Morphy's Hosted the October Hershey Crowd at a Lively $2.1M Automobilia & Petroliana Auction

Motivated new bidders battled Morphy regulars for high-end rarities: Husky porcelain service station sign, $59,040; Sinclair 'Dino' curb sign, $52,800; Grizzly Gasoline 'tombstone' sign, $25,830

DENVER, Pa., Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Morphy's October Automobilia & Petroliana Auction has become an annual tradition for motorheads who gather in central Pennsylvania for the Eastern National Fall Meet of the Antique Automobile Club of America. Better known as "Hershey" because of the city where it takes place, the massive car show and flea market attracts thousands of car enthusiasts from around the world. This year many show attendees decided to warm up their buying skills by heading over to Morphy's October 6 pre-Hershey auction. The colorful gas and oil advertising sale was stocked with 652 lots of wonderful rarities that chalked up nearly $2.1 million. Estimate-defying prices were paid for many of the vintage signs, service station pumps and globes; motor oil cans and other petroleum-related items.

Animal mascots once again proved their popularity as advertising subjects, with several landing in the day's top 10. Leading the group was the energetic Arctic dog who represents Husky Oil Co., founded in 1938 in Cody, Wyoming. Shown leaping playfully against a rising sun, the brand's iconic Husky dog dominated an excellent double-sided porcelain sign of shield form and emblazoned with the phrase "Husky Service." A sizable 42 by 48 inches, it was AGS-certified, with sides graded 89 and 87 respectively. Against an estimate of $20,000-$40,000, it sold for $59,040.

Another long-standing mascot is Sinclair's "Dino" the dinosaur. His well-detailed image, shown in profile with the tagline "Mellowed 100 Million Years," was the focal point of a circa-1930s double-sided porcelain curb sign advertising Sinclair Pennsylvania Motor Oil. AGS-certified, with sides graded 90 (front) and 93 (reverse), it sold for $54,120 against an estimate of $10,000-$20,000.

Arguably the most formidable animal competitor was the hulking bear mascot for Grizzly Gasoline (Cut Bank, Montana). The fearsome beast was depicted standing on two legs, his mouth agape, on a double-sided tombstone-shape tin sign with the message "Perfect Powerful Performance / Watch your Miles" and tagline "Dubbs Cracked," referring to the process used by Grizzly to produce its gasoline. This coveted sign roared past its $6,000-$12,000 estimate to reach $25,830.

A complete GMC Trucks porcelain neon sign with its original bullnose attachment was composed of two single-sided porcelain signs mounted back-to-back on a metal can. An imposing 82 inches wide by 44 inches high by 14 inches deep, its sides were graded 80/84. It sold for $23,370 against a $6,000-$12,000 estimate.

Seventy-seven gas globes and lenses formed an artful subcategory. A 1950s gas globe lens from Salyer's Stay-Ready Gasoline, Oklahoma City, displayed a well-executed graphic of a woman flying on a duck's back. Graded 93, it outperformed, fetching an above-high-estimate price of $24,600.

Morphy Auctions' president and principal auctioneer, Dan Morphy, expressed pleasure over the day's results. "The sale was very heavily attended, as our October sales usually are, and there was a very positive buzz in the air because everyone was excited about the nearby Hershey show, which opened two days later," he said. "There were more than 100 unique buyers, including a dozen or so new buyers at higher levels. All in all, it was a very successful sale."

Visit Morphy's online at www.morphyauctions.com. To discuss consigning to a future Automobilia & Petroliana sale, call 977-968-8880. All enquiries are kept strictly confidential. Never an obligation to consign.

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

SOURCE Morphy Auctions