WALWORTH, WIS.- The more than 400 vintage collectible signs of the Walker Collection were offered for sale this past weekend in West Memphis, Ark. The complete assemblage, comprising mostly dealer-sized porcelain neon signs, was sold in its entirety over a two-day period bringing a total of $4.65 million in hammer sales headlined by the $125,000 sale of the one-of-a-kind Weakley Equipment Co. Lawn Equipment sign (Lot S250).

Containing some of the rarest signs in existence, the collection included a variety of themes with automobiles, farm equipment, beer signs and more, creating a unique and encompassing Americana flavor. With Mecum Auctions’ offering, the collection proved to also include some of the most valuable signs ever sold at auction.

The top seller was an animated original from 1948. Possibly one of the finest and most intricate porcelain neon signs of its vintage the world over, the 11-and-a-half-foot Weakley Equipment Co. sign presented in original and working condition. The second highest seller was a 1920s-era Goodyear Tires C.O.D. Garage Co. sign (Lot S155) with vintage milk-glass lettering. Known to be very fragile and therefore very difficult to find in good condition, the pre-neon backlit double-sided tin sign presented in an absolutely remarkable state of preservation and demonstrated its level of desirability with a hammer price of $100,000. An original porcelain neon factory-rotating Mobil Pegasus (Lot F44) in working condition brought $72,500, and a Chevrolet W.F. Chase (Lot S36) original double-sided porcelain neon sign, also in working condition brought $65,000. Other significant sales included two more double-sided porcelain neons in original and working condition including an 8-foot Ford sign (Lot F50) that gaveled at $65,000 and a 6-foot Siesta Motel sign (Lot F66) that reached a high bid of $55,000.

A very rare New Idea Farm Equipment sign (Lot F99) sold for $38,000 to a buyer who was quoted as saying, “I hadn’t seen one in 70 years, and I couldn’t wait another 70 to find another one, so I just had to have it.”

The complete top 10 sales at the Walker Sign Collection Auction include (all individual sales reflect hammer prices):

1.Weakley Equipment Co. Lawn Equipment 96x138x36 (Lot S250) at $125,000
2.Goodyear Tires C.O.D. Garage Co 96x45x10 (Lot S155) at $100,000
3.Mobil Pegasus 120x80x17 (Lot F44) at $72,500
4.Chevrolet W.F. Chase 89x36x22 (Lot S36) at $65,000
5.Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicles 84x36x8 (Lot S210) at $65,000
6.Ford 41x96x18 (Lot F50) at $61,000
7.Lincoln Mercury 128x54x12 (Lot S46) at $60,500
8.Siesta Motel 104x71x15 (Lot F66) at $55,000
9.Leader Newspapers 72x98x20 (Lot S234) at $52,500
10.Ford 41x96x18 (Lot S41) at $47,500