Auction Details

This much anticipated two-day auction is the second of four Morphy’s sales events featuring the world-class Kyle Moore collection.
Morphy Auctions, the finest auction destination for fresh to the market collections, is revved to announce this 1,182-lot sale to be held on January 9th-10th, 2016. It follows directly on the heels of the first Moore auction, held at Morphy’s in October 2015, which raced to victory with sales topping $4.4 million!   All lots are on display in Morphy’s auction gallery and available for preview now.
This auction presents over 600 of the finest vintage automobilia and petroliana related advertising signs.  Examples promoting national, regional, and little known oil, gas, tires, batteries, parts, sales and service brands are all represented.   Some collectors will put no distance between themselves and lot #130, a rare Musgo Gasoline “Michigan’s Mile Maker” sign featuring an iconic Indian in full head dress graphics, estimated at $60,000-100,000.  Others may circle in on lot #325, a 48″ diameter Smith-o-Lene Aviation brand gasoline sign with airplane graphics (estimated at $40,000-60,00) or lot #830, a 30″ diameter Mohawk Gasoline double-sided sign, estimated at $25,000-50,000.
Other to-die for signage includes lot #752, a rare 63″ x 36″ Quincy Gasoline Independent tin diecut sign featuring a red-uniformed service attendant (estimated at $20,000-40,000); lot #235, a 48″ x 30″ Beacon Ethyl Gasoline with logo sign featuring a yellow lighthouse (estimated at $40,000-60,000), and lot #3, a 58″ x 52″ Sinclair Productos Gasolina sign with a rooster, estimated at $10,000-20,000.

Collectors will have the world at their fingertips with over 300 lots of globes and lenses on offer.  Two outstanding selections to focus on include lot #381, a Big Chief with Indian logo single lens in a metal globe body (estimated at $6,000-8,000) and lot #380, a Jenney Manufacturing Auto Oils and Gasoline factory scene lenses in metal globe body, estimated at $10,000-20,000.

This auction presents nearly 50 lots of outstanding pumps and related parts, including cylinders and nozzles.  Lot #298, a 105″ tall Wayne #491 “Roman Column” 10-gallon visible gas pump should fuel collector’s imaginations with its $20,000-40,000 estimate.

Other featured automobilia and petroliana offerings include a nice selection of oil cans and containers; promotional posters, banners, and displays; and lithographs.  One remarkable rarity that is both aesthetically magnificent as well as functional is lot #431A, a 1912 US Tires advertising clock, estimated at $10,000-20,000.  Made by the William L. Gilbert Clock Co. and titled “Tire-ly Satisfied,” this terrific timepiece is in all original, working condition and features an early race car driver surrounded by a white tire.
According to Dan Matthews, Division Head of Petroliana/Automobilia at Morphy Auctions, “This second of four sales events featuring the amazing Kyle Moore collection again presents enthusiasts with a fantastic selection of gas, oil, and automobile related collectibles.   This auction also features a great grouping of oil cans and containers that are certain to be of great interest to collectors.  Mr. Moore had a remarkable eye for interesting and extremely high quality items.
And based on the results of our first auction, it seems that our customers agree wholeheartedly!  I look forward to presenting 600 more lots from the Moore collection at our upcoming Petroliana/Automobilia sales event on April 23, 2016.”