DENVER, PA — Antique enthusiasts and petroliana collectors are gearing up for Morphy‘s Automobilia & Petroliana auction on July 11. This highly anticipated event features 650 lots, including rare advertising signs, gas pumps, oil cans, and captivating display pieces. The auction also includes colorful soda pop signs and wall clocks reminiscent of the Route 66 era.
Iconic Mobil Pegasus Sign Takes Center Stage
The auction’s star item is a Mobil Pegasus porcelain neon sign, measuring 72 by 85 inches and 15½ inches deep. This AGS-certified sign is graded 83/84 and features two single-sided figural porcelain neon signs that light up around the entire perimeter, highlighting the mythological flying horse’s wings. Expected to fetch between $50,000 and $100,000, the sign promises to draw strong competition among bidders.
Coveted Harbor Petroleum Sign
Among the most sought-after items is a circa-1940s Harbor Petroleum Products sign, featuring a seaplane-on-water graphic. This single-sided porcelain sign, graded 8.75, boasts a striking color palette of Pacific blue, orange, and yellow. Described as “exceptional” and “hard to upgrade,” it is expected to sell for $40,000 to $80,000.
Rare Gas Pump Globes
Morphy’s will also offer a classic Musgo Gasoline “Michigan’s Mile Maker” globe. This 16-inch high, one-piece baked globe, featuring an orange, sky blue, and red bust-portrait of a Native American chief, is AGS-certified and graded 93. It is estimated to sell for $20,000 to $30,000.
Other notable entries include a rare 13.5-inch gas pump globe for Aerio 70 Gasoline, with sides scored 96 and 94, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000. Additionally, a circa-1920s single-sided gas pump globe lens for “Gilmore Blu-Green Gasoline,” featuring a detailed six-color graphic of a roaring lion, is estimated to fetch $12,000 to $20,000. A circa-1930s gas pump globe lens for Sunset De Luxe Gasoline, condition-scored 91 and not seen in public sales for over a decade, is expected to sell for $10,000 to $20,000.
Michelin Banner Adds Historical Flair
A 10-foot-wide cloth banner advertising “MICHELIN Tires and Tubes,” maker-marked “Sweeney Litho, Belleville, New Jersey,” depicts a bustling mountainside road filled with auto traffic. Along the edge are 12 Bibendum figures, each rolling a tire. AGS-certified “Authentic,” this banner is estimated at $10,000 to $20,000.
The Automobilia & Petroliana Auction will take place live at Morphy’s gallery in Denver, PA, starting at 9 AM ET on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Bidding options include in-person, absentee, phone, or live online through Morphy Live.
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