Is paying $2.4m for a double-sided porcelain sign which has not been used as a septic tank lid (which as you know causes one side of the sign to decay from exposure to septic fumes and, in addition, causes a smell that makes the dinosaurs happy they are extinct) another sign that (sorry) the world has passed the “Go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200” tipping point which can only mean that otherwise serious people will buy electric cars only to see their forever homes be fully consumed in lithium battery fires?
One friend, 20 readers, occasional reading eldest son and EV police, it’s true. A US punter who will remain nameless (because I don’t know his name) paid the equivalent of three weeks of trips along the Tullamarine Costway for an incredibly rare 121cm Musgo Gasoline ad, setting a world record at Richmond Auctions. This broke the previous world record for a non-septic sign by about $2m.
The grande dame of antiques, Terry Kovel, tells me by psychic internet from her global HQ in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where until recently she owned and published Kovels Antique Trader mag, that the Musgo non-septic “is considered the holy grail of antique advertising signs and was discovered in an attic in Michigan. It had never been seen by the public and was a fresh-to-market example”.
At one stage there were more than 3000 petrol brands in septic land. Musgo started in Muskegon, Michigan, and earned its place in the killing-the-known-world emissions business from 1927 to 1929.
A plumber bought Musgo’s warehouse and, naturally, used its old signs as septic tank lids. When Musgo prices started hitting the thousands, Petroliana collectors got out the shovels and went out looking for septic tanks.
Jordan Richmond (go the tigers) tells us: “This unique Musgo Gasoline sign was discovered without touch-ups, restoration or enhancements – something unheard of for a collectable of this nature” or unheard of in the lives of many affluent older persons, Jordan.
Now I know many of you are doing it tough. Investing $2.4m in a septic tank lid may be a “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” moment for you if you’ve just cut the dividend, moved into the new top end of Collins St HQ complete with the indoor smoking room and private ensuite.
But don’t worry, just look those rapacious ungrateful shareholders in the eyes and mutter the immortal words: “If any one of you think I’m superficial or materialistic, go get a job at f...... McDonald’s, cause that’s where you f...... belong!”
And then pop over to Abu Dhabi later this month, head to Bonhams and snaffle up the hero car from The Wolf of Wall Street. Yup it’s the 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Coupe that steals the most memorable scenes in the 2013 documentary on investment banks.
In three minutes, 11 seconds, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jordie Belfort highlight the evils of using bonus money for hypnotic sedatives whose side effects are euphoria and death. Jordie desperately crawls to his Lambo after taking a few very powerful disco biscuits.
He opens the scissor door with his foot and pulls himself inside. Halfway in, he gets a call from his wife, played by Margot Robbie, and tells her to put another shrimp on the barbie (foreshadowing her soon-to-be Academy Award-winning role) and drives off.
As Bonhams says: “Since its final scene wrapped, the Lambo has been meticulously preserved in the same condition it last flaunted on the big screen – an undisturbed time capsule of the film’s unbridled debauchery and infamous extravagance.” There’s an ASX release ready to go.
Talking of your forever home being fully consumed in lithium battery fires, our old friend Al Root from Barrons reports that “EVs may still be the future of the auto business, but they seem to be hitting a speed bump right now.
“Last week, Mercedes-Benz said that EV sales growth was slowing. GM and Ford Motor have both pulled back on their EV spending plans. Tesla’s third quarter results missed by a wide margin.”
And talking of bad news, Shannons has pulled out of the auction business citing too much competition.
Also pulling out could be Red Bull’s other driver, Checo Perez. While sitting on second place in the drivers’ championship in the second fastest car, Checo is over 200 points behind Mad Max and only 20 points ahead of the Hamster.
In Mexico last Sunday he only travelled for 800m before changing the Red Bull into an aeroplane. Our own Danny Ricciardo had a blinder of a race finishing seventh. Of course, Dan the Man is contracted to Red Bull. Watch out Checo. Aussie Oscar finished just behind Dan.
Rosco McGlashan with his Aussie Invader II land speed-record setting vehicle in 1995.
Rosco McGlashan with his Aussie Invader II land speed-record setting vehicle in 1995.
If you want to sponsor something worthwhile then have the analysts run over https://aussieinvader.com. Rosco McGlashan OAM holds the Australian land speed record at 802.6km/h – or 500km/h faster than Mad Max.
Like many of us (except when we have these thoughts they are usually due to disco biscuits, Colombian marching powder or Coopers sparkling) Rosco wants to go supersonic.
Let me be clear. He is sure his Aussie Invader 5R with a single bipropellant rocket motor producing 147099.75KW can accelerate from 0 to 1600km/h in about 20 seconds.
His book, ROSCO The Fastest Aussie on Earth: The amazing true life story of Rosco McGlashan is now on sale at your local book seller for $28.
We’ll talk to Rosco soon but basically the story and forthcoming movie plot is: He spent time in state-run homes and remand centres, eventually leaving home and school at 12.
He then drove up north in Western Australia to find work, increasing his age from 12 to 16, to fund his racing career. He fought everyone and everything and, at 17, ended up in prison and even solitary confinement. Once released, his salvation comes through his love of speed and raw horsepower. Just like the Sultan.
[email protected]
