Miller & Miller's February 28 - March 2 Auctions Featured Petroliana, Soda Advertising, Push Bars

An Indian Motorcycles neon dealership sign, made in America in the 1930s or ‘40s, climbed to $112,100, a Texaco Marine Motor Oil double-sided porcelain sign from 1953 achieved $21,240, and a Canadian single-sided metal door push bar for Stubby Beverages hit $6,490 in auctions held Feb. 28-March 2 by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.

All prices are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyer’s premium. All three days of auctions were online-only, with Internet bidding on LiveAuctioneers.com as well as the Miller & Miller website (MillerandMillerAuctions.com). Telephone and absentee bids were also accepted.

Things got going on February 28th, with a Soda Advertising & Push Bars auction, nicknamed ‘When push comes to shove’. It was a high-grade, fresh-to-market offering of over 100 push bars, door pushes and soda advertising. Most of the push bars came from the same 50-year collection. It included examples from Stubby, Co-op, Peer’s, Cloverdale and Lyons’ Tea.

Many of the higher-ticket items came up for bid on March 1st and 2nd, during the Petroliana & Advertising auction – nearly 600 lots in total. Saturday was called ‘a Bud thing’ because it contained the exclusive collection of the late Arthur ‘Bud’ Irving. Sunday featured petroliana, soda and county store advertising. Many items had been held by private collectors for decades.

“Texaco and Irving collectors rose to the occasion to grab a piece from Bud’s vast collection,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. “High-grade racks and pumps were bringing spectacular numbers - and as always, porcelain was king. Sunday’s sale of premier advertising resulted in some record highs in soda and petroliana. The upper limits for signs grading 9 and above seem limitless. We saw spirited bidding all day.”

The overall expected top lot of the three days was the Indian Motorcycles neon dealership sign, and it did not disappoint. It was a stunning piece of motorcycle and advertising history and it breezed past the $50,000-$60,000 pre-sale estimate to top six figures. Graded 8.25 out of 10 for condition and impressive at 66 ½ inches by 35 ½ inches, the sign boasted strong color and gloss.

The detailed nautical scene in the Texaco Marine Motor Oil double-sided porcelain sign, made in America in 1953, put the sign among the most desirable and highly sought after of all the Texaco signs. Graded 9.09/9.25 in excellent condition and measuring 11 inches by 21 ½ inches, the sign was expected to hit $20,000-$25,000 and a lucky bidder scored it for just above the low estimate.

The 3 inch by 32 ¼ inch Stubby Beverages single-sided metal door push bar, made in Canada in the 1950s, the orange script version and marked “WS 208” lower right, came into the sale with a modest $800-$1,000 estimate, but bidders took note of its 8.5 grade and eye-catching graphics.

Following are additional highlights from the auction, which grossed $1,182,006. A total of 977 online bidders placed a combined 18,407 bids. 100 percent of all lots were sold all three days. 46 percent of the top 50 lots exceeded estimate on Day 1; 80 percent of the top 50 lots exceeded estimate on Day 2; and 94 percent of the top 50 lots exceeded estimate on Day 3.

A Canadian 1946 McColl-Frontenac Gasoline Service Station double-sided porcelain sign, round and a monumental six feet in diameter, graded 8.25/8.5 and marked “P&M 46” to the lower edge, sold within estimate for $19,470. The sign had an estimate of $15,000-$20,000. 

Stubby Beverages made the list of top lots twice. In addition to the door push bar on Day 1, a Stubby Orange “Exploding Six-Pack” single-sided tin sign, Canadian, 1950s, 19 ¼ inches by 27 ¼ inches, graded 9.25, gaveled for $15,930 on Day 3, besting the high estimate of $4,000. 

An Irving IOKA Motor Oil bottle rack, made in Canada in the 1930s, consisting of four single-sided porcelain panels, with an overall size of 23 ¾ inches by 19 inches by 20 ½ inches, sold within estimate for $11,800. The rack was in excellent shape and showed great color and gloss. 

A Texaco “New” Motor Oil double-sided tin curb sign, made in America in the 1930s, the cast base embossed with “Property of The Texas Company”, graded 9.25/9.0, went for $11,210. The 30 inch by 30 inch sign, with a repainted frame and base, had a meager $1,800 high estimate.

A rare Canadian 1930s single-sided porcelain convex door push sign for Lyons’ Tea, graded well at 9.25 and exhibiting wonderful color and gloss, with all the original grommets intact on the 10 inch by 3 inch door push sign, had a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$2,500 but finished at $3,835.

A hard-to-find Co-Op Service Station single-sided metal door push bar (“Where membership is open to all”), made in Canada in the 1960s, 3 ½ inches by 29 ¼ inches, graded 9, made $2,950.

With the Feb. 28-March 2 auctions officially in the books, Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. has a full slate of other upcoming online-only auctions, to include the following:

- March 29: Firearms & Sporting, featuring the G. Wayne Connor collection

- April 12: East Coast Canadiana & Folk Art, featuring the Chris Huntington collection.

- May 3: Pop Culture – Comics, Toys and Music Memorabilia

- June 5: Luxury Watches

To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auctions, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.

About Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.:
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in watches and jewelry, art, antiques and high-value collectibles. Its mission is to provide collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell. To consign a single piece, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions and their calendar of upcoming auctions, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.

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