(WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wisc.) – A huge sale consisting of around 500 lots of classic cars, petroliana items, gas pumps and advertising memorabilia will be sold Saturday, May 1, beginning at 10 a.m. (Central Time), in the Central Motor Sales Building at 943 Alton Street in Wisconsin Rapids. The sale will be conducted by Matthews Auctions, LLC, of Nokomis, Ill.
Online bidding for the auction will be facilitated by Proxibid.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Some of the approximately 20 classic cars will carry reserves, while all of the memorabilia will be sold absolute (everything goes, regardless of price). Also, some uncataloged items will be offered before the official start of the sale, in a Discovery Auction.
“What’s good about this auction is there will be such a diversity of offerings,” said Dan Matthews of Matthews Auctions, LLC. “It’s not every day you have classic cars, rare gas pumps, neon signs, car signs, gas globes and more, all in one sale — and all in one day!” Mr. Matthews encouraged bidders to view color photos in the online catalog at www.matthewsauctions.com.
The collector vehicles will include vintage cars and even a 1941 Harley Davidson motorcycle, partially restored. Classic cars will include a 1956 Mercury Montclair convertible, red with a white top, automatic, fully restored, with only 49,552 miles; and a 1957 Mercury Meteor Ranchero custom pick-up, automatic, fully restored, with two-tone paint and V-8 engine.
A pair of Wayne gas pumps are certain to wow the crowd. The first is a model #491 “Roman Column” 10-gallon visible gas pump, repainted with a plastic cylinder. “This is the pump everybody wants but few have,” Matthews said. The other, a model #800, is a clockface gas pump, restored in Shell colors, with the original Shell Canteen one-piece etched glass globe.
Two other gas pumps are sure to get paddles wagging. One is a Starkey coin-operated 10-gallon gas pump, in good original condition and with a good cylinder. The only flaw is that the bonnet is missing. The other is a very rare Milwaukee model #585 5-gallon visible gas pump in original unrestored condition, with some rust and blemishes but with good metal and no cracks.
Car signs that will command attention include a rare-size Dodge-Plymouth “Dependable Service” double-sided porcelain sign with arrow, 60 inches, with a display rated 9 out of 10 for condition (8.75 on the reverse), with good gloss and color; and a 1953 Ford crest, made with a mixture of metal and wood, 29 inches by 27 inches, and in great condition, rated 9 out of 10.
Rounding out the expected top lots: a Mobil Pegasus cookie-cutter (right facing) neon single-sided porcelain sign, 66 inches by 88 inches, rated 7.5; a rare 1948 Austin pedal car, motorized, 62 inches long, in good condition; a carnival boat ride boat with metal hull, professionally restored; and a fiberglass Blues Brothers statue of Jake and Elwood, 72 inches tall.
A 13 percent buyer’s premium will be applied to all sales (15 percent for absentee and Internet bidders, who must pay with Visa and Master Card only, and discounted to 10 percent for bidders paying with cash or check). All lots are sold as is, where is, with all faults, imperfections and errors of description. Due diligence is the buyer’s responsibility, and all sales are final. Purchases of $10,000 or more need to be accompanied by a bank letter of credit.
After this sale, Matthews Auctions, LLC will conduct a two-day event the weekend of May 15-16 at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo. It will be an absolute Petroliana & Automotive Advertising Auction, featuring the lifetime collection of Clyde Hodge. “This sale will have a large selection of signs, globes and collectibles, all near the Rocky Mountains,” Matthews said.
Matthews Auctions, LLC is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them toll-free, at (877) 968-8880. Or, you can e-mail them at [email protected].
To learn more about the firm and its calendar of upcoming sales, to include the May 1 and May 15-16 dates, click on MatthewsAuctions.com
