GREENVILLE, S.C. – Richmond Auctions saved the best for the last day of its February 1-3 Premier Advertising Sale. Featuring the Jay Barkheimer collection, the sale included petroliana, automobilia, soda advertising, and country store and farm-related marketing materials. In all, more than 1,350 lots went to auction, with numerous items hitting six figures. Complete results are available at LiveAuctioneers.
The sale’s top lot was a virtually unheard-of Cougar Gasoline six-foot double-sided porcelain sign in new-old stock condition. Accompanied by its original shipping box labeled for Southwestern Porcelain, Inc. of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, the sign was never mounted and simply stored away until it landed in the Barkheimer collection. Cougar is a so-called ‘lost’ brand, with very few artifacts remaining. Bidders jumped at the chance to own the sign, with bidding opening at $100 and immediately accelerating to $30,000. The hammer fell at $160,000 ($192,000 with buyer’s premium), resulting in a likely record for this example.
Having been founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the Ford Motor Company celebrated its 50th anniversary with Golden Jubilee-related items, including a revamped logo which, for a time, overtook the classic Ford script. This single-sided porcelain and neon Golden Jubilee sign stands eight feet in height and is in remarkably good condition for a piece that had been in use since 1953. Once again, bidding jumped from $100 to $42,500 in short order before ending at $145,000 ($174,000 with buyer’s premium).
This outstanding Chevrolet ‘Super Service’ and Buick ‘Valve In Head’ double-sided porcelain neon sign once called Taylor Motor Company of Taylor, Texas home before landing in the Barkheimer collection. It hammered for $145,000 ($168,000 with buyer’s premium).
In completely original condition, including paint and porcelain, was a Cities Service (today’s Citgo) Koolmotor Oil double-sided cast-iron and porcelain ‘kite’ curb sign. More than three dozen escalating bids took the sign to a phenomenal $130,000 ($156,000 with buyer’s premium).
The final exceptional performer from Day 3 was a single-sided 42in porcelain Kelly Tires sign featuring its flapper-era character Lotta Miles. Originally made by Reliance Advertising Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the porcelain had been refitted into a new ring. It hammered for $100,000 ($120,000 with buyer’s premium).
