Auction-room fireworks expected at Morphy’s June 22-23 auction of George Moyer collection George Moyer's spectacular 40-year collection of vintage firecracker packs, labels and other pyrotechnic rarities will be auctioned June 22-23 at Morphy's in Denver, Pennsylvania.
News-Antique.com - Jun 13,2012 - DENVER, Pa. – Fourth of July celebrations will begin early this year, with Morphy’s June 22-23 auction of the spectacular George Moyer collection of antique and vintage firecrackers.
Known and revered by “pyromaniacs” throughout the United States and abroad, Moyer’s 40-year collection consists of thousands of rare firecracker packs and label, salutes, consumer novelties, sparklers, caps and smaller tubed items. Additionally, there are posters, catalogs and salesmen’s sample boards, which were created to display products available to retailers in days gone by. One such catalog was published in the 19th century by Rochester Firework Co.
The entire, unpicked collection will be apportioned into more than 1,300 colorful lots, some containing multiple pieces. While the main focus of the collection is American-made fireworks, there are also items from England, India and Canada.
Moyer, who is a native and lifelong resident of Pottsville, Pa., owns an amusement machine company. “I made my fun my work,” he said with a laugh.
Moyer began collecting fireworks-related items at age 10. “I spotted a label on a pack where some boys were shooting off firecrackers. I picked it up and thought it was neat, so I started picking up more labels the same way, looking for them where kids were shooting them off,” he said.
In the early 1970s when Moyer acquired his first pack, there were no organized groups of collectors or publications devoted to the hobby. Collectors found each other through ads or would run into each other at general antique shows or toy shows, he said.
“Eventually we formed a little trading group, but it wasn’t till much later that there were collector club conventions,” said Moyer. “I would find things at antique shops, paper shows, through antique dealers, all sorts of methods. At yard sales I would always ask if they had any old firecrackers for sale. Of course, once the Internet became available, it opened up the whole hobby.”
Moyer’s interest in fireworks never waned. After completing high school and a stint in the military, he hooked up with a friend who had a professional fireworks company in New Jersey. Over the years, he has maintained his association with the company and is a licensed pyrotechnician who can legally set off fireworks at public events. “To this day, I still fire them off,” Moyer said.
Some of the earliest items contained in the Moyer collection are Chinese black-powder (gunpowder) firecrackers from the early 1800s. They are identifiable from their distinctive red labels with gold print. Black-powder firecrackers were phased out when flash crackers – which “blew up better” – were introduced, Moyer said.
The Moyer collection contains scores of rare labels that are sure to appeal to collectors. “I have many things in my collection that I believe most of my fellow collectors don’t even know exist,” said Moyer, who included selections from his personal stash in the beautiful full-color reference book he co-authored in 2000: Firecrackers – The Art & History.
