Part 1: Advertising, Railroadiana & Historic Objects | The William Robert Wilson Collection
Live Auction
Live bidding began: Mar 23, 2024 at 9 AM EDT
451 Lots
Join us for our March 23rd & 24th sale of Advertising, Railroadiana & Historic Objects | The William Robert Wilson Collection. In his century-old childhood home in the heart of Toronto, William (Bill) Robert Wilson quietly curated one of Canada’s best collections of Railroadiana to ever hit the Canadian market. Until now, only his closest friends knew what he had. He only bought, never sold. As you will see, his interests were eclectic. His passion was railroad, but any object rich with historical meaning had a place in the collection. Session One (Saturday) focuses on the objects of Ontario’s history. These include rare beer bottles and advertising, stoneware, general store signage, and one-of-a-kind historic maker’s plaques. Session Two (Sunday) is railroad centric and includes the most extensive collection of locomotive number plates to ever have been offered at a single time. Each number plate is unique and is often the only remaining thread of a locomotive’s identity. This session also includes an extensive offering of railroad builder’s plates, railroad silver and china, station signs, lanterns, locks and bells. Other categories include stream gauges and steam whistles, nautical bells and whistles, machinery, bridge builder’s plates, and much more. This historic, single collector sale is not to be missed.

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D.L. & W. Blue Coal Sign
D.L. & W. Blue Coal Sign
1
D.L. & W. Blue Coal Sign
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$300
D.L. & W. Blue Coal Anthracite Sign
D.L. & W. Blue Coal Anthracite Sign
2
D.L. & W. Blue Coal Anthracite Sign
Est.
CA$500 - CA$700
Sold
CA$850
Lehigh Valley Anthracite Coal Sign
Lehigh Valley Anthracite Coal Sign
3
Lehigh Valley Anthracite Coal Sign
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$550
Lehigh Valley Anthracite Coal Sign
Lehigh Valley Anthracite Coal Sign
4
Lehigh Valley Anthracite Coal Sign
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$275
Semet-Solvay Coke Sign
Semet-Solvay Coke Sign
5
Semet-Solvay Coke Sign
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$500
Hamco Dustless Coke Sign
Hamco Dustless Coke Sign
6
Hamco Dustless Coke Sign
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$700
British Coal Corp. Welsh Anthracite Sign
British Coal Corp. Welsh Anthracite Sign
7
British Coal Corp. Welsh Anthracite Sign
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$475
Iron Fireman Automatic Coal Burner Sign
Iron Fireman Automatic Coal Burner Sign
8
Iron Fireman Automatic Coal Burner Sign
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$1,800
Reading Anthracite Coal Sign
Reading Anthracite Coal Sign
9
Reading Anthracite Coal Sign
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$600
Hamburg Felt Mfg Co. New Hamburg, Ont Boot Brush
Hamburg Felt Mfg Co. New Hamburg, Ont Boot Brush
10
Hamburg Felt Mfg Co. New Hamburg, Ont Boot Brush
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$75
Rau Brewery New Hamburg, Ont Boot Brush
Rau Brewery New Hamburg, Ont Boot Brush
11
Rau Brewery New Hamburg, Ont Boot Brush
Est.
CA$500 - CA$700
Sold
CA$325
Du Bois Budweiser Malt Beverage Sign
Du Bois Budweiser Malt Beverage Sign
12
Du Bois Budweiser Malt Beverage Sign
Est.
CA$150 - CA$250
Sold
CA$150
Hotel, Restaurant Employees & Bartenders Union Sign
Hotel, Restaurant Employees & Bartenders Union Sign
13
Hotel, Restaurant Employees & Bartenders Union Sign
Est.
CA$150 - CA$250
Sold
CA$125
Bass "How to Bottle" Instructions Thermometer
Bass "How to Bottle" Instructions Thermometer
14
Bass "How to Bottle" Instructions Thermometer
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$75
Bass No. 1 Strong Ale Mirror Sign
Bass No. 1 Strong Ale Mirror Sign
15
Bass No. 1 Strong Ale Mirror Sign
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$100
Ontario Liquor Control Act Standard Hotel Sign
Ontario Liquor Control Act Standard Hotel Sign
16
Ontario Liquor Control Act Standard Hotel Sign
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$275
Bixel Brewing & Malting Co. Reverse Glass Sign
Bixel Brewing & Malting Co. Reverse Glass Sign
17
Bixel Brewing & Malting Co. Reverse Glass Sign
Est.
