Fords, signage highlight RM Auctions’ sale June 8-9

Marque experts have restored all of the automobiles to be the best of their type. Also selling will be more than 1,400 mostly automotive signs that represent one of the finest collections of its kind.

All cars and signs will be offered without reserve. The upcoming sale is a continuation of RM’s highly successful Dingman auction in 2006.

“The collection is wonderfully representative of Ford’s history, spanning many years of automotive production, complemented by stunning signage that illuminated dealerships, advertised automotive products and enticed you to stop at one gas station over another,” said Mike Fairbairn, director and cofounder, RM Auctions.

For Ford enthusiasts, the Dingman Collection consists of a superb assortment from Ford’s flathead era, with highly desirable V-8 Fords and Mercurys as well as V-12-powered Lincolns. Of particular interest, most feature open body styles. Also on offer are a number of spectacular woodies, along with the centerpiece of the collection, the 1936 Ford Model 48 Cabriolet with coachwork by the German firm Gläser, the winner of a new class created at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2011. Each restored automobile was submitted to marque specialists with instructions for restoration to the highest possible standard—the objective being to attain 1,000-point scores at Early Ford V-8 Club national meets.

The sale will also lift the gavel on more than 1,400 rare and desirable neon, tin and porcelain signs, each of which has either been masterfully preserved for its remarkable originality and inimitable patina or submitted to experts for restoration, to ensure that the quality and appearance matches the original finish as closely as possible.

“The selection of signs is truly extraordinary and offers a wonderful story about American automotive history,” said Fairbairn. “Everything from the building of the first interstates to 1950s Americana is reflected in each piece of neon and fully restored tin and porcelain. Furthermore, each neon sign is presented in fully operational condition.”