Miller & Miller To Hold Online Sales Sept. 7 (petroliana, Advertising), Sept 8 (soda, General Store)

By Author: Ethan Miller
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Two 1940s-era American automobiles – a 1949 Buick Model 76C Roadmaster convertible and a 1948 Chrysler Town & Country “woodie” convertible – plus a 1964 Airstream Overlander Land Yacht 26-foot trailer, a Canadian 1930s Five Roses Flour porcelain sign, and a Canadian 1890s aqua Standing Beaver midget pint fruit jar are a few of the rarities bidders will vie for in two online auctions hosted by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.

The Saturday, September 7th Petroliana & Advertising auction will feature 308 lots of petroliana (gas station collectibles) and advertising. The Sunday, September 8th Soda & General Store Advertising auction contains 400 lots of advertising signs, soda advertising, tobacciana and general store items. Start times both days will be 9 am Eastern time. Bidders can participate in real time via the live webcast as the auction closes in lot order beginning at 9 am Eastern time.

“Our September 7th and 8th sales promise to tantalize collectors with premier petroliana, automobilia and general store advertising,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. “Day ...
... One boasts an important line-up of petroliana advertising, featuring the Ken and Sylvia McGee collection of Goderich, Ontario. Headlining the collection are the McGee’s two babies.”

The ‘babies’ in question would be their 1948 Chrysler Town & Country ‘woodie’ convertible, and the low mileage 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible – the latter being the iconic car featured in Dustin Hoffman’s Oscar-winning movie Rainman. Other highlights include a Dodge-Desoto dealer sign, an Oldsmobile Dealer neon sign, companion Mobiloil Pegasus dealer signs, and a 24-inch White Rose Dealer double-sided porcelain sign hanging from its original scroll bracket.

Mr. Miller said the September 8th auction is packed with premier advertising related to soda, general store and agriculture, featuring part two of the Al Bensmiller collection. “For decades, Al Bensmiller has been a highly regarded dealer of country store advertising,” he said. “The items featured are from his personal collection,” adding, “Collectors should bid early and bid often.”

Day 2 highlights include a superb Campbell's Soup porcelain corner sign (the kind that inspired Andy Warhol), a 1941 Wurlitzer Model 750 juke box with original plastics, and a full run of Coca-Cola pilaster signs, all in high-grade condition from a single source. It also features the rare and possibly unique ’Standing Beaver’ midget pint fruit jar. Other items include an intact collection of Five Roses Flour signs and ephemera, topped by the iconic ‘Native' Flour Bag sign.

The overall top lot of the two days is expected to be the 1949 Buick Model 76C Roadmaster convertible, one of only 8,800 made. The factory correct sequoia cream color car with red leather interior is widely considered one of the most beautiful and desirable post-war Roadmasters, with its gleaming vertical tooth grill and fender ‘Ventiports’. It has an estimate of $100,000-$120,000.

All prices quoted in this report are in Canadian dollars.

The lemon yellow 1948 Chrysler Town & Country convertible with stunning wood features is an American-made beauty and one of only 8,809 units produced. Features include white ash inserts with walnut veneer, a straight eight 125 hp engine, a semi-automatic 5-speed transmission and a unique-for-its-time electric-powered roof. The car has a pre-sale estimate of $85,000-$110,000.

The sleek, silver 1964 Airstream Overlander Land Yacht 26-foot trailer includes the original serial-matched owner’s manual and guarantee certificate indicating delivery to its first owner, in Southfield, Michigan. The vehicle (ser. #S-026410605) is expected to bring $35,000-$45,000.

The Oldsmobile “GM Hydramatic Drive” neon dealer sign, made in America in the 1940s, is a separately attached sign that is often missing. It’s fitted to a custom rear-mounted wood and sheet metal frame that stands the sign about four inches off a wall. The sign is marked “Walker & Co. Detroit” to the lower edge and it is expected to find a new owner for $15,000-$20,000.

The Canadian 1940s White Rose Gasoline three-piece service station banner sign set is marked “P&M 46” on the center sign of the three. The set carries a pre-sale estimate of $11,000-$14,000.

On to Day 2, where two scarce signs are expected to compete for top lot honors. The first is the Canadian 1930s Five Roses Flour (“The World’s Best”) porcelain sign, one of the great Canadian general store signs, boasting outstanding graphics. Produced by the Lake of the Woods Milling Co. in Keewatin, Canada, the sign is expected to change hands for $15,000-$18,000.

The second is the exceedingly rare Canadian 1890s aqua Standing Beaver midget pint fruit jar, thought to be the only pint known, possibly the first Beaver jar ever made, and reportedly made at one of the Nova Scotia glass factories. The jar features a left-facing beaver standing on its hind quarters, a simple clean design, and an aqua lid with zinc band. The estimate is $14,000-$17,000.

An American-made 1941 Wurlitzer model 750 coin-operated jukebox, the first Wurlitzer to feature the domed cathedral top that was the standard for the rest of the decade, a spectacular machine that comes with a full set of 78 rpm rock ‘n’ roll records, should hit $7,000-$9,000.

Rounding out the day’s expected highlights is an iconic American sign from the 1920s for Campbell’s Tomato Soup. The convex porcelain sign is marked, “Campbell Soup Company, Camden, NJ”, and has been authenticated by The Authentication Company (est. $6,000-$9,000).

Internet bidding will be through www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com, plus the popular bidding platform LiveAuctioneers.com. Here is a link to the Petroliana & Advertising auction, on Saturday, September 7th: https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-DXZDWR/petroliana-advertising. Here is a link to the Soda & General Store Advertising auction on Sunday, September 8th: https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-EEIBM0/soda-general-store-advertising.

In-gallery previews will be held Wednesday thru Friday, September 4th-6th, from 12 noon until 5 pm each day in the Miller & Miller showroom, at 59 Webster Street in New Hamburg, Ontario. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the auctions on September 7th & 8th, visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.