Will Seippel, CEO of WorthPoint, enjoys watching the items sold at auctions held by our WorthPoint Industry Partners. We thought it would be a great idea for him to select some of his favorite sold items and explain why those sales stood out to him. Gaining insights from Will is an excellent way to learn about buying and selling trends in our industry. We want to empower you to buy and sell with confidence. Take a look at his thoughts on a few of our partners’ recent sales.
On June 1, 2025, WorthPoint added 233,733 items to its Price Guide, estimated at $13,687,471.03—an average of $61.66 per item.
A Silent Relic
Milestone’s recent mid-market militaria sale was, in a word, sharp—quite literally. With 542 lots totaling $203,288, the auction averaged a respectable $375.07 per lot, and bladed weapons impressively claimed four of the top five spots. Leading the charge was a stunning Mexican War era U.S. officer’s sword, complete with an ornate fire-gilded eagle head pommel and an ivory grip that oozed nineteenth-century bravado. Measuring 32½ inches and featuring fouled anchors etched into the blade, this partially clamshelled beauty showed signs of honest wear—a dark patina and prior sharpening—but still retained an air of dignity that only an aging warrior can. Though unsigned (Milestone did not mention a maker), its aesthetic and historical appeal were undeniable, earning it a worthy final bid of $3,813. One can only wonder what tales this silent relic could tell, had it a voice—or at least a polished provenance.
Close behind in price and certainly in intrigue were three fighting knives that rounded out the top five. Most notable was the Civil War era Dahlgren Bowie Bayonet, which hammered down at $2,398.50. This was no ordinary bayonet; it was a tactical workaround devised by Admiral John A. Dahlgren, who cleverly disguised his Navy boarding knife as a bayonet to secure congressional approval for its production. Technically designed for the 1861 Plymouth/Whitneyville rifle, most Dahlgren bayonets don’t quite fit it—an irony the Admiral himself might have enjoyed, given his disdain for the “useless” sword bayonet of the time. The example offered by Milestone, produced by Ames, came complete with its original sheath and appeared to have barely seen service—an excellent specimen, near mint. Not to be outdone, a WWI U.S. M1917 trench knife fetched $2,337, while a sleek British Skye Fairbairn WWII fighting knife trailed just behind at $2,275.50. In short, if there were ever a time to bring a knife to a gunfight, Milestone’s sale made a compelling argument.
Everywhere a Sign
Miller & Miller was at it again with a transport-themed auction that had engines humming and neon glowing. Leading the pack was a fabulous late-1930s to early-1940s Hudson Automobile neon sign, a Canadian-made, single-sided porcelain beauty with working neon and original hardware intact. At 34″ x 72″, it once lit up George Merkley’s garage in Belmore, Ontario, though George himself was never a Hudson dealer—just a man with an eye for great garage decor. Authenticated and graded near-mint, the sign brought in $20,476.28, and it’s easy to see why: rich cobalt blues, a deco-style logo, and enough vintage charm to brighten any collection. It’s the kind of piece that looks just as good unlit as it does casting a warm neon glow—one can only imagine how many Canadian Hudsons it watched roll in and out of that little Belmore shop.
Petroliana signs were abundant and performed as expected—brilliantly. A three-foot Red Indian Service Station sign roared in at $14,504, followed closely by a Red Indian Motor Oil sign, which fetched a solid $12,797. And for those who prefer their transportation with three wheels and a dash of whimsy, a 1967 Piaggio Ape—restored and mechanically sound—sold for $8,531.79. Initially used by the East Orange, New Jersey Police Department for traffic enforcement, the Ape D model boasted a 175cc engine and even retained a period-correct “Fraternal Order of Police” decal. When I saw this, all I could think of was the Beatles’ “Lovely Rita,” the meter maid, zipping through the streets of Orange in this enclosed Vespa-like contraption. One has to wonder how it migrated from writing tickets in Jersey to starring in an Ontario auction—but then again, the road less traveled is what makes collecting so delightfully unpredictable.
Will Seippel is the founder, president, and CEO of WorthPoint. Will has been an avid collector since 1974 and dealer of just about all things antique—with an emphasis on ephemera— since 1984. He is also the creator and founder of HIP, a website devoted to recording the best of the world’s history that has been saved on film.
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