NEW HAMBURG.- The Ford brand will take center stage in Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.’s online-only Petroliana & Advertising auction planned for Saturday, March 11th, beginning at 9 am Eastern time. The top two expected lots are a 1951 Ford convertible, Carnival Red, an excellent survivor car; and a scarce 1940s Canadian Ford Monarch porcelain dealer sign.

The 1951 Ford convertible retains the original 239 cubic inch flathead V8 engine with two-barrel carburetor and a three-speed manual transmission, with a Borg-Warner overdrive. Features include a deluxe radio and heater, rocker moldings, factory signals and spotlight, front bumper guard and backup light. It’s a mostly original low-mileage survivor with a straight-fitting body.

Professionally repainted in Carnival Red, the car also boasts the original interior, original glass, the original (well-worn) convertible top, the original top boot and a professionally replaced rear window. The car has just 82,870 original miles. It was built in Windsor, Ontario and spent years in Edmonton, in a salt-free environment. It drives well and is expected to bring $20,000-$25,000.

All prices quoted are in Canadian dollars.

The Canadian 1940s single-sided porcelain Ford Monarch dealer sign with bullnose ends is quite rare and should fetch $12,000-$15,000. It would have originally been displayed with a second sign, identical to this one, attached back-to-back, creating a double-sided sign. The sign, 45 ¼ inches by 74 ½ inches, does exhibit patches of porcelain loss but has exceptional color and gloss.

The rest of the auction – 309 lots total – is packed with categories that include automobiles, petroliana (gas station collectibles), breweriana (beer collectibles), soda advertising, bicycles, advertising signs and more. As this is an online-only auction, there is no in-person event to attend, but bidders can tune in to the live webcast on March 11th to watch lots close in real time.




“From the muscle bikes of the 1960s and 70s to a full spectrum of advertising spanning the 20th century, this sale contains countless buying opportunities,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., adding “The investment potential of signs and advertising has been on an upward trajectory. We expect this trend to continue and will continue to offer these items in future sales.”

A Canadian 1940s White Rose Gasoline three-piece single-sided porcelain banner sign – the more difficult-to-find scaled up version of the set, with the round center sign 48 inches in diameter (typically 36 inches) and each of the banners 119 ½ inches long (typically 94 ½ inches), should realize $9,000-$12,000; while a Canadian 1950s North Star Gasoline double-sided porcelain service station sign, 71 ¼ inches in diameter, has an estimate of $7,000-$9,000.

A 1930s French Canadian single-sided porcelain sign for Molson’s Beer, a “hotel sign” with script in French that translates to “Here we serve Molson’s Beer”, rare, with great color and gloss, 23 ¼ inches by 48 ¼ inches, should garner $6,000-$9,000. Also, an American Coca-Cola double-sided porcelain drug store sign, marked “Tenn Enamel Mfg. Nashville” and “Made in U.S.A. 1933” lower left, 48 inches by 63 inches, is also expected to hammer for $6,000-$9,000.

A Canadian 1930s Red Indian Gasoline single-sided porcelain service station sign, 60 inches in diameter, marked “The W. F. Vilas Co. Limited, Cowansville, P.Q.” on the lower center edge, carries a pre-sale estimate of $7,000-$9,000; while a Canadian 1930s Red Indian Marathon Blue Gasoline pump globe lens in reverse baked glass, extremely rare, 13 ½ inches in diameter, with the edge factory notched at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, should leave the room for $4,000-$6,000.

A Canadian 1930s McColl-Frontenac single-sided porcelain grease gun holder sign, marked “The W. F. Vilas Co. Limited, Cowansville, P.Q.” lower edge, 64 inches by 40 ¼ inches, should ring up $6,000-$9,000. Also, a Canadian 1940s Imperial 3-Star Gasoline double-sided porcelain service station sign, the naming of the three stars at the end of NHL hockey games inspired by Esso 3 Star gasoline in 1936, 40 ¾ inches by 60 ½ inches, is estimated to make $4,000-$6,000.

An American 1940s Sinclair Service Station single-sided porcelain neon banner sign with raised border, assembled in two sections, marked “S-2-14” in the lower far right edge, having an overall length of 166 inches, has a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$6,000. Also, a Canadian 1940s Imperial Oil 3 Star Gasoline double-sided porcelain service station sign in the original porcelain frame measuring 27 ¾ inches by 40 ¼ inches, with light surface etch, should sell for $3,500-$5,000.

A Canadian 1930s Goodyear Tires single-sided porcelain dealer sign featuring a diamond pattern tire tread border, measuring 27 ¾ inches by 39 ¾ inches, should settle at $3,500-$5,000; while an American 1930s Firestone Farm Tires single-sided porcelain horizontal sign, marked “Ing-Rich. Bea” (Beaver Falls, Pa.), 21 inches by 71 inches, is also expected to command $3,500-$5,000.

Bringing things full circle back around to Ford, an American 1940s Ford Dealer single-sided porcelain sign made for neon, made by Frohling Sign Company (Nanuet, N.Y.), a company that continues operating to this day, 29 ½ inches by 60 ½ inches, has an estimate of $3,500-$5,000.