1½ col 496

Winchester Bullet sign, litho on die-cut cardboard, 1935, 26½ by 19½ inches.

1½ col 1138

Scale model stagecoach, 1/12 scale, handcrafted by Marvin Kruse & Sons of Hartington, Neb., circa 1960.

1col 765

Coin-operated machine, Griswold Red Star, one cent cast iron vending machine, restored, circa 1914; 20 inches high.

1c 837

Rare drug store apothecary oval show globe on floor stand, pictured in Van Schaack’s 1902 catalog; 40 inches high.

2c  913

Majestic Radio Authorized Dealer display figure, paper-mache eagle with Old King Cole maker’s label inside.

typesetting copy, photos on CD

 

 

MUST RUN 10/12 per dss

MIDWEST TREASURES ON TAP AT RICH PENN AUCTION NOV. 2-4 W/5 CUTS

AVV/GS SET 10/4 #714816

DES MOINES, IOWA — Adding to the seasonal color autumn brings will be Rich Penn Auction’s event of nearly 2,000 no-reserve lots on November 2–4.

The three-day auction will feature several collections, including two Iowa treasure troves. The late Milford Lewis was the proprietor of Lewis Sundries, a full-service drug store for many years in Allerton. The second Iowa treasure trove is from Fern & Varlen Carlson’s Country Relics Museum in Stanhope, Iowa. Closed in 2003, the vast collection of country store, toys, mannequins, salesman’s samples and children’s furnishings will be offered in several auctions, starting with this event.

There will also be a number of other important related collections, making this auction one of the largest auctions Penn’s held in several years. Rich Penn said, “This is the largest collection of toys, banks and children’s things we’ve ever sold. It’s also the biggest grouping of drug store, soda fountain, coin-operated machines and Coca-Cola items we’ve ever sold.”

Penn’s auctions always include country store pieces. This auction is no exception, but there is also a variety of drug store items, circa 1880s–1960s. The typical circa 1900s drug store displayed its medicines in bottles and jars. The auction offers many medicine jars with labels under glass. Those include the standard apothecary jars, in clear, blue, amber and green. But also included are jars with advertising labels under glass; Dr King’s Life Pills, Buclen’s Arnica Salve, Bauer’s Bromo and others.

One of the most striking display jars is the “Choice Perfumery” jar. Penn says, “This circa 1870s jar is extra large at 27 inches and is extremely rare. This piece has lost much of its background paint, which is restorable, but the gold leaf speaks for its importance.” There are also many decorated ceramic and china display jars.

No respectable 1900s drug store was complete without a soda fountain. Lewis Sundries highlights include Coca-Cola and soda advertising, straw holders, syrup dispensers and bottles, ice cream dippers and candy jars.

For the Coca-Cola collector, there is a collection of almost 200 Coca-Cola items, including a salesman’s sample Coca-Cola cooler in original carrying case, more than 50 trays and signs in porcelain, tin and cardboard.

There are 20-plus syrup dispensers, including a set of Ward’s Orange, Lemon and the rare Lime, also Orange & Cherry Julep, Magnus Lime Rickey, Jersey Creme, Buckeye Root Beer and Cherry Smash.

Drug store displays often included a variety of show jars. This auction has nearly two dozen to choose from. Some of the more rare and interesting are the hanging globes and the ones that stood in stands.

As always, Penn’s auctions offer fine country store pieces, including spool cabinets, from pristine original condition to restored cabinets. Sizes go from two-drawer to 13-drawer. Dye cabinets include Diamond Dye, Putnam Dye, German Dye, Rainbow, Perfection and Turkish Dyes. A medicine cabinet standout is Dr Daniels’ Veterinary Medicines cabinet. It has the colorful embossed tin drawer front showing the medicines.

A variety of early coin-operated slots, trade stimulators and vending machines will be offered. From the Watling Rol-A-Top slot machine to the Jonas Bell Wrigley’s Gum trade stimulator, to the Climax Hilo peanut vendor, there are nearly 100 coin-operated pieces from which to choose.

The three-session auction also includes children’s items, including 30 of the “little dummies” from the Carlson’s museum, dressed in period clothing. Also, there are salesman’s samples, 200 still and mechanical banks, and many pressed steel toys: Buddy L, Steelcraft, Cor-Cor, Smith Miller, Keystone and others. Toys also include cast iron Arcade, Keystone and other early makers.

The selection includes many rare and hard to find still banks and mechanicals. Among the still banks are Statue of Liberty, Black Mammy with Spoon and the Beehive-Branch of Norwalk Savings. Rare mechanicals include Organ Grinder & Bear, Darktown Battery and Professor Pug Frog.

Preview is at 9 am on Friday, November 2. The auction begins at noon Friday. Saturday and Sunday sessions begin at 9 am. Guest auctioneers for this event will be Fred Van Metre, R.J. Brinkmeyer, Chad Shepard and Jodi Sweeney.

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