CA$1,200 - CA$1,500
Sold
CA$750
Capital Brewery Ale & Lager Sign
Capital Brewery Ale & Lager Sign
18
Capital Brewery Ale & Lager Sign
Est.
CA$1,200 - CA$1,500
Sold
CA$1,100
Fireman's Insurance Co. Fire Mark
Fireman's Insurance Co. Fire Mark
19
Fireman's Insurance Co. Fire Mark
Est.
CA$400 - CA$600
Sold
CA$275
Hand-in-Hand Insurance Building Fire Mark
Hand-in-Hand Insurance Building Fire Mark
20
Hand-in-Hand Insurance Building Fire Mark
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$225
Canadian General Fire Extinguisher Co. Water Pressure Gauge
Canadian General Fire Extinguisher Co. Water Pressure Gauge
21
Canadian General Fire Extinguisher Co. Water Pressure Gauge
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$325
Waterous Engine Works Gauges
Waterous Engine Works Gauges
22
Waterous Engine Works Gauges
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$175
Angus & Waterous Brantford Brass Nozzle Apparatus
Angus & Waterous Brantford Brass Nozzle Apparatus
23
Angus & Waterous Brantford Brass Nozzle Apparatus
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Passed
LaFrance Fire Hose Nozzle
LaFrance Fire Hose Nozzle
24
LaFrance Fire Hose Nozzle
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$400
Brass Hose Nozzle Hardware
Brass Hose Nozzle Hardware
25
Brass Hose Nozzle Hardware
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$100
Canadian Pacific Railway Fire Bucket
Canadian Pacific Railway Fire Bucket
26
Canadian Pacific Railway Fire Bucket
Est.
CA$150 - CA$250
Sold
CA$75
Fire Extinguisher & Fire Exit Signs
Fire Extinguisher & Fire Exit Signs
27
Fire Extinguisher & Fire Exit Signs
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$325
Northern Electric Co. Gamewell Fire Box
Northern Electric Co. Gamewell Fire Box
28
Northern Electric Co. Gamewell Fire Box
Est.
CA$250 - CA$350
Sold
CA$275
Canadian National Express Co. Fire Box
Canadian National Express Co. Fire Box
29
Canadian National Express Co. Fire Box
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$150
Victor Co. Toronto "Canada" Fire Extinguisher
Victor Co. Toronto "Canada" Fire Extinguisher
30
Victor Co. Toronto "Canada" Fire Extinguisher
Est.
CA$400 - CA$600
Sold
CA$175
General Fireguard Corp. CPR Fire Extinguisher
General Fireguard Corp. CPR Fire Extinguisher
31
General Fireguard Corp. CPR Fire Extinguisher
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$200
General Fireguard Corp. CPR Fire Extinguisher
General Fireguard Corp. CPR Fire Extinguisher
32
General Fireguard Corp. CPR Fire Extinguisher
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$175
Pyrene Mfg Co., Toronto CPR Fire Extinguisher
Pyrene Mfg Co., Toronto CPR Fire Extinguisher
33
Pyrene Mfg Co., Toronto CPR Fire Extinguisher
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$150
Canadian National Railways Fire Extinguisher
Canadian National Railways Fire Extinguisher
34
Canadian National Railways Fire Extinguisher
Est.
CA$300 - CA$500
Sold
CA$300
LaFrance Ltd, Toronto "Alert" CPR Fire Extinguisher
LaFrance Ltd, Toronto "Alert" CPR Fire Extinguisher
35
LaFrance Ltd, Toronto "Alert" CPR Fire Extinguisher
Est.
CA$200 - CA$300
Sold
CA$175
Bell Telephone Company Canada Service Truck Sign
Bell Telephone Company Canada Service Truck Sign
36
Bell Telephone Company Canada Service Truck Sign
Est.
CA$800 - CA$1,200
Sold
CA$2,250
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