Tucked back on a private road in rural Barto, Pa., Kimberly K. Auction LLC conducted three days of sales over a span of two weekends. The auction crew began digging and sorting through boxes and piles in mid-August to prepare. Auctioneer and owner Kim Douglass has been in the auction industry for almost 30 years and said, These old collections are hard to come by today, and I was excited to be able to offer it for auction. On Oct. 16, 17 and 24, she held the on-site live auction with an excited crowd in attendance. There were approximately 2,800 lots sold over the three days. We had a lot of pre-auction excitement about the auction in general, not necessarily about any one or two particular items, but about the events overall offerings. I think many were excited about being able to safely attend a live auction again, said Douglass. Since the pandemic, Kimberly K Auction LLC has been conducting online-only sales and doing well with them, yet believes live auctions are so much more exciting. The collections were from the estate of Daniel Bell and consisted of auto-related signs, early tools, plumb bobs, oyster cans, oil bottles and cans, scales of all types, coffee grinders and mills, spittoons, sausage stuffers, meat grinders, old mouse traps, cherry pitters, antique fishing items, fish and eel gigs, a typewriter collection, and much more. On Oct. 16 and 17, the auction company sold the contents of a large two-story barn, several outbuildings and a four-story mill. Included in these sessions were early broad axes, unusual tools, early auto wrenches, a treadle jig saw, hand crank mortise machine, auto-related advertising tins and many signs. The contents of the outbuildings included early farm tools, tractor equipment, a seat collection, fencing, wood barrels, advertising crates, a 1951 Pontiac Chieftain, a 1947 Ford Pick-up (disassembled), and a Cub Cadet lowboy tractor. Leading the list of signs was a New England Jenney Lubrication Service two-piece porcelain sign that sold for $3,960. Prices reported include a buyers premium. An oversized wooden MARFAX sign sold for $660, and a Mobiloil gas pump realized $1,980. A framed Triflex Reflecting Rear Lens advertising display that had quite a bit of pre-auction interest brought $247. Also offered on the first day was a collection of oyster cans, with the most popular being a Burtons Oyster can that fetched $297. A small steam engine sold for $770. The Cub Cadet tractor sold for $825, and a very nice small-size workbench sold for $635. Day three, the next weekend, on Oct. 24, consisted of the contents of the house. A large amount of furniture was sold, including oak, walnut and mahogany furniture of various ages. There were several early showcases, a Hoosier cabinet with the jars included ($635), settees, tables and much more. There were two early Enterprise meat slicers that brought $385 and $660. A collection of early fishing licenses brought $588, while an early doctors optical machine brought $400. Douglass said she never saw as large of a table-top apple peeler like the one that was sold on the 24th. It brought $300. The mouse and rat traps realized prices ranging from $25 to $70 each. There were also several tables and racks of various vintage clothing, which commanded a lot of interest during the auction. Two auctioneers were selling simultaneously in two different areas on each of the three days. We were fortunate to be able to utilize the barn, which had a huge sliding door and a wall full of windows that we were able to open and be in the open-air. I was happy to see so many people wearing masks and being considerate of others. We did all we could do to keep everyone safe. To learn more, contact Kimberly K. Auction LLC at 215-416-8837 or www.KimberlyKAuctions@gmail.com.