FALLS CHURCH, VA.- While Boyd Matson and June Hechinger led very different lives, each shared the enjoyment of collecting advertising-related memorabilia. On April 6, 2016 Quinn’s Auctions will offer 300 lots, including Matson’s 40-year collection of advertising signs, memorabilia and toys; and Hechinger’s 40-year collection of British biscuit and American tobacco tins from her estate. All lots will be auctioned without reserve.

Matson, a former NBC and National Geographic correspondent, made his name as the “Indiana Jones” of the media world. His adventures have included riding in a 100-mile horseback race in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro three times, flying with Operation Migration to teach captive-bred whooping cranes migration routes, and competing in the “Race of No Return” and “Marathon Des Sables,” 7-day 150-mile foot races in the Sahara and Gobi Deserts.

While traveling around America’s backroads, Matson liked to pick up souvenirs, amassing a collection more than 500 advertising items and toys. “I liked to collect items that reflected the industry and pioneering spirit of America. It was natural to pick up oil and gas signs in Texas, farming signs in the Midwest, and Coca-Cola everywhere,” Matson said. “And the toys? Well, I am a child of the ‘50s, and it was fun to have pieces from my cowboy heroes like Roy Rogers, plus some neat Japanese tin battery-op toys and cool cars and trucks.”

Best known as a contemporary art collector, the late June Hechinger’s other passion was collecting English biscuit, toffee and chocolate tins, as well as American tobacco tins. “Whenever Mom traveled, she would stop into antique stores and add one or two – or six – tins to her collection,” son Ross recalled. “Our whole family was instructed to call if we found tins. One day we were in a shop in Maine and spotted the Huntley and Palmer Artist’s Palette tin, which completed the set of three, and she practically reached through the phone in directing us to buy it!”

Matson advertising highlights include a number of scarce signs including a 30-inch Magnolia Petroleum Company Porcelain Sign, $300-$500; Pontiac figural profile sign, $400-$600; Arden Milk tin-litho die-cut delivery boy, $500-$700; Massey-Harris Farm Equipment porcelain sign, $300-$500; Buster Brown Bread tin flange sign, $400-$600; “Drink Pepsi” crossing guard sign, $1,000-$1,500; Texaco 42-inch porcelain sign, $300-$500; Dr. Pepper die-cut enamel flange sign, $400-$600; “His Master’s Voice” porcelain sign, $300-$500; Red Goose Shoes gold egg display, $200-$300; Hohner Harmonica figural trade sign, $80-$120; Humble Oil die-cut “Dropman,” $200-$300; Conoco station porcelain letters, $200-$300; and barbershop light, $200-$400.

The Hechinger tin collection has examples from Britain’s top biscuit tin makers such as Huntley & Palmer, Macfarlane Lang, Crawford, Gray, Dunn & Co., Jacob, and Carr & Co.; as well as tins from Victory Lozenges, Menier Chocolat, Dalu Kola Tea, etc. These makers created figural tins reflecting life at the turn of the 20th century. These tins were purchased not only for the goodies inside, but also for their whimsical figural depictions of vehicles, cottages, musical instruments, animals, etc.

Featured tins include a Crawford Rolls-Royce, $800-$1,200; group of (3) H&P Artist’s Palette tins, $300-$500; Crawford Flying Scotsman toffee train tin, $300-$500; H&P delivery truck tin, $500-$700; Gray, Dunn figural biscuit tin motor truck, $600-$800; (6) Mayo Cut Plug roly poly tins, $1,000-$1,500; Dalu-Kola Tea 3 Lb. tin, $200-$400; H&P Tank tin, $200-$300; Burley Boy Tobacco lunchbox tin, $100-$200; Game Fine Cut Tobacco tin, $100-$200; H&P China Cabinet tin, $100-$150; Chocolat Menier vending bank, $100-$150; and Victory Lozenge Bassinet, $100-$200.

Some of the Matson top toy lots include a circa-1930 Marx tin Airmail Hangar with biplane and Sky Flyer dirigible, $200-$300; Marx Deluxe Auto Transport with box, $100-$150; Marx tin-litho windup Camouflage Plane with box, $75-$125; Coca-Cola tin hamburger stand with box, $150-$200; Linemar Vacationer battery-operated Cabin Cruiser with box, $150-$250; Yonezawa tin windup Soldier On Parade with box, $100-$150; Fred Flintstone battery-operated Bedrock Band, $100-$150; Roi-Tan coupe advertising Sophie Tucker, $200-$300; and three vintage pedal cars.

Also included are gumball machines, arcade machines, comic books, lobby cards, sheet music and miscellaneous novelty items. “We are very excited to offer two such worthy collections of advertising memorabilia, collectibles and toys,” said Quinn’s Executive Vice President Matthew Quinn.

The April 6, 2016 auction will be held at Quinn's Auction Galleries, 360 South Washington Street, Falls Church, VA 22046. All items will be offered without reserve. Start time: 6 pm. Eastern. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers, eBay or Invaluable. View the fully illustrated catalog online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com, www.eBay.com or www.Invaluable.com.