All signs point to success at Morphy’s Oct. 4-5 Automobilia & Petroliana Advertising Auction

1,100 lots include OK Used Cars bullnose neon sign, Chevrolet Super Service neon sign, Sinclair signs for Aircraft Gasoline & Pennsylvania Motor Oil with ‘Dino’ mascot; Mack bulldog, Tiger Gasoline globe lens

DENVER, Pa. – Collectors will be “pedal to the metal” on October 4-5 when bidding opens on 1,100 top-notch lots of automobilia and petroliana at Morphy’s flagship gallery in Pennsylvania. The live event with all forms of remote bidding available will roll out 813 outstanding advertising signs, 42 gas pumps, 57 gas globes, 55 product cans, and hundreds of other antique and vintage motoring-related items.

Many of the most coveted signs to be offered display mascots and graphics that have become classics in the gas and oil advertising hobby. Two of the most recognizable were produced for Sinclair Oil Corporation, a company founded in 1916 with the combined assets of several small petroleum companies. Their distinctive branding, noteworthy for its logo featuring a green dinosaur named “Dino,” became widely recognized, especially as the company expanded its operations and service stations across the United States. 

The first Sinclair highlight is a coveted circa-1930s double-sided porcelain service station sign for Sinclair Aircraft Gasoline with the image of an early airplane. Both sides of this bright-red round sign display very good color and gloss, and very clean script, with only minor chipping. It measures 48 inches in diameter and is graded a strong 8.5 out of 10. On auction day it is expected to land in the vicinity of $25,000-$100,000.

Dino will amble powerfully into the spotlight in the form of a brilliantly-hued, double-sided Sinclair Pennsylvania Motor Oil porcelain sign. A striking graphic of the company’s prehistoric mascot is accompanied by the phrase MELLOWED 100 MILLION YEARS. A great-looking example, it shows only minor chipping to side one. Side two shows no notable field wear other than a few fine surface scratches. Sized 23¾ inches in diameter, this condition: 9.0 advertising gem is estimated at $10,000-$20,000.

Auction guests will be greeted by the bright colors of classic 20th-century automobilia signs as they enter Morphy’s gallery. The top entry is a complete and outstanding “OK Used Cars Authorized Dealer” double-sided porcelain neon sign with a bullnose attachment mounted to the original can. Incredibly clean and in all-original condition, it boasts outstanding color and gloss throughout. The sign Illuminates beautifully in yellow, blue and red on each side, with a flashing “OK” button. This imposing condition 9.0 sign measures 60 inches by 44 inches by 21 inches. It is entered in the auction with a $20,000-$35,000 estimate.

Right alongside the “OK” dazzler, expect to see an outstanding Chevrolet Super Service single-sided porcelain neon sign in all-original condition. Free of any touchup or repair of any kind, it retains all of its original neon tubing, as well as its original metal hardware mounted on a newly-made metal can with new transformer and electricals. The sign illuminates in its original neon green and blue. Size: 56 ½ in wide and 49in top to bottom. Condition: 9.5+. Estimate: $15,000-$25,000

The animal characters automobilia and petroliana collectors most enjoy are represented in this sale, like the figural single-sided porcelain Mack Truck sign shaped like the 125-year-old company’s beloved bulldog mascot, Mack. With excellent color and gloss throughout, its only exceptions are minor chipping and two added holes at the dog’s front feet. In excellent 8.5 condition, this 36-inch by 27-inch sign is cataloged with a $5,000-$10,000 estimate.

A rare and stunning 15-inch single globe lens that advertises Tiger Gasoline is dominated by a tiger graphic of high artistic quality. The lens, itself, was originally found in New York, but very little is known about the issuing petroleum company’s history. The lens is in outstanding condition (Grade 94) with bright color and gloss to both its inner and outer fields. It is set with a snap ring onto a metal high profile body which has been professionally painted in red. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000

One of the sale’s possible “sleepers” is an Osage Motor Oil (Barnsdall Oil Co., Barnsdall, Okla.) 2-gallon can with a graphic of a Native American chief, presumably Osage Chief James Bigheart. In this depiction, the Native leader is depicted, wearing a full headdress, with a teepee visible in the background. Its color and gloss are graded “Fair,” with moderate to heavy scratching and discoloration, but this is an antique that is not only rare but also loaded with Oklahoma petroleum history and significance. The Barnsdall Oil Company discovered the Bigheart oilfield in 1916 near the town of Bigheart. Both the oilfield and town were subsequently renamed in honor of Barnsdall founder Theodore N Barnsdall. The oil can stands 10½ inches high with overall condition graded 7.0. Estimate: $3,000-$6,000

A circa-1920s Wayne Model #452 double gas pump has both original cylinders intact, and its older restoration was executed in rich red and black. The 108-inch-tall pump is missing its large moving cylinder at the center, but all internals appear intact. It displays nicely as is or would make an ideal candidate for full restoration. Estimate: $4,000-$8,000

Almost every American gas station since the beginning of motoring had a Coca-Cola machine stocked with ice-cold Cokes for thirsty motorists. That’s why so many collectors of gas, oil and automotive advertising are keen to acquire Coke memorabilia to make their service station displays complete. The upcoming auction includes 46 colorful Coca-Cola signs of various types, including some that would have been displayed at soda fountains, roadside diners and cafes. A double-sided “Drink Coca-Cola Fountain Service” porcelain “slasher” sign is dated 1935, is maker-marked Tennessee Enamel, and retains its original, decorative porcelain hanging bracket. This sign is in outstanding condition throughout, with excellent-condition fields on each side and no notable field chipping. Graded 9.0 out of 10, this terrific sign is offered with a $5,000-$10,000 estimate.

Morphy’s Saturday/Sunday Oct.4-5, 2025 Automobilia & Petroliana Auction will be held live at the company’s flagship gallery, 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517, starting at 9am Eastern Time. All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone and live via the Internet through Morphy Live. For questions pertaining to any item in the auction, to reserve a phone line, or to discuss consigning to a future Automobilia & Petroliana auction at Morphy’s, call 877-968-8880, email [email protected]. Visit Morphy’s online at www.morphyauctions.com.