by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod
$70,400 (76 bids, 9 bidders): Antique 1957 Diner, Stainless, 50’ x 16’, seats 50, excellent condition, movable.
The former Crossroads Diner was built in 1957 by the Campora Dining Car Company, Kearny, New Jersey. This short-lived company was started by Jerry Campora, a former shop supervisor at Kullman Diners and brother-in-law to Ralph Musi, owner of the Musi Dining Car Company of Carteret, New Jersey. The Crossroads Diner may be the only diner built by the company.
The diner measures approximately 50 feet long x 16 feet wide. The seating capacity is 48-50 with counter stools, two 6-top booths, and two 4-top booths. Despite its age of 62 years, the exterior exhibits no major damage to the stainless steel panels and trim. The interior has been well maintained and is phenomenally well preserved with original Formica ceilings and counter/table surfaces, and terrazzo floors/counter footrest. The steel frame undercarriage exhibits very little or no corrosion.

Included in the purchase is the intact back bar equipment (pie case, lower refrigerator coolers, coffee urn stand, stainless wall mounted shelving), original Formica-clad cashier booth, original waitress station, and exterior neon tube lighting/transformers. A variety of food service equipment may be available from the rear kitchen.
The diner is purchased in “as is, where is” condition and must be removed from the property ASAP. The buyer is buying the diner in the condition it presently exists in, and the buyer is accepting the diner “with all faults,” whether or not immediately apparent. A payment of $6,000 is required within 24 hours upon completion of the auction.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller rgsales2.)
DBA: Here is the quandary: I could not find a diner being sold as personal property. Most are sold on a plot of land (which would be real estate), and some are sold as thriving businesses. Each of these is a different set of factors. A diner that is on a plot of land that is a thriving business would be the most expensive. A closed diner on a parcel of land would cost less than a thriving business. A diner that must be relocated can cost a lot of money just to move. While this looks like a tremendous buy, the land and the cost of moving this must be considered.
$5,328 (31 bids, 6 bidders): Antique George Jones Majolica Waterlily Blossom Tall Cheese Dome, 1858.
Overall, it measures 14 inches tall. The bottom plate measures 11 inches in diameter. Absolutely no chips or cracks. Some glazing pops and a bit of crazing.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller henschicksandhatpins; Daisy May Estate Liquidations on Facebook.)
DBA: The most valuable of the majolica lines are Minton, George Jones, and Wedgwood. And the cheese dome is one of the more valuable objects in the majolica lines. The price is at the high end for this object but not record-setting.

$9,999 (19 bids, 13 bidders): Antique Post & Co. National Bell Telephone Charles Williams Jr. Ringer Box.
The National Bell Telephone Co. only existed from March 1879 to May 1880. This auction is for a patented 1880, Post & Vo. National Bell Telephone Ringer Box. The back measures 6 1/4 inches wide by 11 3/4 inches tall, and the box measures 5 3/8 inches wide by 9 5/8 inches tall by 4 3/8 inches. On the Birdseye maple front is a brass label that says, “Direct Magnetic Bell, Manuf’d for National Bell Telephone by Post & Co. Cinn O.” There also is a list of patented dates from 1879 to 1880 and a serial number 2643.
The receiver is missing that would have hung at the bottom, and there is evidence the lock was changed.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12.)
DBA: This is a very early telephone. It is often called the Coffin Telephone. Charles Williams, Jr. of Boston became the first manufacturer of the Alexander Graham Bell telephone. This phone came with one handset. The consumer found it difficult to move the handset back and forth between their ear and mouth. Williams soon produced a model with two handsets, one for listening and one for speaking. The selling price of this telephone is right on with the usual prices for this model.

$6,766.66 (9 bids, 7 bidders): Vintage Antique 1930s Harley Davidson One Gallon Oil Can.
AWESOME! 10 x 3 inches. Empty, of course. Condition? The photos tell the story. Last two photos show shallow edge depressions. The flat display side of the can is not perfectly flat (slightly concave) due to the shallow edge depression. Not a big deal and you can see in the photos that the can displays very well. As you can see the colors are bright and rust is not an issue. Can is from the dry southwest. This can has been in my collection for many years.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller roadsideculture.)
DBA: While I do not believe that many of these can be found, especially in reasonably good condition, I am surprised at the price this has commanded. I did find a five-gallon dealer can that sold for $3,000 in 2014, but most of these oil cans were found selling for $25 (newer ones) to $250 for about 20-year-old cans. There are many Harley Davidson collectors for a variety of advertising items.