FLINT, Mich. - Former hockey star and businessman Bob Perani staged an early July auction which was, literally, elephantine in stature.

For a mere $51,000, plus a 12 percent buyer’s premium, the ownership of a life-size, walking elephant was one of the highlights of the Norton Auctioneers sale on July 7-8. However, it was only one of more than a thousand items that drew buyers from as far as Florida.

Perani is an avid collector, and found a convenient place to display some of his collection in his own shopping mall - the Dort Mall in Flint, Mich., where the auction was held. No pottery or Depression glass at this auction, but plenty of advertising, airplanes, boats, soap box derby cars, an entire carousel, Hollywood movie props, and everything else astonishing was available.

The elephant walked courtesy of a 4-cylinder internal combustion engine. The elephant’s sides opened to reveal the complex mechanical mechanism that moved the legs in cadence and flapped the ears. The elephant was reportedly one of three made in Europe in 1947 through a grant by the U.S. government. One of them was ridden by Dwight D. Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican National Convention in Chicago and later at his inaugural. The pachyderm can reach a high speed of 20 miles per hour. Although the auctioneer started the engine just prior to bidding, the pachyderm would have walked right into the Ronald McDonald statues, so there was no opportunity to clock the elephant’s time in the quarter mile.

Couldn’t afford the elephant but still wanted to be in a parade? Parade cars of all kinds were offered – Oldsmobile, BMW, shaped like a dragon – anything you could think of. Prices ranged from $150 to $1,200. One of the cars was awarded first place in the Houston Art Car parade and had been featured on the Discovery Channel.

Been thinking of opening your own amusement park? A Mangels three-row kiddy carousel with aluminum horses sold for $11,000. Assorted other carousel horses, large and small, including a Parker, ranged from $50 to $850. A Bayol bobbing head donkey carousel horse circa 1890 brought $400. A funhouse mirror sold for $375. Bumper cars sold for $250 to $500, and a Whip car sold for $225. Four assorted color wooden shoe kiddy ride cars sold as a lot for $400. A blue wooden Ferris wheel seat with the cast iron supports on either side brought $250. For $2,700 the Falcas amusement park train with track and cars like spaceships could circle your park.

For amusement on a smaller scale was a variety of coin-operated kiddy rides. A Kentucky Derby ride, featuring three horses in a racing posture, sold for $300. Twenty-five cent pony and donkey rides sold for $100 each. Coin-op helicopter and a hot air balloon sold for $50 each, while an elephant ride sold for $300. For $100 your kids and all their friends could ride a pretty blue and silver dolphin. A bid of $150 bought a Chuck wagon ride, which was a horse pulling a covered wagon.

Items from the movie, Star Wars was a big hit among bidders. A life size figure of Boba Fett brought $3,000; Skywalker sold for $300; Watto for $425; Jar Jar for $300; and Yoda for $500.

Neon is always popular, and old neon is the rage. But old neon with motion is king, and Perani’s auction had plenty of it. On auction day all signs were lit and the neon was glowing. A blue Night Hawks double sided sign with wing motion fetched $2,750. A double sided Sheet Metal Works sign with shears in motion sold for $1,300. A large Restaurant neon sign sold for $275. Cozy Nook Cabins neon sign sold for $200. Walt & Lu’s Rooms sign sold for $75. The circle OK logo neon sign sold for $1,100. Flip’s Café neon sold for $300. A corner Office neon from an old motel sold for $225. Cherry’s Drive-In neon changed hands for $450. A neon ice cream cone sign brought $500.

Even the old signs, illuminated with a series of light bulbs, were prized among bidders. A steel frame outline of a bicycle at least 10 feet long with the light bulbs inside sold for $1,050. Several arrow signs of that type were offered, ranging from $250 to $750. A Palace sign at least 10 feet long was lot no. 1 and sold for $200. A red “sputnik” sign sold for $800.

There were at least a couple hundred advertising signs, old, double sided, porcelain, lighted, you name it. Automobilia collectors had a fun time choosing between the giant Pegasus for $1,500 and the huge modern Sunoco sign for $175. A giant Michelin Boy sign – the one with the sleepy little guy holding up a whitewall tire – sold for $600. A newer Amoco sign sold for $125; Kendall Oil sold for $50; and a 6 foot diameter Flying A Service sign sold for $400.

All that was lacking to create a Buick showroom, were the cars. A 10 foot square Buick lobby clock was offered, as well as a large electric Buick sign which sold for $250. An “engine under glass” display of a Buick V-6 engine sold for $400.

A newer Batman logo sign sold for $350. Barber shop signs ranged from $75 to $350. A Donald Duck Bread Sign sold for $300. A 6-foot long pistol was in demand for $600. A porcelain hospital zone sign with a nurse and “Noise Annoys” did not silence the bidding and brought $175. A large fountain pen ink sign sold for $125. A porcelain embossed M&S Beverages sign fetched $75. A Granite City Ice Cream sign brought $200.

An old porcelain circular white clock at least 8 feet in diameter sold for $575. Porcelain 33rpm hanging record signs sold for $250. A porcelain White Belt Dairy Sign, in pristine condition with the original tag on the back, sold for $75. An illuminated two-sided Sunshine Pets sign, with a colorful parrot graphic and a handle so the sign could be carried like a suitcase, sold for $50. An outdoor Red Star Stove sign sold for $300.

A soap box derby Red Baron car rolled out the door for $150. Soapbox derby car no. 40 brought $75, and a car sponsored by the Marsh Brothers made a little boy happy for $50.

Coca-Cola collectors were not disappointed, with at least three of the giant red “button” signs offered. One had the bottle on the front. Prices ranged from $350 to $750. A Glasco Coke machine sold for $125.

Buyers wanting to recreate an old gas station had their choice of nicely restored gas pumps. A white Red Crown pump with the red and white globe sold for $600. A Mobile pump brought $850. A Ford gas pump brought $1,300, while a tall vintage gas station light sold for $200. Two Sinclair signs sold as a lot for $200.

Prices soared on aircraft, with an historical ACE airplane reaching $5,000. The aircraft was designed and engineered by Theron G. Riley of Flint, who with other local businessmen founded the ACE Aircraft Co. The airplane – 80 percent complete – was placed in storage in the basement of an apartment building when ACE production ceased in 1932. The aircraft had its original Goodyear tires from 1931, as well as the Flottorp propeller. The wings were the original wood, with the gauges built by the A.C. Spark Plug Experimental Division, of which Riley was president.

Plenty of model airplanes were offered, from small to giant, of various manufacturers and styles. Many pilots flew home with bargains as low as $150. Canadian Mist model airplanes sold for $150 and $225. A real helicopter sold for $1,500.

From the “I didn’t even know that existed” department, was a perfectly restored bicycle lawn mower. Reportedly an original factory prototype, this bicycle mower sold for $550.