Morphy’s Vegas Coin-Op Auction Tops $3 Million, Led by $227,500 Centaur Slot Machine
DENVER, Pa. — A rare circa 1905-1910 Caille Brothers “Centaur” triple slot machine with harp castings sold for $227,500, leading Morphy’s three−daycoin−op and advertising auction in Las Vegas that generated more than $3 million in total sales.
The May 21-23 auction at Morphy’s Las Vegas venue featured over 1,700 lots of antique coin-operated machines and advertising memorabilia. The top-selling Centaur machine, fully restored and functional, landed within its presale estimate. The device houses three independently operating slot machines in a single cabinet, allowing players to choose their preferred denomination.
A circa 1900-1905 Mills Novelty Co. “20th Century” upright slot machine in the scarce one-dollar denomination fetched $92,250, also selling within estimate. The fully restored machine, which played and paid correctly, is considered one of the most desirable and elusive versions within Mills’ 20th Century floor model line.
Another Caille Bros. double upright combination machine — pairing a 5-cent Centaur and a 25-cent Big Six in one cabinet — sold for $79,950, just under its high estimate. The restored, functional configuration was designed to maximize operator revenue while conserving floor space and meeting licensing requirements.
A circa-1899 Mills Duplex 5-cent upright slot machine, standing 70 inches tall and allowing up to 10 nickels per pull, sold for $66,420 against a $60,000 high estimate. The professionally restored machine featured a light oak cabinet with mottled brass patina.
Among non-slot highlights, an original oval Yosemite Beer sign measuring 16 by 20 inches nearly tripled its $20,000 high estimate, selling for $54,120. The sign, graded 9.0 for condition, retained its original frame and backing.
A circa-1924 illuminating leaded-glass trade sign for the Roth Johnson Drug Store, shaped as a mortar and pestle with multicolored jeweled center, brought $43,050, exceeding a $30,000 high estimate. The sign featured clean ruby red stained-glass panels and period-correct internal electrical components.
A 1910 Buffalo Brewing Company lithographed calendar titled “At the Opera,” based on a painting by B. Zickendrakaht, proved to be an auction sleeper. The 24½-by-33½-inch calendar, showing a woman in an evening gown with complete months attached, sold for $24,600 against a high estimate of $5,000.
Morphy’s officials said the strong results reinforce the auction house’s position as a leading destination for antique coin-op machines and advertising collectibles. The company is now accepting consignments for future auctions.
Hunt Slonem Creates First Donkey Painting for Charity Auction Benefiting California Sanctuary
HOPLAND, Calif. — Renowned Neo-Expressionist artist Hunt Slonem has completed the first donkey painting of his career, a one-of-a-kind work commissioned by Oscar’s Place Adoption Center & Sanctuary that will be auctioned to support the rescue and care of donkeys at the Northern California nonprofit.
The painting, an oil-on-panel work measuring 20 by 16 inches, was inspired by Viejo, the personal companion of Oscar’s Place co-founder Ron King. The artwork was unveiled June 1 and will be offered through an online auction that closes June 27 during a live telethon broadcast from the sanctuary’s barn in Hopland.
According to Oscar’s Place, all proceeds from the sale will go toward the rescue, rehabilitation and lifelong care of donkeys at the sanctuary.
Slonem, whose paintings of bunnies, butterflies and tropical birds have made him one of the most collected contemporary American artists, said the commission marked a new subject in a career spanning more than four decades.
“I incorporate animals in my work as a way of connecting with the natural world,” Slonem said. “I’d never painted a donkey before. It was a challenge. I’ve always loved them, and this was my first attempt.”
Since his first solo exhibition in 1977, Slonem has held more than 350 solo shows internationally. His work is represented in the permanent collections of more than 250 museums worldwide, including the Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Miro Foundation.
The commission reflects a longstanding connection between Oscar’s Place and the art world. Phil Selway, co-founder of the sanctuary, is CEO and co-owner of Hamilton-Selway Fine Art, a West Coast gallery specializing in pop and contemporary art.
Selway said he has admired Slonem’s work for years, both professionally and as a collector.
“I have long been a fan of Hunt Slonem and his work,” Selway said. “His magical use of color and texture creates a sense of wonder and warmth. And now, given my work with the mission around the donkeys, it is our mutual love of nature and the joy that can come from it that makes this feel like such a great partnership.”
Oscar’s Place Adoption Center & Sanctuary is a GFAS-accredited nonprofit donkey rescue operating in Hopland and Potter Valley, California. The organization cares for more than 220 donkeys across two ranches and is featured in Donkey King, a reality television series that airs on ABC stations nationwide.
Hamilton-Selway Fine Art, based in West Hollywood, is known for works by artists including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst and Robert Rauschenberg.
The online auction is scheduled to conclude during Oscar’s Place’s June 27 telethon.
BID HERE: https://oscarsplace.betterworld.org/auctions/oscars-place-hunt-slonem-silent
Kayem, MFA Boston Launch Traveling Art Series Reimagining American History Through Hot Dogs
CHELSEA, Mass. — As the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, Kayem Foods has launched a traveling art campaign that reimagines iconic moments in American history by placing hot dogs into scenes and portraits associated with the nation’s founding.
The campaign, titled “There When It Mattered Most,” was developed in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and will debut June 4 with a one-day public exhibition at Faneuil Hall Marketplace before traveling to locations across New England throughout June and July.
The artwork alters historical images and figures by inserting hot dogs into pivotal scenes from early American history. According to Kayem, the project is intended as a playful tribute to both the nation’s semiquincentennial and the role of hot dogs in American culture.
“Kayem is always there for when it matters most. BBQs, family dinners, ballgames, and now America’s 250th birthday,” Matt Monkiewicz, president and chief executive officer of Kayem Foods, said in a statement. “We want to celebrate the moment with an unexpected and fun campaign that highlights our connection to New England and our commitment to the food that makes these moments special.”
Following its debut at Faneuil Hall, selected campaign works will be displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston from June 24 through July 24 in the museum’s cafeteria. Visitors will also be able to view the original artworks that inspired the campaign in the museum’s newly reopened 18th-century Art of the Americas galleries.
The galleries will open during the museum’s annual Juneteenth event on June 19, followed by an America at 250 Open House on June 20. Both events will be free to Massachusetts residents and will include art-making activities and performances. The renovated galleries feature more than 500 objects, including collection highlights, previously unseen works and recent acquisitions.
“This collaboration with Kayem offers a fun and timely entry point into American history,” said Nonie Gadsden, Katharine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. “We’re excited to invite audiences to engage with both playful interpretations and the real stories and works that define our shared past.”
Additional stops on the traveling exhibition include the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport from June 15 to June 21, Cisco Brewers Boston Seaport from June 22 to June 24, Fenway Park’s Gate A from June 25 to June 26, the American Independence Museum in Exeter, New Hampshire, from July 11 to July 19, and the Narragansett Brewing Taproom from July 15 to July 19.
The art tour serves as the centerpiece of Kayem’s broader America 250 celebration. The company has also introduced commemorative packaging and a limited-edition Cannon Fire Hot Dog, a smoky and spicy product created to mark the anniversary. The hot dog is available at retailers across New England for $2.50 per four-pack.
Founded in 1909, Kayem Foods is New England’s largest meat processor and produces more than 100 varieties of hot dogs and 300 varieties of deli meats, sausages and hams. The company manufactures Fenway Franks, the official hot dog of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park, and is also the official hot dog supplier of the New England Patriots and Boston Bruins.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston houses a collection of more than 500,000 works spanning ancient to contemporary art and is one of the largest art museums in the United States.
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