The sale covers enamel advertising signs, petrol pump globes, oil tins, fuel cans and forecourt signage, alongside broader vintage advertising such as cigarette and tobacco signs, household and shop advertising and general enamelware, plus motoring ephemera. Values run from around £20 to tens of thousands.
Automobilia covers motoring collectables of every kind, from mascots and horns to lamps and models, while petroliana is the branded material from the fuel companies: the pump globes, cans and garage signs. The strongest names are the fuel brands: Shell, BP, Castrol, Esso and Mobil. Collectors also chase the wider advertising marques, from Michelin and Dunlop to Cadbury, Fry's and Wills.
Buying automobilia and petroliana
Catalogues go online ahead of each sale with photographs and descriptions, and you can bid in the room, by phone or online. Condition drives the price with enamel and tinware, so view in person where you can, look for damage and restoration, and confirm collection or postage before you bid. The buyer's premium 15% + VAT for the dedicated auctions, 10% when part of the vintage sale.
Selling automobilia and petroliana
A single sign or a whole collection can be entered into a dedicated automobilia auction or the Cambridge Vintage Sale, and a significant single-owner collection can be sold as a standalone auction in its own right. Because Cheffins has its own sale ground and premises, a collection can be stored safely ahead of the sale at no cost to the seller, which matters when you are clearing a large collection.
Pre-sale appraisals are free, with formal written valuations arranged separately. Tom Godsmark ANAVA and Ted Shepherd look after the automobilia side and can advise on the right route, whether it is a single item or a lifetime's collection.
Why Cheffins for automobilia and petroliana?
Cheffins has been an auctioneer and valuer since 1825 and has a long-established name in this sector. In March 2026, a barn-find collection fresh to the market set the UK auction record for an enamel sign, when a 1920s Stepney Tyres 'Two British Grippers' sign sold for £83,780 against a £10,000 estimate, with bidding from across the UK, Europe and further afield. With dedicated automobilia auctions, a place in the Cambridge Vintage Sale and around 30,000 registered bidders in more than 50 countries behind every sale, the right material reaches the collectors most likely to chase it.
Automobilia and petroliana auction FAQs
What is petroliana, and how is it different from automobilia? Petroliana is branded material from fuel and oil companies, such as petrol pump globes, fuel cans, oil tins, and garage signage. Automobilia is the wider field of motoring collectables, from mascots and horns to lamps, models and advertising signs. The two overlap and usually sell side by side.
How do I sell my automobilia or petroliana collection? A single item or a full collection can be entered into a dedicated automobilia auction or the Cambridge Vintage Sale, and a major single-owner collection can be sold as a standalone auction. Pre-sale appraisals are free, and collections can be stored at the sale ground ahead of the sale at no cost. Tom Godsmark and Ted Shepherd can advise on the right route.
When are the Cheffins automobilia auctions held? The dedicated automobilia and petroliana auctions run twice a year at the Sutton Saleground, near Ely. Automobilia also features in the Cambridge Vintage Sale, and Cheffins arranges standalone single-owner sales for collections that warrant them.
Can I bid online at a Cheffins automobilia auction?
Yes. Cheffins offers live online bidding through its own website and through the-saleroom.com, the platform widely used by automobilia and petroliana collectors, alongside bidding in the room or by phone.
Related sections
Classic Cars · Classic & Vintage Motorcycles · Vintage Tractors · Vintage & Classic Auctions · Cambridge Machinery Sales · On-site Auctions · Machinery & Vintage Auctions
Ready to buy or sell automobilia and petroliana?
Browse the next automobilia auction, or call the vintage team on 01353 777767 (option 2) or email [email protected] to talk through selling a single item or a collection.