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Vintage Garage Auction

Posted by 141drew Posted onMar 29, 2013 at 2:13 PM and filed under Deals


A friend of mine just sent over a link to an Auction going down in the Pacific Northwest. Apparently, the contents of a garage full of vintage signs, memorabilia, and tools is all going up for sale to the highest bidder. The photography of the collection is something else. Check it out here.


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toomanytoyzz

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WOW!! What a collection. I have the same BEAR headlight tester. My dad got it from an old timer next to his bodyshop. He was an auto mechanic in the 40's until the late 80's. He passed away about 15 years ago. Anyway, my dad got it off of him because the PA state inspection officer came into his shop and told him he needed one to continue doing inspections on cars. He was a d!ck, but no longer works for them. The new guy is really cool.

I wonder if it was restored? I'll have to snap a pic of his. It's all complete and even works, but it has the correct "patina" for it's age as well as being in a shop.
 

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RatchetMan

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Amazing collection and I'll bet the fella who collected all that has some interesting stories. The pickers and antique hunters will be out in force. That being said, I'm in my thirties and that old advertising and stuff doesn't really resonate with me. Sure I recognize Clark Gable, Mariyln Monroe and some of the branded merchandise but lot of it looks like tourist stop collectibles. I think the target demographic for that sale is people age 60+ with memories of that stuff. Still, if it were being held down the road from my house, I'd go just to watch people bid insane prices on things.
 
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BradTx

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Definitely an eclectic collection. There's everything from automobilia, trains, radios, victrolas, cameras, and even an electric eraser. It's quite a stash.
 
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don long

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Just went thru all the pic's
What a collection. I think a trip to Washington is in my near future
I think this may be a great road trip

Thanks for sharing this grand find
 
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DIC

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Can't imagin how many years somebody has put in collecting all that...Can't take it with you
 
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machineshop

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Why is the collection being sold? Can it be that husband passed away and wife has absolutely no clue of the value of this collection?!!!!!! If it was me i would not sell this great collection, surely took a lifetime to get all this nice stuff.
But If she has to sell this collection, why doesnt she sell it on ebay in small lots and piece by piece and surely would get at least the triple amont of money or even more.
 
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softailgarage

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don long said:
Just went thru all the pic's
What a collection. I think a trip to Washington is in my near future
I think this may be a great road trip

Thanks for sharing this grand find
Click to expand...

Gee, didn't see that comin' :D

Now hold up on that auction folks, I just found Uncle Merlins will and quess what? Thats right...it all goes to me! :evil:
 
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trainer

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machineshop said:
Why is the collection being sold? Can it be that husband passed away and wife has absolutely no clue of the value of this collection?!!!!!! If it was me i would not sell this great collection, surely took a lifetime to get all this nice stuff.
But If she has to sell this collection, why doesnt she sell it on ebay in small lots and piece by piece and surely would get at least the triple amont of money or even more.
Click to expand...
[/I]

It may be for sale to settle an estate, or there may be a deadline to get the building cleared out. An auction isnt usually a good way to get top dollar on every individual item, but it will get things moved and cash in hand quickly.

It would take months or years and many man-hours to move that stuff on e-bay
 
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ratdoggy

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:lol:I'm surprised that much stuff was left in the Northwest. I figured Harold LeMay bought up everything there was to buy . BTW the car collection at Marymount (?) is unbelievable
 
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El-tuco

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When we're born we have no stuff, when were kids we ask people to give us stuff. When we're older we get a job to buy our own stuff. When we get evin older we collect stuff. When we die our wife sells all our stuff. What's the point of getting stuff anyway?
 
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Boog

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Absolutely amazing! Everything is so pristine. As I looked at all the pictures, I just kept thinking how much time and effort it took to collect, organize, display, etc. IMHO...ALL of this collection belongs in a museum.
 
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lowbucktruck

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My brother used to live in Bellingham. Wow, very cool. Can you imagine just standing in that shop and looking around, and thinking how long it took for him to build that collection??? It should be in an automobile museum, for sure.
 
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tinbender 66

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Wow! That's only about 35 miles from where I live so I'm gonna check it out even if I can't afford to buy anything. Maybe with all the memorobilia up for sale some more "normal" stuff will go for reasonable. I'll take pics.
 
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tbrenan

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It must be the time of year--10 days ago went to a garage sale just outside of Lynden WA - off the road to the ocean---a mass of junk outside cars trucks motorhomes, the open end of the building 80x60 holds the largest group/collection of tools and "stuff" I have ever encountered, Craftsman tools from the 40's to 70's the dark recesses of the building holds --who knows what, saw the rear of an old MG---worker said bldg is stuffed with cars parts and MORE tools---the prices were LOW-- the stuff MUST go.
 
