Rare 1927 Shell Motor Oils Sign Soars to CA$35,090, Leading Barry Yorgason Petroliana Auction

October 18 online-only sale realizes CA$430,185.25 as collectors pursue original petroliana, porcelain signs and vintage oil displays.

NEW HAMBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA, October 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A rare Australian Shell Motor Oils “Single Double Triple” porcelain sign; a Canadian White Rose Service Station sign; and vintage motor oil displays and automotive advertising were among the highlights of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.’s October 18, 2026, Gas, Oil & Automotive Advertising – The Barry Yorgason Collection auction, which realized CA$430,185.25, including buyer’s premium.

Presented as an online-only sale with live video feed from the auction location, the 234-lot auction attracted 566 registered bidders who placed 6,722 bids through Miller & Miller Live, LiveAuctioneers and HiBid via justdiscovered. Every lot sold, and 60% of the top 50 lots exceeded estimate, reflecting sustained interest in quality petroliana and original advertising from the Barry Yorgason Collection.

The top result came from Lot 129, a Shell Motor Oils “Single Double Triple” single-sided porcelain sign made in Australia in 1927. The sign realized CA$35,090, more than five times its CA$5,000–CA$7,000 estimate. Shell conducted the “Single, Double, Triple” campaign only once, in October 1927, making this an especially desirable example for collectors of early oil advertising. Marked “ENAMEL WKS. GEELONG” and “PROPERTY OF THE SHELL COMPANY LTD.,” the 36-by-73.5-inch sign displayed very good colour and gloss and was graded 8.5. Authenticated by The Authentication Company (TAC #402820), the sign was guaranteed authentic by Miller & Miller Auctions.

Another strong result came from Lot 85, a Canadian White Rose Service Station double-sided porcelain sign dating to 1946. The four-foot-diameter sign brought CA$10,890 against a CA$4,000–CA$6,000 estimate. Commissioned by White Rose in several sizes, these service station signs remain appealing examples of Canadian petroliana. Marked “P & M – 46,” this example retained its original frame and hardware, with excellent colour and gloss on one side and very good colour and gloss on the other. Graded 8.5/8.75, it was authenticated by The Authentication Company (TAC #402811).

Also realizing CA$10,890 was Lot 171, an Irving Velco Motor Oil bottle rack made in Canada between 1935 and 1948. The display was designed for Irving Oil Company service stations and featured bold red, green and white graphics promoting Velco Motor Oil, along with an arched base and two removable wire carriers holding eight embossed glass oil bottles with metal pour spouts. The display was graded 8.75, 8.5, 9.0 and 8.5 across its panels and authenticated by The Authentication Company (TAC #402900–402903).

Lot 187, a Chrysler Plymouth Fargo Trucks double-sided porcelain flange sign made in Canada between 1936 and 1955, sold for CA$9,680, well above its CA$2,000–CA$2,500 estimate. Distributed to Chrysler-approved garages, the sign promoted reliable service for the company’s automobiles; Fargo was Chrysler Canada’s truck line. Measuring 18 by 19.5 inches, the sign displayed very good colour and gloss and was graded 8.5/8.5. The Authentication Company authenticated the sign as TAC #402848.

A scarce Canadian oil container also performed strongly. Lot 135, a White Fox Motor Oil Imperial quart can made between 1940 and 1949, realized CA$9,075 against a CA$4,000–CA$6,000 estimate. Produced by White Fox Oils of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, the independent oil brand’s cans were made in limited runs and are seldom seen. The lithographed tin example was graded 8.75, with excellent colour and gloss, and authenticated by The Authentication Company (TAC #501956).

Lot 109, a die-cut Hudson Sales Service dealer sign made in the United States between 1948 and 1957, brought CA$7,260, exceeding its CA$2,500–CA$3,000 estimate. The double-sided porcelain sign featured the automaker’s distinctive cobalt colouring and Art Deco-style logo. Hudson vehicles also had an established Canadian presence, with production assembled in Tilbury, Ontario, during periods before and after the Second World War. Measuring 29.25 by 42 inches, the sign was graded 8.5/8.5 and authenticated by The Authentication Company (TAC #501945).

Another Canadian oil display, Lot 176, a North Star William Penn Motor Oil rack made between 1929 and 1939, sold for CA$6,050 against a CA$2,000–CA$2,500 estimate. North Star Oil, founded in 1928, began carrying William Penn Motor Oil the following year. The painted-metal rack included eight generic U.S. quart bottles with embossed spouts and caps; its panels displayed varying degrees of colour retention and wear. Authenticated by The Authentication Company (TAC #501863–501866), the rack represented another notable example of early Canadian oil advertising.

Rounding out the featured results was Lot 94, a Gilbert & Barker Model 296 gas pump in White Rose, made in Canada in 1938. The professionally restored pump realized CA$5,445 against a CA$3,500–CA$5,000 estimate. Its show-quality paint, original data plate, original cast-iron base and original metal skins complemented reproduction porcelain pump signs, face plates, ad glass and globe. The pump retained its trim and bezels, along with a hose and correct nozzle, and came from the Barry Yorgason Collection.

“Results show sustained interest, demand and excitement for quality tin and porcelain gas and oil signs,” said Ethan Miller, CEO of Miller & Miller Auctions. “A few key lots fell beneath our expectations, but others soared well beyond. The consensus, a strong, well-received offering.”

To watch a brief wrap-up video highlighting the October 18 auction, visit: https://youtu.be/cUUGCWv9OTk

The October 18 sale marks the first of three auctions devoted to the Barry Yorgason Collection. Sessions II and III take place October 27 and November 3 through justdiscovered Auctions. Other upcoming Miller & Miller sales include Pre-1980 Sports Cards & Memorabilia on October 25; Decoys – The Laurin Garland Collection and Pottery & Glass on October 28; and Decoys & Sporting on October 29.

To view auction catalogues, bid online or discuss consigning a single item, estate or complete collection, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com. Details for the remaining Yorgason Collection sessions are available at https://www.millerandmillerauctions.com/yorgason-collection.

Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections, specializing in watches, art, antiques and collectibles.

Ethan Miller
Miller & Miller Auctions

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