Dublin, Ohio Hundreds of examples of petroliana (gas station collectibles) and automobilia – to include porcelain and tin signs, countertop displays, cardboard advertising, globes and more – will be sold June 23rd
fighters. Tragically, the Akron went down in a storm, killing 73 people.
The third item of interest is a Red Rooster Fruit and Produce single-sided porcelain sign, 20 inches in diameter (est. $5,000-$7,000). “We see the Red Rooster sign like this from time to time, but usually in horrible condition,” Matthews said. “This one’s rated 9 and should do well.”
And the fourth lot sure to generate bidder buzz is an exceedingly rare Texaco Easy Pour Can single-sided porcelain sign, advertising the two-quart sized can and boasting great graphics (est. $6,000-$8,000). “This is the best example of this sign I’ve ever seen,” Matthews said of the 15 inch by 16 inch piece. “It’s rated 9+ and would be a 10 except for a few minor factory flaws.”
Other Texaco lots in the sale will include a seldom seen curved ad glass for the National A-38 gas pump, rated 8 and showing the Fire Chief Gasoline graphic with fireman’s helmet; a Texaco Gasoline Filling Station single-sided porcelain sign, 42 inches in diameter, rated 9; and a Texaco “No Smoking” single-sided porcelain sign with Texas company logo, rated highly at 9+.
Neon signs, light-up signs and globes will feature a small neon United Motors Service single-sided porcelain neon sign with touring car graphic, rated 9, in excellent working order; a Mercury Made Sunoco Motor Oil porcelain light-up oil bottle display with two glass inserts, three oil bottle racks and 18 Sunoco bottles; and a nice Yellow Ripple Gill globe body, rated 9+.
Oil signs will include a Petro Oil Burner single-sided porcelain sign with early tanker truck graphics, 30 inches by 21 inches, rated 8.5; an Ace High Motor Oil single-sided tin embossed sign with great early car and airplane graphics, 14 inches by 20 inches, rated 7.75; and a Conoco Germ Processed Motor Oil double-sided porcelain curb sign with logo, rated 9.75/9+.
Rounding out just some of the day’s expected top lots: a rare United Motor Service two-piece single-sided porcelain sign, made for neon with articulating wheels, 58 inches by 96 inches, rated 7.5 with excellent gloss and color; and a McCormick-Deering Service double-sided porcelain sign with radiator graphics and great gloss and color, 24 inches by 32 inches, rated 8.5.
Matthews Auctions, LLC has several other blockbuster events planned for the balance of the summer. A two-day event will be held July 6-7 at the Wakonda Legion Hall in Wakonda, S.D. The July 6 session will feature a massive automobile sales literature auction, while July 7 will be dedicated to the sale of a collection of gas, oil and automobile signs and memorabilia.
Then, on Sunday, July 29, important petroliana, early automobile parts and railroad collections from Minnesota and Tennessee will cross the block in Raymond, Ill. Nothing will be shipped from this auction until after the Iowa Gas Show auction that Matthews Auctions will be conducting on Friday, August 3. That event will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, in conjunction with the popular Iowa Gas Show.