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c39er

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I used to see and BS with Merlin at the Monroe swap meet. He and my grandmother worked together in the late 60's s at NW hospital. He was a great guy. I miss seeing him. He used to wear that white Marine Corps hat shown in the display case at the swap meet.
 
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bparksntx

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GJ got in my pocket again! Traveling from Dallas to go to this auction.

Bonus - Rangers are playing the Mariners that same weekend so get to see some baseball too.
 
J

jfish

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Tacoma WA
I drove by that auction house last thursday and thought, "I need to stop by Stokes one of these days and see whats going on."

they always have something worth checking out, nice place.
 
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hchinaski

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The interesting thing to me is that while it is a very carefully curated collection, it looks like a regular guy's garage where some work could actually get done.
 
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MR.X

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Everybody posting seem to be so nice and positive i hate to be "that' guy but here's a different take. I apologize in advance If I offend anyone, but c'mon....
1. It looks like it's already been picked. Most of the pictures look like the stuff you'd leave behind after you got the good tools, tool chests, catalogs, signs etc.
2. Was this ever a real working garage?
3. Someone already generously called this collection "eclectic" I agree, and that takes away from the overall effect. On a scale that goes from badass vintage garage all the way to antique mall warrior the needle is leaning a little too far the wrong way.
4. Lastly, where's the regional flavor? You can barely tell what coast this is on by the contents.
 
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rickyboy

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Langley, BC Canada
All I have to say is WOW !!! What a collection.
It sounds/looks as though there might be a few "Garage Journal" members/people there on the weekend. I think for nothing else I'd like to be in the place and actually seeing the items. So I think I'll be heading over the boarder to have a look see :eyecrazy:. I'll be the guy with the "deer in headlights" eyes with drool running down the front of me. .....Wait !! That might cover a few of us. I'll have the "camo" hat on,.....with drool running down the frt. of me. :lol:
I use to have a cabin not too far from Sedro-Wooly and have a friend that still does. Maybe we can make it a guys weekend out of it. Ye hah !!

Oh !! and thanks for posting this auction.
 
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rickyboy

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MR.X said:
Everybody posting seem to be so nice and positive i hate to be "that' guy but here's a different take. I apologize in advance If I offend anyone, but c'mon....
1. It looks like it's already been picked. Most of the pictures look like the stuff you'd leave behind after you got the good tools, tool chests, catalogs, signs etc.
2. Was this ever a real working garage?
3. Someone already generously called this collection "eclectic" I agree, and that takes away from the overall effect. On a scale that goes from badass vintage garage all the way to antique mall warrior the needle is leaning a little too far the wrong way.
4. Lastly, where's the regional flavor? You can barely tell what coast this is on by the contents.
Click to expand...

Hey if you don't want to be "that guy" choose not to be. :D
 
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MR.X

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i hear ya....
the flip side is that I might motivate someone to take a second look at the pictures before they make a long drive.
 
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rickyboy

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Langley, BC Canada
Good point Mr. X
I'm sure depending on how much advertising has been done on this upcoming auction, that there will be collector's/people down just to get a specific "Coke" or Lionel train piece. I also wonder how the things will be auctioned off. It would take them a month of Sunday's to go piece by piece. I can see "lot's" of say ...license plates, or neon signs, or maybe a cluster of old "kitchen type" radios.
 
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rickyboy

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Langley, BC Canada
Well did anyone go to the auction???
I did. Not as many people there as I thought there were going to be. It was a crappy day weather wise. It was "pouring cat's and dogs" and then the rain turned to snow. The shop, although it was a nice size to have and work in, it was set up with tables with everything laid out and there wasn't the room for everyone to be inside and auction everything from there. The auction house had a lrg. canopy set up with chairs for a lot of us. The rest had to stand around the edge of the canopy.
Anyway!!! The smalls went pretty fast, but I think a lot of it went for way too high. But that's the buyers fault I think. The auctioneers did a good job at helping get the estate some good money. I think the item that got the most money was the RCA plastic dog. I picked up an old school metal Tonka trunk and loader for my grandson, a Lrg. "Packard" advertised thermometer, and an old brown Bakelite radio. I stepped away to "water my horse" and missed the parking meter I wanted. It went for $75.00. There were a lot of things I would have bought but I'm moving and right now don't have a whole lot of room for storing ****. Anyway aside from freezing my bag off I/we enjoyed seeing a lot of the stuff and taking a small part in the fun.
 
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bparksntx

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I went to the auction. All the way from Dallas. The weather was crappy. Dissappointed that they didn't plan better for bad weather and setup a bigger tent for the bidders.

I came home with a 5 gallon Texaco oil can, an oil can rack, and my wife picked out one of the old radios. We left at Noon and there was still a lot of stuff to be sold. I wondered if the old records, 8 tracks, and other stuff brought decent money or if the crowd thinned out before that stuff came to the auction block.

All in all, we had a fun trip. Saw some great friends and went to one of the Rangers/Mariners ball games.
 
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