BELLEVILLE, Mich. — The entire contents of the Historic Miller Farm went to the auction block on June 25. Established in 1885, this working farm had 125 years of accumulated farm equipment and personal items sold to the highest bidder. Glenn and Maxine Miller spent their lives on the property.

Glenn died in 2000 and was a farmer and carpenter. Maxine was a local organist and gardener who could not pass up a cookbook.

It was a beautiful day in Belleville where 320 bidders converged for a full day auction.

Doug Dalton, Auctioneer, put the first item up for bids at 10 a.m. The item was a 1920s men’s derby hat. In better than good condition it sold for $65.

Next up was an assortment of albums which contained vintage post cards.

One album with post cards from the 1920s sold for $135. Other albums sold from $50 to $125.

A stack of 10 “Iowa Dairy Separator” advertising signs measured 5 feet long by 3 feet wide. The circa 1910 signs sold for $110 each.

A cigar type box of Indian arrow heads was sold for $120. The pieces were found on the 140 acre farm while the fields were being plowed in years past.

Up next was a 1930s “Iron High Speed Ethyl” gasoline pump.

The final bid included extra nozzles including the original brass nozzle. The 2 digit price indicator showed 27 cents per gallon. The pump was still at its original location where it was installed in 1934. The vintage gasoline pump saw a selling price of $575.

A pair of headlamps from a Ford Model T sold for $55, while a 1920s U.S. Mail Box also saw a final bid of $55.

A kerosene carriage lamp sold for $65. The lamp was approximately 8 inches tall by 4 inches wide at its widest point. It had the wick control knob on it. The lens was intact and overall the lamp was in good condition.

Another vintage item up for bids was a circa 1900s Clipper Grain Cleaner “The Clipper” came with extra screens. This item sold for $75.

Up next to be auctioned off was a large safe that was found in one of the out buildings. The story about the safe is it once sat at a local hardware store in Belleville during the early 1900s. It is not known how the Millers acquired the safe. The combination is unknown and so are the contents if any. The safe sold for $200.

A ’Standard Computing Scale Company” scale sold for $25. The scale is believed to have been used in the country store.

License plate collectors were happy when assorted years of license plates were auctioned off. The first set of plates were the 1920s, the set of plates saw a $115 final bid. The 1930s were next and that set sold for $105. Moving to the 1940s, this lot of plates sold for $130, the 1950s set of plates realized $95 and finally the 1960 and 1970s sold together and saw a final bid of $130.

Two early Michigan porcelain license plates one from 1913 and one from 1914 were up for bids. The 1913 plate Mich 44706 sold for $95. The 1914 plate Mich 43215 sold for $130. An 1890s oak pump organ by Peerless with stool sold for a price of $70.

Two vintage glass milk bottles were sold together. The first one was Jersey Milk Products of Detroit. The 32-ounce bottle was free of chips and cracks. The printed logos were in excellent shape and were sold with a 32-ounce glass milk bottle from Twin Pines Dairy. The pair sold for $20.

A 1940s bakelite table top tube type radio sold for $25, while a floor model “Intermediate “radio sold for $35. The floor model radio had local radio stations on the tuning knob, stations such as WXYZ, WWJ, WJR and CKLW, stations that still exist today. The radio had an oak cabinet and was about 4 feet high and 3 feet wide.

A lot of three copper boilers sold for $50 and a box of several advertising carpenter nailers dating back to the early 1900s sold for $300. A circa 1935 Monopoly game complete, sold for $35.

A sign with “Dukes Mixture The Roll of Fame” came across the block. The 9 inch tall by 5 inch wide porcelain advertising sign was in very condition and sold for $350.

A 1911 photograph of “The Augusta Band” from Ypsilanti, Mich., was up for bid. The 19 inch long and 8 inch wide photo in an antique frame sold for $50. A Civil War era portrait mounted in an oval frame fronted by vintage wavy glass sold for $45.

A 1900s oak barrel churn sold for $85 and a large grinding wheel saw a $30. A nice collection of 1890s barn lanterns went for $85. A 24 inch by 24 inch porcelain sign “Thieves Beware” white with red lettering sold at a price of $250.

An original “Michigan Centennial Farm” sign sold for $135. A 1920s NATCO silo weather vane on Brooder cover sold for $250.

A very unique item up for bids was a “home remedy” machine. The Hartz Family Battery is a device used to shock yourself. The self treatment shock device was supposed to purify the blood and fight off disease. The J.F. Hartz Company of Detroit manufactured this home remedy machine and the item sold for $35.

A 1920s scrapbook with Detroit News articles covering the Hindenburg disaster sold for $110. A pair of 1920s railroad brakemen lanterns was up on the block. One is a Detroit, Toledo and Ironton (DT&I) the other New York Central (NYC). Both sold for $135.

An Underwood typewriter from the 1920s saw a final bid of $30 while a New York Central Railroad (NYCRR) oilers can sold for $15.

A large coffee bin from the Phelps, Brace Company of Detroit Michigan was up for bid. The 22 inch tall metal bin had logos on both sides. One side featured a picture of the building where the coffee was roasted. The printed words “The Largest and Most Complete Coffee Roasting in Michigan. Importers and Jobbers.” The other side saw the “Phelps, Brace Company Royal Tiger Brand Mocha Java” with a painted tiger in the middle. The coffee bin saw a final bid $195.

A “Victor Baking Powder” bin was offered. The front showed a clock with roman numerals and the company logo at the bottom. The store clerk would open a small door at the rear of the bin and dipped out the baking powder. The clock was used by patrons to adjust the time on their pocket watches. The 28 inch tall bin sold for $500.

An 1880 hardware store “shot cabinet” saw a selling price of $650. An 1850 dovetailed immigrant’s trunk saw $175, while a box lot of potato planters sold for $75.

Large metal advertising signs drew a lot of interest when the items went up for bid. The 1940s “Pioneer Corn Seeds” signs were sold in two lots. The first sign was near perfect condition. There were no chips and the red paint was bright the lettering and corn logo was smooth with no rust or imperfections. The single sign sold for $275. Next was three of the same type sign. These signs were in good to excellent condition. The paint was somewhat dull with very little surface rust. Overall lot sold for $850.

A lot of five milk cans sold for $90. An assortment of hit & miss engines were offered.

A circa 1910 John Deere still mounted on an early carriage saw a selling price of $700.

Contact:

(800) 801-6452,

www.dougdalton

auctioneer.com