Check the Oil to Offer Treasure Trove of Gasoline Advertising, Vintage Memorabilia

Three legacy collections of automobile and gasoline advertising memorabilia are simultaneously hitting the market this June. Check the Oil will offer its Annual Premier Auction on June 21, 2025. The offerings this year include over 550 lots of porcelain signs, gas pumps, countertop displays, and other collectibles. Many of these items were carefully collected over decades, making this sale a rare opportunity to browse hidden gems and unusual rarities. 

Auction Daily examines some of the hot lots in this sale. 

Sun-Rae Gasoline and Motor Oil Sign

An extremely rare porcelain sign for Sun-Rae gasoline and motor oil is leading this auction catalog (lot #0079; estimate: USD 500 – $10,000). The six-color sign features an uncommon landscape scene in the center, encircled by the company’s name and location (Rochester, NY). A brand of F. B. Rae Oil Co., Sun-Rae produced many visually striking signs that are prized collectibles today. A sunburst appears behind the words “Sun-Rae,” drawing the viewer’s eye to the sign’s center. The available example comes to auction with good color and gloss, according to Check the Oil. Some areas have been professionally color-matched. 

Unrestored Wayne Visible Gas Pump

Another key lot in this gasoline advertising sale is an unrestored Wayne model 492 Roman column visible gas pump (lot #0091; estimate: $500 – $10,000). Still in its original glory, this pump contains several rare elements: an original one-piece milk glass globe, a glass cylinder with no visible damage, and a white cloth hose. 

This ten-gallon capacity pump belonged to Wayne’s 490s series of visible pumps. Designed to resemble elegant Roman and Greek columns, these pumps were marketed to upscale neighborhoods with modern amenities in the 1920s. Few of these visible pumps survive today, making them highly sought on the secondary market. 

Buffalo Gasoline Milk Glass Globe

Another key lot in the upcoming sale is a Buffalo Gasoline milk glass gas pump globe measuring 13.5 inches round (lot #0117; estimate: $500 – $10,000). This complete, original globe comes to auction in good condition with clean lines and vivid colors. In the center of the globe is the image of a charging buffalo rendered in red and black. Buffalo Gasoline was distributed by Westland Oil Company out of Montana. The charging bison on the company’s signs was nicknamed “Billy Buffalo.” He appeared on many of the brand’s marketing materials through the 1910s and 20s. 

Coca-Cola Tavern Sign

Beyond gasoline advertising, bidders will find other vintage items in this sale. Coca-Cola collectors can consider several delights in this catalog, including a double-sided flange sign for a bar and tavern (lot #0100; estimate: $500 – $10,000). Shaped like a rounded button, this sign bears the iconic “Drink Coca-Cola” slogan in white lettering against a cherry red background. This sign would have been mounted on a building’s exterior, drawing in customers with the Coca-Cola name. The style and structure of the sign suggest it dates back to the 1950s. 

Known for its innovative advertising campaigns and adaptability, Coca-Cola has maintained its dominance in both soda sales and popular culture for over a century. By the 1950s, the company had been in business for over 60 years and sold millions of bottles each day. It was starting to adopt the classic red-and-white color scheme that it would use for decades to come. 

Other key lots in Check the Oil’s Annual Premier Auction include a small Chevrolet Ok Used Cars double-sided porcelain neon dealership sign (lot #0151; estimate: $500 – $10,000), a 1920s Chevrolet owl countertop display (lot #0227; estimate: $500 – $10,000), and a Mercury Outboard Motors advertising clock (lot #0393; estimate: $500 – $10,000). To browse the complete catalog and place an online bid, visit LiveAuctioneers. 

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