RUN 6/27

RICH PENN POST MAY 3 & 4

W/8 cuts; set 6-14; cd/ak; #743115

 WATERLOO, IOWA — Rich Penn’s two-day, 1,400-lot auction held on May 3 and 4 featured country store and advertising items from several collections. A full house of bidders gathered at the Iowa State Fair Ground’s Learning Center building, and 2,000-plus bidders were registered from more than 25 countries. Rich Penn commented, “It was a superb auction, and when that Peter Beetz strength tester sold, it was worth the trip to the auction just to see the excitement.”

The machine, a cast iron, circa 1905 floor model, had been uncovered from behind a pile of boxes and miscellany in the basement laundry room of a Des Moines home. “The machine, still with its old paint, was in great original working condition,” Penn said. “The man who owned it loved to spray paint his collectible things with nice, pretty, bright colors. Fortunately, he never got to the strength tester!” To the audience’s delight, the machine ended up selling to a California bidder for $55,000.

In the first ten minutes on Saturday morning, several lots of early 1900s cereal boxes — Post Toasties and Kellogg’s Krumbles — sold for between $660 and $990 each.

By 11 am, a nice original Corticelli curved front spool cabinet realized $2,750, followed shortly by a painting in a contemporary Winchester advertising frame that brought $9,350 from a Texas collector.

A number of fire-related things sparked interest, among them were two Gamewell firehouse gongs, the top one going to $4,400. Then, for the stock broker, an excellent condition Western Union Telegraph stock ticker registered $5,225.

There was a dentist conference running concurrently in Des Moines, and several dentists found their way to the auction. One went home with the Ramson & Randolph dental cabinet for $11,275.

Great advertising displays included an interesting Woodlawn Mills shoe lace service station, in near mint condition, going to $4,070; an American Lady counter corset display cinched up $4,125 from a European bidder; a rare Heinz pickle-shaped string holder, with some professional restoration, went to $8,250.

A Koken salesman’s sample barber chair clipped out a bid of $31,900 at midday. Three lots later, a salesman’s sample plow, believed to be a John Deere Gilpin Sulky single bottom, cultivated a final bid of $15,400.

The bidding really became spirited when the coin-operated machines started to cross the block. A perfectly restored Mills Dewey floor model slot machine sold to a floor bidder for $19,800.

The Sunday session of the auction had a definite soda fountain flavor. An early floor model hand crank malt mixer shook up the crowd with a winning bid of $4,400.

There were quite a number of unusual drug store pieces; one was a rare version of the “Tufts Perfume Fountain,” marked DeFries & Sons, London, that sold for $8,250.

Two display cases attracted especially strong interest. The first was a rare countertop version of The Crystal Candy Case, made in Alliance, Ohio, in 1897, that went to a telephone bidder for $9,900. The other showcase was an immaculate double tower steeple case made by Jos. Knittel, in Quincy, Ill., walnut, with German silver trim, for $8,800.

But the highlights of the Sunday session seemed to be the syrup dispensers. With only a handful known to exist, the Beatsall Root Beer dispenser was the top seller in its category. Even with a perfectly restored well bottom, it sold at $20,900.

There were quite a few dispensers that broke the $5,500 price barrier. Among them were a Ward’s Lime Crush at $8,250 and an Indian Rock Ginger Ale at $7,700. One of the surprises among the dispensers was a rather “Plain Jane” looking version of the Grape Julep dispenser; in light purple, it was made by the Hall China Co. and sold for $12,100. Taka-Kola and the Sweet Orchard dispensers are rare, and they sold at $13,200 and $9,350, respectively.

For the syrup dispenser collector that needed a place to display his or her prizes, the 10-foot-wide soda fountain back bar was just the piece. Selling toward the end of the auction, it ended up going to a happy in-house bidder for $13,200.

All prices reported include the buyer’s premium.

For additional information, www.richpennauctions.com or 319-291-6688.

Penny Strength Tester Squeezes Out

$55,000 Bid At Rich Penn Sale

0583

Top lot of the two-day sale was this Peter Beetz Push or Pull, cast iron, one cent floor model strength tester, in original paint and working condition, that sold for $55,000 to a California collector.

0363

A salesman’s sample barber chair, Koken Companies, St Louis, is a very rare example in original working condition with original leather upholstery, circa 1900; it realized $31,900.

0997

A Beatsall Root Beer syrup dispenser by Brechet & Richter Co. brought $20,900.

0482

A floor model Mills Dewey five-cent slot machine in an oak cabinet, circa 1899, well restored and in working condition, realized $19,800.

0366

A rare salesman’s sample plow, believed to be a John Deere Gilpin Sulky single bottom plow developed in 1875, is a steel working model pulled by a cast metal two-horse team; it sold for $15,400.

1233

This Taka-Kola syrup dispenser is rare, and it brought $13,200.

1124

One of the surprises among the dispensers was a rather “Plain Jane” looking version of the Grape Julep dispenser; in light purple, it was made by the Hall China Co. and fetched $12,100.

0461

An oak dental cabinet, manufactured by the Ramson & Randolph Co., Toledo, Ohio, was patented in 1899; it sold for $11,275.