LAS VEGAS, NEV.- A circa-1905 Cretors & Company Model D horse-drawn popcorn wagon soared to $86,100; a late 19th/early 20th century Owl “Cigar Store” reverse-painted glass sign topped out at $68,880; and a circa-1920 Mr Peanut “Red” Royal cast-iron peanut roaster realized $67,650 at Morphy’s General Antiques & Advertising Auction held December 4-6, 2025.
Overall, more than 1,500 lots crossed the block in an auction that grossed more than $2.7 million. All prices quoted in this report are inclusive of a 23 percent buyer’s premium, or as stated on Morphy’s website.
Held live at Morphy’s West Coast satellite gallery in Las Vegas, the sale was headlined by the classic advertising, American pop culture and coin-op collection of Southern California businessman and entertainment industry professional Ray Claridge, with an additional 200+ high-quality lots coming from longtime antique advertising collectors Mike and Darlene Peel.
Ray Claridge founded and operated Cinema Vehicle Services, which built some of the most recognizable movie and TV cars of the modern era, including “General Lee” from Dukes of Hazzard and “Herbie” from The Love Bug. Decades later, Ray opened Back in the Day Classics in Orange, California, one of the region’s largest advertising and memorabilia showrooms.
He has had a deep involvement in West Coast racing culture for many years and played a major role in taking NASCAR to Japan. His wide-ranging interests, all of which embrace the freewheeling California lifestyle, were captured in their entirety in one big, dazzling collection that traversed the realm of American pop culture from its earliest days to the post-WWII era.
The Cretors popcorn wagon was the top lot of the three days, besting the $60,000 high estimate by more than $25,000. Cretors & Company was founded in 1885, specializing in popcorn machines and other concession equipment. The horse-drawn cart was first offered in 1905 as a model "D". The one sold, over 12 feet long, had undergone an extensive restoration. No detail was overlooked in getting this piece of Cretors history back to its original condition.
The Owl “Cigar Store” sign was the sale’s runner-up top lot, and for good reason. It’s one of the best reverse-painted glass signs known to exist. Promoting the wide range of cigars sold under the “Owl” brand, this important, investment-grade piece, with spectacular graphics, featured an extraordinary image of a perched owl with the phrase “CIGAR STORE” in large, bold lettering. The sign measured an impressive 30¼ inches by 80 inches and was nicely housed in its original frame.
The circa-1920 Mr Peanut “Red” Royal cast-iron peanut roaster was one of very few survivors known and came to auction in impeccable, restored condition. Fully operational, the roaster featured Mr Peanut himself, with electric motion to simulate running the roaster. Arguably the most phenomenal piece of Planter Peanut history one could own, the point-of-sale store display was an original Planters roaster restored with a contemporary Mr Peanut figure.
That wasn’t the only Mr Peanut item up for bid. A spectacular scene-stealer of monumental height, a 1950s-’60s Planters Mr Peanut fiberglass figure made by Old King Cole Mfg. Co., standing nearly nine feet tall, found a new home for $49,200. It came from a limited run of promotional figures that Planters provided exclusively to distributors and retailers and had never been offered to the public. The example sold is believed to have been used at the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
Taking a prominent spot in the Gas & Oil section, an outstanding Wayne Model #492 10-gallon Roman column visible gas pump, with attractive pinstriped details throughout, fetched $50,430. The pump had been given an extremely clean and fresh restoration and boasted exceptional colors. It had a white cloth hose with polished brass nozzle and a Gold Crown cast milk-glass globe. The towering, 10-foot-tall beauty surpassed its high estimate by more than $10,000.
More than 100 lots represented brewery or distillery beverages. An S B Rothenberg (Oakland, Calif.) Fine Old Whiskey oversize whiskey bottle, with its original label under glass and housed in its original crate, nearly doubled its $20,000 high estimate with a final price of $39,360. In fact, everything about this amazing survivor was original, including the bottle’s contents. A stunning example in near-perfect 9.0 condition, it was one of two bottles that wowed bidders.
The other was a large, late-1890s or early-1900s Ahalt's Pure Old Mountain Spring Antietam Rye label under glass wicker bottle with handle. The incredible fresh find displayed the USA shield flag with a graphic of a patriotic woman. The reverse-glass label was in beautiful condition, with only minor wear mostly to the outside edges. The wicker was also in solid condition. The 16½-inch-tall bottle was graded at 8.25 for condition and sold for $30,750.
A complete set of seven Ithaca tin mileage signs for Sieber Hardware, with the original shipping crate marked for the same Sieber Hardware and Implements Store in Woodland, California, breezed past the $40,000 high estimate to realize $54,120. This would be an impossible set of Ithaca signs to locate individually, and these examples displayed great color and graphics. It was truly an amazing set of early Black Americana advertising.
A historically significant early-20th-century “Stop & Go” semaphore traffic signal, 109 inches tall, made by the Acme Traffic Signal Company of Los Angeles and produced during the 1920s, changed hands for $41,820. The signal featured the distinctive mechanical “STOP & GO” arm on the side, paired with illuminated red “STOP” and green “GO” lenses—an innovative hybrid meant to ensure visibility in both daylight and nighttime traffic conditions.
To discuss consigning to a future General Antiques, Antique Advertising, Automobilia & Petroliana auction, or other auction hosted by Morphy’s, call Dan Morphy at 877-968-8880 or email info@morphyauctions.com. All enquiries are kept strictly confidential, and there is never an obligation to consign. Online:
www.morphyauctions.com.
