Morphy's Rolls Out Premium-Grade Advertising Signs, Super-Rare License Plates, Gas Pumps and Globes for April 3 Automobilia & Petroliana Auction

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Mar 29, 2019, 08:33 ET

DENVER, Pa., March 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- If condition is king, expect a red carpet to be rolled out on April 3 as Morphy's presents a regal auction line-up of antique signs, gas globes and early license plates in a 746-lot Automobilia & Petroliana Auction. The high-octane selection includes many entries from collections that were established back when petroleum-related items in pristine condition were easier to find.

Boyce Moto Meter Authorized Service Station tin flange sign with image of young woman in Art Deco attire, lithographed sides in condition 8.75+ and 8.5, respectively. Estimate: $15,000-$25,000

Left: 1905 leather/aluminum Michigan license plate issued to Packard Motor Co., used before the state actually produced license plates, only known example of its type, estimate $10,000-$15,000. Right: Six early Rhode Island passenger license plates from a group lot of 40 that span the years 1904-1966 (with only two years not represented), estimate $20,000-$30,000

"Many signs in this sale would be hard to improve upon. They would be considered upgrades for even the finest of known private collections," said John Mihovetz, Head of Morphy's Automobilia & Petroliana division.

A case in point is the outstanding double-sided Shell Motor Oil die-cut Motor Oil sign dated 1931. With strong crimson and orange coloration, the clamshell-shape sign is rated a solid 9.5 out of 10. Estimate: $3,500-$5,000

A very rare British double-sided die-cut porcelain sign for Morris Trucks is designed as a head-on view of a radiator emblazoned with the slogan "Buy British and be proud of it." One of the best examples of its type that Morphy's experts have ever seen, it could achieve $3,000-$5,000.

Big, bold and all-American is the way to describe a supersized Ford V8 porcelain dealership sign. At 75½ by 40½ inches, it had to be designed as two parts that fit together seamlessly – Henry Ford wouldn't have had it any other way. In beautiful 8.75+ condition, it is estimated at $15,000-$25,000.

Advertising signs featuring stylish ladies have always commanded a premium price, and there are two such signs worthy of special mention in the sale. A Boyce Moto Meter Authorized Service Station tin flange sign with the image of a young woman in Art Deco attire comes has a $15,000-$25,000 estimate; as does a circa-1907 double-sided die-cut tin flange sign advertising Pennsylvania Oilproof Vacuum Cup Tires with the image of a well-dressed woman of that era.

A fantastic collection of antique and vintage license plates takes collectors on a virtual coast-to-coast motoring trip. Apportioned into 181 lots, the collection includes very early plates that are nearly impossible to find nowadays. For example, there's a grouping of 40 Rhode Island passenger plates with the same three-digit number – 394 – starting with the first-issue 1904 production run and ending in 1966. Only two years are missing from the series: 1918 and 1946. Estimate: $30,000-$40,000. Another extreme rarity, a 1905 leather and aluminum Michigan plate was in use before the state actually produced license plates. It was issued to the Packard Car Company and used from 1905 through June 1907. In 9.0 condition and the only known example of its type, it is expected to make $10,000-$15,000.

Petroliana collectors never tire of pretty Polly, the vibrantly hued parrot mascot for Polly Premium Motor Oil. Posed on her perch, she graces the front of a scarce one-quart Polly can graded 8.9. It will take more than a cracker to take Polly home. The pre-sale estimate is $2,500-$4,500.

A fantastic array of gas pump globes awaits bidders, including a 15-inch single-lens globe for Beacon Gasoline. Finished in bright primary colors with an appealing graphic of a beaming lighthouse, this extremely rare globe could reach $7,500-$15,000.

In all, there are 85 stunning gas pump globes from which to choose. An excellent example of an etched one-piece Independent brand Royal Gasoline globe is graded 9.0 and estimated at $4,000-$6,000; while a Jones Bros. Red Hat Gasoline globe on its original metal body has a $2,500-$4,500 estimate. A quaint reminder of the early days of "filling stations," an all-original Correct Measure 5-gallon visible gas pump is expected to make $3,000-$5,000.

Media Contact:
Dan Morphy
[email protected]
877-968-8880

SOURCE Morphy Auctions