Rare Wasatch Gasoline Sign Sells for $324,000 at Morphy Auctions

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Collectors have a gas with vintage petroliana signs during three-day, 1,600-lot, Bobby Knudsen Jr. sale realizing $8.1 million.

Collectors had a gas at Morphy’s Automobilia, Petroliana & Railroadiana Auction March 21-23 featuring Part II of the impressive Bobby Knudsen Jr. gas and oil advertising collection, with the four top sellers realizing nearly $1.1 million.

The three-day event, containing 1,600 lots from the Knudsen collection, plus other select consignments, realized more than $8.1 million (including buyer’s premiums).

The top lot of the three-day Morphy Auctions sale was this stunning and rare Wasatch Gasoline 48-inch-diameter porcelain service station sign, which sold for $324,000 against an estimate of $75,000-$150,000.

Courtesy Morphy Auctions

Native American iconography dominated the top 10 sellers, with an extremely rare and visually compelling Wasatch Gasoline (Salt Lake City, Utah) double-sided porcelain service station sign selling for $324,000, a record for this sign. Pre-sale estimate for the 48-inch diameter sign was $75,000-$150,000.

Mohawk Gasoline porcelain service station sign with Native American “down feather” graphic, sold for $312,000 against an estimate of $100,000-$200,000.

Courtesy Morphy Auctions

Following closely behind the blue-ribbon Wasatch sign was a pre-1925 production Mohawk Gasoline “down feather” double-sided porcelain service station sign, which sold for $312,000. One of only four known examples of the earliest porcelain advertising used by the historic San Francisco brand, pre-sale estimate for the sign was $100,000-$200,000.