Press Release

New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada, March 13, 2024 -- A sporty black and yellow 1929 Whippet Model 96A four-cylinder roadster roared away for $25,960; vintage Canadian porcelain signs for White Rose service stations and Red Indian Motor Oils realized $17,700 and $14,160, respectively; and rare vintage Schuco toys fetched nice high prices in Miller & Miller online auctions held March 1-2.

All prices in this report are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.

The March 1st Toys auction featured the late Howard Meyer Legacy Collection. Up for bid were 180 lots, all of them toys and dominated by examples from Schuco. “Condition and rarity reign supreme as the determining factors when it comes to value in toys,” said Justin Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. “Many of the toys in Howie’s collection were exceptional examples.”

Mr. Miller went on to say that many of the toys in the Meyer collection were also in their original boxes. “That can often double or triple the values,” he remarked, adding, “The Meyer Schuco toy collection generated much international interest, not just in North America. In fact, many lots sold abroad. It’s clear the market for quality vintage toys is solid around the world.”

The Petroliana & Advertising auction on March 2nd, contained 398 lots of petroliana (gas station collectibles), advertising signs, toys, soda advertising and model planes. The 1929 Whippet was the top lot of the two days. “As the market for quality petroliana and advertising continues to mature, collectors are willing to pay higher and higher prices for top examples,” Miller said.

He continued, “Buyers are building collections and many of them remain in holding positions, keeping the best advertising locked up long term. When the time arrives for an older collection to come to market, sellers are almost always rewarded with handsome returns on their investment.”

The 1929 Whippet was the overall top lot of the two days. The Whippet quickly became strong competition for its popular contemporary, the Willys Overland. Lighter and boasting a longer wheelbase, Whippet's sales soon eclipsed the Overland. While its engine was smaller, advancements like pump-circulated cooling and full-pressure oiling made it the superior car.

The 1940s Canadian White Rose “Slate Boy” double-sided porcelain service station sign, impressive at four feet in diameter and featuring “Boy and Slate” graphic, was marked “Villas Enamel Products Limited, Cowansville, P.Q.” It more than doubled its $8,000 high estimate.

The Canadian 1930s Red Indian Motor Oils single-sided porcelain sign boasted excellent color and gloss and measured 24 inches by 17 inches. It was marked "Vilas Enamel Products Ltd., Cowansville, Que." To the lower right edge and bested its $9.000-$12,000 high estimate.

Following are additional highlights from the auctions, in which a total of 563 online bidders placed a combined total of 10,722 bids across the two days, for a gross of $478,785. Internet bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and the Miller & Miller Auctions website.

A Murad Turkish Cigarettes single-sided tin sign, made in the U.S. in the 1900s and featuring a detailed image of a Turkish beauty in colorful attire holding a serving tray with a package of Murad Cigarettes, 39 inches by 28 ½ inches, went for $11,800. The high estimate was $3,000.

A 1930s American-made Wayne Model 60 Supertest Gasoline pump, made from steel, glass, plastic and rubber, 92 inches tall, finished at $10,620 against a high estimate of $7,500. The pump was restored to Supertest, including paint and reproduction globe lenses, dated 1995.

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