The past returns today at the first Oil and Gas Memorabilia Auction at the Masonic Lodge at 625 South Ave., hosted by the Penn Brad Oil Museum.

Doors open at 2 p.m., allowing bidders to preview the wide variety of original vintage items, many of which were donated by individuals, and bearing the famous names of Kendall, Pennzoil, Quaker State, Preferred Penn, Penn Drake and Zippo, to name a few. Also going up for bids will be oil industry-related items from framed photographs to oil cans, apparel to autographed NASCAR posters, toys to china and glassware and belt buckles to advertising signs and clocks.

Among the items on the selling list is a yellow dog oilfield lantern that bears an 1870 patent that was assigned to the Eaton, Cole and Burnham Company, a supplier of oil field equipment to customers in western Pennsylvania.

“Yellow dogs had two wicks that burned crude oil and would light up working areas at night, and from a distance the flames resembled a dog’s eyes as it approaches a fire,” said Sam Slocum, museum manager.

Another artifact is a K-24 oil can that is at least 75 years old and comes from the former Bradford Refinery that merged with Kendall in 1945.  

The auction begins promptly at 3 p.m., with Lloyd Burkhouse as the auctioneer and Harvey Golubock, committee chairman for the event, as guest auctioneer for certain items.

One of the Penn Brad Oil Museum’s three annual fundraisers, the auction will kick-off the museum’s opening for the season on Monday. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

Advance admission tickets are $5 and $10 at the door. Hors d’oeuvres are included in the prices of admission. A cash bar and wine will also be available. Door prizes will be awarded.

Summing up the auction, Dr. Matt Kropf, a museum director, said, “This is a rare opportunity for the community to help preserve our oil heritage in their personal collections.”