An 84-inch wooden cigar store Indian just sold for $60,000. But the real head-turner at the same sale was a safe so small you could carry it under one arm.

At Morphy Auctions’ Oct. 16-17 Coin-Op & Advertising Auction, a salesman’s sample of the famous Mosler “Cannonball” safe brought $56,580 against a high estimate of just $25,000. The sale offered more than 1,100 lots, and the results were posted Nov. 3, 2026.

The details come from the Morphy Auctions results report.

A Cigar Store Indian Attributed To The Shop Of Samuel Robb Tops The Sale At $60,000

The top lot was an 84-inch cigar store Indian figure attributed to the shop of Samuel Robb. It sold for $60,000, well above its high estimate of $45,000.

Before television and glossy ads, tobacco shops used carved wooden figures like this one to catch the eye of passersby. A towering figure out front told a customer exactly what was sold inside, even if he could not read.

Robb was a well-known carver of these figures, and his name carries weight with collectors. A piece tied to his shop has a built-in pedigree.

A 25-Pound Cannonball Safe Sample Fetches $56,580, More Than Double Its Estimate

Here is the twist that made the sale. The Mosler “Cannonball” salesman’s sample safe weighs 25 pounds. The full-size Cannonball safes weigh between 3,500 and 4,500 pounds.

The little sample sold for $56,580, more than double its high estimate of $25,000. Salesmen carried miniature versions like this to show customers how a safe worked without hauling the real thing across town.

So a tool for selling safes became a prize in its own right. A buyer who wanted the look of a Cannonball but not the freight bill had a very good reason to bid.

A Corliss Sample Bank Vault From The 1880s Brings $39,360

Safe fans had another reason to cheer. A Corliss Safe Co. salesman’s sample bank vault from about the 1880s sold for $39,360.

Like the Cannonball sample, it was made to impress a customer in a showroom or office. It is a miniature of a serious piece of security hardware, and collectors prize the craftsmanship.

Together, the two samples show that this corner of antique advertising has plenty of heat. Buyers are willing to spend big for the right piece.

A 145-Inch Retro Rocket Display Hits $28,800 Against A $6,000 High Estimate

Some of the biggest surprises were far from the vault. An oversize retro-futuristic rocket display, 145 inches long, sold for $28,800, nearly five times its high estimate of $6,000.

Imagine what that looks like. A rocket just over twelve feet long, the kind of eye-catcher a store might have hung to pull in shoppers during the space-age years.

It is a good example of how a piece of advertising art can speak to people who love design, even if they have never collected a thing before.

A Dr Pepper “Drink A Bite To Eat” Sign Sells For $23,370, Far Above Its $2,500 Estimate

The most dramatic gap of all belonged to a round Dr Pepper “Drink a Bite to Eat” sign. It had a high estimate of $2,500 and sold for $23,370.

That is more than nine times the high estimate. It is the kind of result that gives collectors a thrill and reminds everyone that an estimate is only a guess.

Anyone who remembers the old slogan will understand the pull. A sign like this takes you back to a time when a soda fountain was a neighborhood meeting place.

Old Slot Machines Still Draw Strong Bidding, Led By A $21,600 Caille Big Six

Slot machines held up their end. A Caille Brothers “Big Six” upright slot machine from about 1904 brought $21,600, and a Mills “War Eagle” slot machine brought $10,455 against a high estimate of $4,000.

The sale also offered tobacciana, barber shop collectibles, neon and advertising signs and trade figures. That range explains why the audience was so wide.

A buyer could chase a safe, a sign, a slot machine or a carved figure, and each of them had its own group of eager bidders.

It is worth noticing how the results line up. The cigar store Indian beat its high estimate by $15,000, while the rocket and the Dr Pepper sign beat theirs by many times over. When a lot catches fire in the room, the final price can leave the printed estimate far behind.

The auction also drew bidders for a very wide range of interests. Fans of tobacco shops, barber shops, gas stations and general stores all had something to chase, and the prices show how deep each of those hobbies runs.

What The Results Teach Anyone Who Buys Or Sells Antique Advertising

The big lesson is that estimates can be far off. Several lots sold at multiples of their high estimates, and that happens when two or more determined bidders want the same piece.

Condition and originality matter. Old signs and machines are often reproduced, so ask for detailed photos, look for honest wear and ask about the history before you bid.

If you have an old sign or a miniature sample in the garage, do not toss it. Photograph it, note any marks and ask an auction house or specialist what it might be worth.

The cigar store Indian may have taken the top spot, but the little safe stole the show. It is proof that big money sometimes comes in small packages.

More Stories You May Like

• What Happened To 9 Breakfast Cereals That Vanished From Your Grocery Store
• Tea Room Owner Reveals 4 Surprising Ways To Use Antique Butter Pats From Christmas Tree Ornaments To Tea Bag Holders And Plate Walls
• Jaws Clapboard Appraised At $25,000 On Antiques Roadshow Sold For $75,000 After The Family Turned Down An Offer, And The Owner Wonders If Spielberg Bought It