Featured: Tall porcelain advertising thermometer for Mail Pouch Tobacco; 1912 Ives fire hose reel; rare Reed “Gem of the Ocean” toy riverboat, nearly 30in long.
VINELAND, NJ, UNITED STATES, September 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Bertoia’s Advertising Sale on Friday, October 9, starting promptly at 10AM ET, offers a colorful mix of antique advertising, country store items and cast-iron collectibles, including soda pop, breweriana, early signs and coin-operated machines, plus 200+ still and mechanical banks, horse-drawn toys, cast-iron novelties and more.
Highlights include early and graphic signs, Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola advertising, brewery trays and displays, clocks, tins, bottles, slot and amusement machines; and unusual store and countertop pieces.
From familiar names to obscure regional brands, the auction captures the bold graphics and nostalgic imagery that once filled America’s stores, taverns and soda fountains.
A tall, framed porcelain advertising thermometer for Mail Pouch Tobacco has a deep cobalt-blue field along with yellow and white lettering that reads, “Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco / Treat Yourself to the Best.” Impressive at 73½ inches tall, the sign retains the central glass thermometer and wood frame and is in pristine to near-mint condition. It has a pre-sale estimate of $1,500-$2,500.
Collectors of fire memorabilia will want to reel in the oversize 1912 Ives fire hose reel, 26 inches in length and with the original figures. Considering the item’s size, weight and age, it has survived the test of time quite well and is in very good to excellent condition. The estimate is $1,500-$2,500.
A Reed “Gem of the Ocean” toy riverboat, a large and deluxe production rarely seen in the marketplace, is very clean and measures nearly 30 inches in length. Such paper-lithographed wood toys are fragile by nature and, given their age, can be subject to a myriad of condition issues. But this riverboat queen is a true survivor, presenting in pristine condition. It should get snapped up by an eager bidder for an estimated $1,000-$2,000.
One of the more whimsical items up for bid is a Ruhstallers Lager gilt-edge advertising beer tray featuring a humorous tavern scene with a gentleman holding a bottle and glass beside a seated woman. It is signed in the image “V.A. Blom” and bears the slogan, “Best Beer Brewed.” The 25-inch-long tray is expected to change hands for $1,000-$2,000.
An unusual circa-1930s French coin-operated countertop trade stimulator attributed to Bussoz, housed in a molded oak cabinet, should reach $1,000-$1,600. The colorful wheel features an early depiction of Mickey Mouse and red, green and yellow betting fields. Players wager a pierced 25-centime coin on a chosen color and a winning spin dispenses a 50- or 75-centime token. The trade stimulator retains its original French instruction card, coin mechanisms and key. This appealing crossover piece stands at the intersection of early coin-operated amusements and Disney collectibles. Comparable examples are identified in French collections as Roulette Bussoz: Mickey. This example is 27 inches tall and in good working condition.
A Wards Lemon-Crush syrup dispenser is an early ceramic soda fountain syrup dispenser, molded in the form of an oversize lemon with textured yellow surface, raised black lettering and applied floral decoration around the base. It comes complete with its metal lid, but there is no pump. Regardless, it is in excellent condition and should bring $800-$1,600.
Political memorabilia buffs listen up: Lot #28 is an 1898 Pennsylvania Republican Party embossed tin lithographed campaign sign promoting gubernatorial candidate Colonel William A Stone and the party’s statewide ticket beneath the slogan, “The Republican Party and Union Forever.” Richly illustrated with patriotic flags, a soaring eagle, and portrait medallions of the candidates, the 19½-inch by 28-inch sign is in very good to excellent condition and is expected to settle in the $1,000-$1,500 range.
A White City barrel-on-cart still bank, manufactured by Nicol & Co Mfg, 5½ inches tall and in excellent to pristine condition, has a pre-sale estimate of $600-$1,000.
A fine example of The Best Kast Iron Clothing safe, made by Regent Mfg Co (Chicago), 4 inches high and in very good to excellent condition, should knock down $500-$1,000.
A Luzianne Coffee and Chicory advertising sign with graphics that feature the familiar Luzianne server carrying a steaming cup and coffee service, together with period coupon redemption advertising, is expected to make $400-$800. The large, curved lithographed-tin advertising sign was manufactured by Wm B Reily & Co, New Orleans, copyright 1938. It measures 24 inches in diameter and is in excellent condition.
A vertical Canadian Coca-Cola porcelain sign showing the Sprite Boy character, 54 inches tall by 18 inches wide and in excellent condition, carries a pre-sale estimate of $500-$1,000.
“Together, these collections create a colorful and wide-ranging auction filled with advertising, banks, toys and nostalgic objects spanning some of the most popular categories of American collecting,” said Michael Bertoia, president of Bertoia Auctions and the firm’s principal auctioneer.
The October 9 Advertising Sale will be held live in Bertoia’s gallery, at 2141 DeMarco Drive, Vineland, NJ 08360, starting at 10AM ET. Preview by appointment only during the week prior to the auction. Remote bidding options include absentee, phone, or live online via Bertoia Live, LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable.
For additional information on any item, to leave an absentee bid, schedule a private-preview appointment, or reserve a telephone line for bidding, call 856-692-1881 or email toys@bertoiaauctions.com. Online: www.bertoiaauctions.com.
Michael Bertoia
Bertoia Auctions
+ + 1 856-692-1881
email us here
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