Rare penny arcade machines and top-quality antique advertising drew a packed house of bidders to Morphy’s $3.5M auction in Las Vegas

Circa-1904 Mills ‘Lion Lung Tester,’ one of only two known and with a documented line of ownership going back 50 years, led prices realized at $184,500

LAS VEGAS – Morphy’s April 30-May 3 Coin-Op & Antique Advertising Auction in Las Vegas offered collectors nearly 2,000 lots of high-quality arcade, music and gambling machines, and exceptional antique signs from businesses and products of a bygone era. The lively, well-attended sale totaled more than $3.5 million, inclusive of buyer’s premium.

The king of the jungle also became the king of Las Vegas during the highlight-packed third day of the series, as a circa-1904 Mills “Lion Lung Tester” made its formidable appearance on the auction block. Standing 103 inches tall, the iconic coin-op machine distinguished by its deeply-carved three-dimensional image of a lion with a fearsome expression and mouth agape was well known to collectors. Twenty-four years ago, it was chosen to grace the front cover of the inaugural issue (March 2001) of the Coin Operated Collectors Association’s COCA Times magazine. 

The machine’s action is thrilling to watch. When a penny is deposited, the giant cat’s eyes illuminate, and when a patron blows into the tester, the beast emits a spine-tingling roar. A continuously-running clock displays how many seconds each player can keep the lion roaring, hence an assessment of how strong their lungs are. The auction example is believed to be one of only two surviving machines of its type, with a line of documented ownership going back more than 50 years. It made its auction debut in fine style, selling within its lofty estimate range for $184,500. 

Rare and magnificent, a circa-1900 Mills Novelty Co., Violano Virtuoso  was described in the auction catalog as one of fewer than 20 known to exist. Presented in its beautiful quartered-oak cabinet with handsome tiger-striping and a wonderful Art Nouveau bow-front window, this musically-gifted entertainer had been fully restored at some point in its past. It conveyed with all of its keys and six musical rolls, selling within its estimate range for $79,950.

Anyone who has ever visited Chicago’s bustling central business district would have been amused by an outstanding circa-1900 reverse-painted glass sign advertising C.P. Kimball & Co., Carriage Builders, Michigan Avenue. It featured a large, impressive graphic of a quaint, early horse-drawn coach with well-dressed passengers, and additional depictions of the company’s manufacturing facilities. In beautiful condition with crisp, bright lettering, it was graded a condition 9.0 and sold for $54,120 against an estimate of $4,000-$10,000.

Mm-mm good! The product that would single-handedly launch the pop art movement, Campbell’s Tomato Soup, was colorfully presented in a 12-inch-high, single-sided porcelain thermometer that had survived many decades in working order and outstanding condition. An all-American advertising piece that was AGS-graded 93 and certified #11976, it served up a winning bid of $45,510 against an estimate of $20,000-$30,000.

A very rare circa-1931 International Mutoscope “Shootomatic Merchandise Vender” 5-cent arcade prize-dispensing game, a variation on a “digger” machine, had been extensively restored, with a quartered-oak cabinet and new plating applied to its mechanical components. Fully operational, with keys and a nice selection of prizes included, it landed near the midpoint of its estimate range, at $28,290.

A circa-1900 Yuengling’s Beer, Ale & Porter single-sided self-framed round tin sign was a classic representation of the famed Pottsville, Pennsylvania, brewery. The artwork at its center depicted a mighty eagle atop a rocky summit, protecting a barrel of Yuengling’s brew. Measuring nearly two feet in diameter and graded a condition 8.0, it surpassed its high estimate to settle at $15,990. 

Another popular entry was a circa-1900 embossed tin sign advertising Kabo Corsets with the phrase Kabo Corsets Have No Brass Eyelets and the image of a young lady in an elaborate hat, tying a corset around her waist. Exhibiting exceptional artistic quality, the sign commanded $13,530 against an estimate of $3,000-$8,000.

As visuals go, one of the most outstanding signs in the sale was the circa-1910 advertisement for Kemp & Burpee’s (Syracuse, N.Y.) Success Manure Spreader. The main image depicted the farm implement in use, adorned by a cartouche with the company’s attractive lion’s-head trademark. Its gold self-frame continued the leonine theme with ornate lion graphics around its outer edges. Estimated at $2,000-$4,000, it rose to $11,070.

Advertising with a Native American theme is always sought after. Two lots, in particular, found favor with bidders. A circa-1900 Old Sleepy Eye Flour (Sleepy Eye, Minn.) single-sided tin sign featured a central graphic of Chief Sleepy Eye of the Sisseton Dakota tribe in an oval cartouche. Additional vignettes around the perimeter depicted various Native American scenes. A strong condition 8.5, this gorgeous example of a coveted sign sold for $17,220 against an estimate of $6,000-$12,000.

A handsome 78-inch-tall cigar store American Indian figure was attributed to Thomas V Brooks (New York, 1828-1895), who was known for his carvings of ships and shop figures, especially Native Americans with distinctive V-shape headdresses. The auction figure was designed with a cluster of cigars in one hand and leaning on a post with the other hand. Restored and boasting extremely attractive colors, it sold within estimate for $24,600. 

Wonderfully modeled and well executed, a bronze-wrapped Bull Durham Tobacco countertop display depicted the company’s bull mascot in a “muscular” three-dimensional form. The base was embossed “For Three Generations the Standard of Smoking Tobacco” and its sides were marked “Genuine Bull Durham.” Seldom seen in such a high (8.75+) condition, it finished just below its high estimate at $15,990.

After the auction concluded, Morphy Auctions’ founder, president and principal auctioneer expressed his pleasure with the series. “The house was packed and there was strong bidding, both in person and remotely, including live online through Morphy Live. We always aim high and place an emphasis on offering fresh-to-market antiques from long-held, well-provenanced collections because that’s what today’s buyers want. At every sale we see new faces right alongside those who’ve been attending our Las Vegas Coin-Op sales since the beginning. That growth, combined with collectors’ willingness to bid confidently on high-end pieces, is a sign that the hobby is thriving.”

To discuss consigning to a future Coin-Op & Antique Advertising Auction at Morphy’s, please call Dan Morphy tollfree at 877-968-8880 or email [email protected]. There is never an obligation to consign, and all enquiries are kept strictly confidential. Visit Morphy’s online at www.morphyauctions.com.