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Gas station memorabilia from Mundelein repair shop going up for auction

Gas station memorabilia that once filled a Mundelein auto repair shop will go on the auction block Saturday.

The vintage gas pumps, neon signs and promotional items are from a now-shuttered garage called Ray's Auto Service, 404 E. Hawley St.

The auction is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Donley Auctions, 8512 S. Union Road, Union.

Ray Bauernsmith launched the business that bore his name in 1947. He accumulated the gas-themed collectibles through the years.

The little red garage just east of the Canadian National Railroad tracks contained clocks emblazoned with automotive company logos, neon signs of various shapes and colors, porcelain signs with messages including "No Smoking" and "Fire Chief Gasoline," and much, much more.

Mundelein trustee and lifelong resident Ray Semple said Bauernsmith's shop resembled a museum because of the treasures there.

"Ray's business was a downtown Mundelein icon," Semple said. "(It) was the ultimate, real-life man cave."

When the 87-year-old Bauernsmith died in 2015, his son, Jim, carried on the business. But Jim Bauernsmith died in 2018 at 67, and the property is for sale.

Surviving family members have decided it's time to sell the memorabilia, too, according to a news release from Donley Auctions. They couldn't be reached for comment.

Auctioneer Randy Donley said his firm is "honored" to conduct the auction.

The items up for auction aren't just pieces of gas-station history. There also are parking meters, coin-operated telephones, commercial stoplights, promotional materials for cigar and cigarette brands, Coca-Cola signs and other collectibles.

Donley called the set "impressive."

You can examine the collection in person at Donley Auctions starting at 10 a.m. Saturday or online at donleyauctions.com. Click on the button for the Day Two catalog to view photos and descriptions of the items and see the minimum bid for each piece.

Bids can be made in person or online.

Ray's Auto Service in Mundelein was established in 1947. Daily Herald file, 2016
Interior of the garage at Ray's Auto Service in Mundelein. Daily Herald file, 2016
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