Toshiko Takaezu Stoneware Leads Rago Sale at $115,200 as Musgo Sign Brings $79,950

Two sculptural stoneware works by Toshiko Takaezu led Rago’s October 7, 2026, modern art and sculpture sale, bringing $115,200 and $108,800. A rare Musgo Gasoline porcelain sign also stood out, selling for $79,950 at Morphy Auctions. Together, the results show how sharply different collecting fields can reward distinct qualities: scale and form in studio ceramics, rarity despite condition issues in advertising, and grade and historic significance in comics.

Takaezu’s forms top Rago’s sale

The highest reported result came from a glazed stoneware gourd by Toshiko Takaezu (1922–2011). Standing 23.5 inches high, it sold for $115,200. Another Takaezu work, an oblong drum shape measuring twenty-seven inches high, brought $108,800. Both appeared in Rago’s modern art and sculpture sale on October 7, 2026, which totaled $2,037,254.

The close results for the two works make this pair especially telling. Their shared maker and appearance in the same sale offer a useful point of comparison, while their different silhouettes give collectors distinct forms to consider. The source describes numerous abstract pieces in the sale as strong performers, placing Takaezu’s works within a broader showing for modern sculpture. The sale total adds context, but each result remains tied to the individual object and its presentation.

Rarity carries the Musgo sign

Morphy Auctions’ July 16, 2025, sale offered a striking contrast in material and condition. Its top result was a round porcelain Musgo Gasoline sign bearing the slogan “Michigan’s Mile Maker.” Issued in the 1920s by the Muskegon Oil Co. of Muskegon, Michigan, the sign had some touch-ups and damage on one side. The other side graded about 7.5, and the piece sold for $79,950.

That result puts the condition details in focus. The sign wasn’t described as pristine; its reported appeal rested in part on rarity, enough to draw a substantial result despite visible imperfections. For collectors comparing advertising signs, it’s a reminder to record both sides, restoration or touch-up work, and damage alongside the maker, slogan, and date. Condition descriptions can be particularly important when the two faces differ.

A Tropical Gas globe lens was another notable advertising piece from the sale, selling for $28,800. Its design featured the brand name “Tropical,” a palm tree on either side, a shining sun above, and “Gas” beneath. The source describes the brand as something of a mystery. WorthPoint added 1,651 items from Morphy’s sales dating back to June 2025, with a combined total of $2,060,430.60.

A key Green Lantern issue brings $6,300

At Hake’s Auctions on October 8, 2026, a CGC 9.8 copy of Green Lantern/Green Arrow No. 87 sold for $6,300. The issue carries a December 1971 to January 1972 cover date and has off-white pages. Its credited story milestones include the first appearance of John Stewart, the second appearance of Guy Gardner, and the first story by Elliot S. Maggin, making it a significant Bronze Age issue for Green Lantern collectors.

Here, the reported grade sits alongside several details that help explain the comic’s place in a collection: the issue number, cover date, page color, and character and creator milestones. Collectors tracking comparable copies will want those particulars in view, since a grade alone doesn’t capture the issue’s historical significance or the attributes recorded for this example.

Cars and other auction standouts

Ewbank’s Auctions’ October 7, 2026, sale included several cars with distinct appeal. A 2014 BMW M5 30 Jahre limited edition sold for $44,367.32. The source describes its TwinPower Turbo engine and acceleration from zero to sixty-two in 3.9 seconds. A white convertible 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera, with 112,000 miles on its odometer, brought $22,000. A 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon sold for $16,268.02 with 41,870 miles. Its appearance at a British auction was noted as unusual.

Other reported sales include a pair of Edwardian-style satinwood and marquetry display cabinets, which brought $11,186 at Sheppard’s Irish Auction House on October 8, 2026; twelve assorted boxes of vintage Christmas decorations, sold for $1,800 at McLaren Auction Services that day; and a pair of Victorian silver-mounted frosted glass askos-form wine jugs, which brought $14,630 at Doyle Auctioneers & Appraisers on October 7.

The Christmas decorations were described as ornate and seemingly from the 1960s. At about $15 per ornament, the lot’s total gives a rough arithmetic comparison, though the pieces were sold together. The glass jugs and cabinets, meanwhile, show the variety within these auction records: material, form, age, and the grouping itself all help define what was offered.

Transaction totals and records

WorthPoint added 86,687 transactions to its Price Guide on October 15, 2026. Those entries represented $14,857,227.56 in tangible asset value, averaging $171.39 per lot. These figures set a broad backdrop for the individual results: a high average across a large number of records can sit alongside sharply different prices for ceramics, signs, comics, vehicles, and decorative objects.

For collectors reviewing a comparable item, the useful details are the ones attached to the specific sale: date, auction house, description, condition, grade, and any recorded measurements or mileage. Search the WorthPoint Price Guide for comparable records before making a buying or selling decision. WorthPoint subscription information describes access to more than 1 billion prices, with a free 7-day trial followed by the selected plan rate unless canceled before the trial ends.

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This article is written by Will Seippel, founder of WorthPoint. Seippel has collected since 1974 and dealt in antiques, with an emphasis on ephemera, since 1984. He also founded HIP, a website dedicated to preserving history captured on film.

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