Miller & Miller's Auctions held May 21-25 Featured A wide Variety of Collectibles Grossed $1 Million

A rare, Canadian early 1900s 3 Strikes Cut Plug pocket tobacco tin, one of the most important pieces of Canadian tobacco history, was the overall top lot in five days of auctions held May 21st-25th by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. The tin came into the May 25th auction with a $10,000-$12,000 pre-sale estimate but ended up bringing $64,900. 

All prices in this report are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyer’s premium. 

The first three sales were online-only, with no live webcast portion. They included a Toys, Banks & Beatles Memorabilia auction on May 21st, featuring the Christopher Dennett collection; a Vintage Comics & Comic Art auction on May 22nd; and a Soda Advertising & Push Bars ‘When Push Comes to Shove’ auction May 23rd, featuring Part 1 of the Glenn Buchanan collection. 

The last two auctions were also online-only, but bidders could tune in to the live webcast to watch lots close in real time. They included a Petroliana, Automobilia & Advertising auction on May 24th, featuring the Wayne Woods collection; and a Soda, Tobacco & General Store Advertising auction on May 25th, featuring Part 2 of the Glenn Buchanan collection. 

It’s a common fact that every collector in every category strives to acquire the “holy grail,” “the best of the best” and “the rarest of the rare” to add to their collections. The vertical, flip-lid 3 Strikes pocket tobacco tin checked all those boxes, and was in excellent condition, with colors that were vibrant and glossy. Also, it appealed to collectors in a variety of collecting categories. 

The true sleeper lot of the five days also came on Day 5. It was a Canadian 1940s Sweet Caporal Cigarettes single-sided lithographed tin sign, featuring an image of the “Majorette,” the longtime symbol of Sweet Caporal cigarettes. The 60 ½ inch by 18 ¼ inch sign, as much a beautiful piece of art as a tobacco and advertising collectible, brought $16,520, against a $3,000 high estimate. 

Following are additional highlights from the five auctions, ones in which 1,092 total lots came up for bid, with an overall gross of a little more than $1.055 million (including the buyer’s premium). The 1,176 registered bidders combined to place 21,337 total bids. Internet bidding was provided by the Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. website, as well as LiveAuctioneers.com. 

Staying with May 25th, two other items were noteworthy, as both surpassed the high estimate. One was a Canadian 1920s single-sided lithographed tin sign with a wood frame for Wilson’s Bachelor Cigars (“100% Havana Filler”). The 36 ½ inch by 60 ¾ inch sign depicted a refined gentleman in period clothing, lighting his cigar. Graded well at 8.5, the sign fetched $7,080. 

The other was an early and rare rolled-tin Taxi pocket tobacco tin, circa the 1910s, from the Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada, founded in 1906. Without question, it was one of the best examples of an iconic and highly sought-after Canadian pocket tin, sure to display nicely in the collection of the winning bidder, who paid $6,490 for the prize against a $4,000 high estimate. 

The May 22nd Vintage Comics & Comic Art auction featured 72 lots of comic books, pop culture and music memorabilia. A copy of the comic book Marvel X-Men #1 (Marvel Comics, Sept. 1963), graded 3.0, with a Stan Lee authenticated autograph, a story by Stan Lee and artwork by Jack Kirby, featuring the origin and first appearances of all seven X-Men, finished at $7,670. 

The star lot of the May 24th Petroliana, Automobilia & Advertising auction was a rare complete Canadian 1940s single-sided porcelain neon dealer sign for Hudson Automobiles, with excellent color and gloss. The 34 inch by 72 inch by 12 inch sign was tested and working. The ends were both graded highly at 9.25. The high estimate was $20,000 but the sign hammered for $28,320. 

Other items in the May 24th auction also did well. They included lot #647, a round, double-sided porcelain sign for McColl-Frontenac Red Indian Service Station, Canadian, from the 1940s and exhibiting very good color and gloss. The sign was impressive at 3 feet in diameter and graded well at 8.25 both sides, some minor porcelain loss the only blemish. The sign reached $20,060. 

Also from McColl-Frontenac was a 1930s Red Indian oil rack sign. The single-sided porcelain sign measured 18 inches by 20 ½ inches and, like other items in the auctions, was authenticated by The Authentication Company. The sign, which was graded 9.25 and showed brilliant color and gloss, was discovered by the consignor in Quebec in 1969 and changed hands for $17,700. 

A gorgeous Starlite Gasoline reverse baked glass gas pump globe lens (Canadian, 1930s), 15 inches in diameter, knocked down for $10,030. Starlite was a brand of gasoline sold by the Sun Oil Companies of Canada, Ltd., and operated as the Miller Oil Co., Ltd. from 1932 until 1968 after being sued by Sunoco over their name. Starlite was the name of the owner’s son’s horse. 

To watch a short YouTube video highlighting some of the May 24th auction’s top-selling items, click this link: https://youtu.be/j5aQefo9Ym8 

To watch a short YouTube video highlighting some of the May 25th auction’s top-selling items, click this link: https://youtu.be/XwXI211joIQ 

Miller & Miller Auctions’ calendar of upcoming online-only auctions includes the following: 

- June 14: Automobiles, Motorbikes & Advertising, featuring the Fairbairn Collection

- June 22: Pre-1980 Sports Cards & Memorabilia 

To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and their slate of upcoming auctions, please visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com. Updates are posted frequently.

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 an entire collection, you may call Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.. please visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.

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