Donley Gears Up for Annual Fall Classic November 18-20

UNION, IL - Known by collectors as its greatest sale of the year, Donley Auctions' Annual Fall Classic, November 18-20, features everything from advertising signs and barbershop items to coin-ops, radios and toys.

Home decorators may delight in the vast array of antique pedestals, statues, antique architecture, lighting, vintage and political advertising. Music fans can peruse an abundance of antique phonographs, music boxes, radios, and jukeboxes.

Recently discovered by pickers somewhere in rural Indiana, this magnificent 1898 Brunswick Los Angeles back bar has been completely and correctly restored to its former glory by some of the finest craftsmen in the Midwest. The bar is quarter sawn oak and measures 18 feet long, 130 inches high and 22-1/2 inches deep at the counter. The two original Brunswick semi-nude, life-sized female figures are hand-carved birch. These figures are unique to the Brunswick Los Angeles model and are flanked by two massive oak 46-inch-high columns. Estimate: $60,000-$100,000. Courtesy of Donley Auctions

Gamblers can bet on leaving lucky with the vintage gambling offers, including roulette tables, a blackjack table, and a Big 6 wheel, while coin-op enthusiasts can tinker with dozens of unique slot machines as well as rare and unusual games.

Motorheads should certainly enjoy cruising through a countless collection of petroliana as well as automobiles including a 1956 Thunderbird, a 1968 Mercedes 250SL, and several 1930s' barn finds.

Soda enthusiasts can find a sweet selection of Coca Cola advertising and soda fountain items. Lots also include barber chairs, safes, brass cash registers, and an ice cream bar, not to mention some one-of-a-kind items like a hand-painted canvas side show entrance, a gorgeous Brunswick Triple Arch Bar from the Gene Autry museum, and a complete 1939 original Spillman carousel with 24 wooden horses. There’s even an 1860’s bank teller cage from People’s Bank of New Hope, Kentucky, said to have been robbed by Jesse James himself.

This cashier's window from the People's Bank of New Hope, Kentucky, dates to the Civil War. The original bank still stands, with the original vault also still intact. The bank had been robbed several times, once purportedly by Jesse James, prompting the bank to cut an escape hole in the vault because the bank employees were being locked inside of it. The Z-shaped cashier's window comes apart in three pieces, is made of oak, and has a pink marble work surface and matching marble kick plates. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000. Courtesy of Donley Auctions

A massive circus tent entry banner reading, "The World's Most Complete Congress of Strange People and Human Oddities/Novel and Unique Performances/for Refined Ladies, Gentlemen, and Children of all ages." Made out of rubberized canvas and single sided, the banner is wonderfully detailed with a maroon border with orange interior border and would make a neat display piece; 14 feet 6 inches x 12 feet 7 inches. Estimate: $4,000-$6,000. Courtesy of Donley Auctions

Day 1 on Thursday starts at 10 a.m. Central Time and features 585 lots of coin-ops, gambling, jukeboxes, general store, display cases, soda fountain, Coca-Cola, barber shop, tobacciana, cash registers, early invention, Christmas, toys, circus, advertising, political, lighting, clocks, statues, architecture, furniture, artwork, petroliana, nautical, and boat motors.

Day 2 on Friday begins at 6 p.m. Central Time and features 306 lots of the best of the best including pinball, arcade, cash registers, barber shop, more Coca-Cola, popcorn, soda fountain, railroad cars, antique and vintage cars, bikes and motorcycles, petroliana signs, slot machines, gambling, a Gatling gun, advertising signs, antique music, high-end antiques and rare/unusual items.

An extremely rare Space Age carnival amusement park ride flying saucer UFO, made by L'Autopede of Belgium, late 1950s. The hand-fabricated metal two-seat carousel ride is in vintage science-fiction style and an extremely rare piece of carnival/amusement park art, complete with original antenna and working “clickity-clack” machine gun. Estimate: $15,000-$40,000. Courtesy of Donley Auctions

Day 3 on Saturday starts at 10 a.m. Central Time and features 536 lots of antique music, phonographs, music boxes, records, rare musical instrument, advertising, pedestals and cabinets, parts and horns, tabletop radios, radio consoles, transistors, receivers, test equipment, tubes and parts.

The sale will be live in Donley's auction gallery at 8512 S Union Road, Union, IL 60180, and online at AuctionZip.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and Proxibid.com.

For more information, visit DonleyAuctions.com.

Annual Fall Classic Auction Donley Auctions

Antique Trader StaffAuthor