By Stacy L. Kammert LE ROY, Ill. — Vintage advertising signs drop the top bids at an April 13 Fricker Auctioneer’s Country Americana auction. The sale featured 520 lots of folk art, furniture, vintage postcards, baskets and spongeware in addition to the advertising. Top lot of the day went to a 1912 Beach Co. Red Dry Seal Battery flange sign. It sold for $7,100. “The advertising sign market is very strong and the prices achieved reflected the rarity and condition of the advertising sign lots,” said auctioneer Chris Fricker. Other highlights among vintage advertising signs were an early 1900s, rare tin, Allens Red Tame Cherry sign, “And You’ll Smile Too” for $3,600 and a rare Simpson Oil Co. Quality Service, two-sided porcelain sign for $1,050. A 1920s era Gottschalk blue-roof dollhouse sold for $1,000 and a Card Seed Company wooden display box with seed packets sold for $220. Other popular lots included a pair of Ohio Sewer Tile roosters which made $250 and $175. An Ethan Allen Running Horse weathervane sold for $400 and an antique gold-painted rooster weathervane sold for $800. Although the auction was light on furniture, a two-drawer, cherry nightstand with drop-leaf sides sold for $170 and an early Windsor, spindle-back chair sold for $120. Sugar buckets sold well, a dark green, painted sugar bucket reached $90. Civil War era memorabilia collectors helped propel the sale of four Civil War era belts to a total of $315. Among the pottery lots, a large stoneware vase sold for $130 and an early yellow spongeware bowl sold for $20. A multi-colored, large, star-pattern quilt attracted several bidders and sold for $300. Fricker said, that overall “country Americana items have held their own.” For more information call (309) 838-5829 or visit www.frickerauctions.com |