Antique vending machine hits the sweet spot at Morphy’s, Aug. 10-11

Stollwerck and Chiclets vending machine designed to dispense both chocolate candy and chewing gum; porcelain with wood back, $28,200. Morphy Auctions image.

Stollwerck and Chiclets vending machine designed to dispense both chocolate candy and chewing gum; porcelain with wood back, $28,200. Morphy Auctions image.

DENVER, Pa. – An all-original antique vending machine that dispensed both Stollwerck Chocolate and Chiclets chewing gum topped the 1,100-lot lineup at Morphy Auctions’ Aug. 10-11 sale of antique advertising and mechanical music. Adorned with beautiful porcelain panels on its front and sides, the near-mint machine handily surpassed its $10,000-$15,000 estimate to serve up a winning bid of $28,000. In all, the auction achieved $756,000 inclusive of 20% buyer’s premium. Online bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com.

Soda pop advertising made a strong statement in the sale’s top 10, with a scarce 1920s Coca-Cola bottle-shape lamp earning an above-estimate $12,000. The red, white and green 20¼-inch-tall lamp was a line-for-line scale model of a Coke bottle, complete with metal cap and the trademark and registration notice below the flowing-script logo.

Two figural metal school crossing signs promoting soft drinks were among the top 10 lots. A rare 1955 sign depicting a policeman holding a “Slow – School Zone” paddle served as an eye-catching advertisement for 7UP. Estimated at $4,000-$6,000, it was bid to $9,000. Similarly estimated and also realizing $9,000 was a rare Pepsi-Cola patrol boy school crossing sign with a base designed as a Pepsi bottle cap.

A selection of antique occupational shaving mugs was offered, with one lot, in particular, producing an unexpectedly fine result. In near-mint condition, a mug with an image of a man pushing a street cleaner’s cart with shovel inspired collectors to bypass the $600-$900 estimate and chase the rarity to an astonishing $11,400.

“This is a category that grows stronger with every collection we bring to market,” said Morphy Auctions CEO Dan Morphy. “There are a lot of new collectors coming into the occupational shaving mug hobby.”

The Friday session was highlighted by music machines and other coin ops. A visually appealing Rol-A-Top 10-cent twin jackpot machine adorned with repousse cherries on its front panel led the offering. An older restoration, it sold within estimate for $6,000.

The auction also included more than 80 apothecary antiques from a Philadelphia pharmacy that closed many years ago. An extremely rare 15-inch “teardrop” apothecary jar with Greek key motif, described in the auction catalog as being in mint condition, easily surpassed its $2,500-$4,000 estimate to sell for $5,700.

There was no shortage of bidders for the many advertising signs in the sale, which ran the gamut of household and tobacco products; alcoholic beverages and sporting goods. An early 20th-century reverse-on-glass sign promoting I.W. Harper Whiskey retained its original wood frame with a metal tag that said “The Kind Your Grandfather Used.” It hit the midpoint of its estimate at $9,000. A celluloid-over-cardboard sign of a pretty lady applying Murine eye drops to her eyes commanded six times its high estimate – $3,600.

To contact Morphy Auctions, call 717-335-3435 or e-mail serena@morphyauctions.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog for Morphy’s Aug. 10-11 auction, complete with prices realized, at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Stollwerck and Chiclets vending machine designed to dispense both chocolate candy and chewing gum; porcelain with wood back, $28,200. Morphy Auctions image.

Stollwerck and Chiclets vending machine designed to dispense both chocolate candy and chewing gum; porcelain with wood back, $28,200. Morphy Auctions image.

Antique occupational shaving mug with image of street cleaner, $11,400. Morphy Auctions image.

Antique occupational shaving mug with image of street cleaner, $11,400. Morphy Auctions image.

‘Teardrop’ Greek key apothecary jar, 15 inches with original lid, $5,700. Morphy Auctions image.

‘Teardrop’ Greek key apothecary jar, 15 inches with original lid, $5,700. Morphy Auctions image.

Celluloid-over-cardboard sign advertising Murine eye-care products, $3,600. Morphy Auctions image.

Celluloid-over-cardboard sign advertising Murine eye-care products, $3,600. Morphy Auctions image.

Rol-A-Top cherry-front 10-cent coin-op jackpot machine, $6,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Rol-A-Top cherry-front 10-cent coin-op jackpot machine, $6,000. Morphy Auctions image.

School zone sign advertising 7UP soft drink, $9,000. Morphy Auctions image.

School zone sign advertising 7UP soft drink, $9,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Pepsi-Cola patrol boy school crossing sign, $9,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Pepsi-Cola patrol boy school crossing sign, $9,000. Morphy Auctions image.

1920s Coca-Cola bottle-shape lamp, 20¼ inches tall, $12,000. Morphy Auctions image.

1920s Coca-Cola bottle-shape lamp, 20¼ inches tall, $12,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Early 20th century reverse-on-glass sign advertising I.W. Harper Whiskey, $9,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Early 20th century reverse-on-glass sign advertising I.W. Harper Whiskey, $9,000. Morphy Auctions image.