Antonio’s Nut House will auction off memorabilia
Decades of neon-lit beer history from the legendary Palo Alto dive bar Antonio’s Nut House will go on the virtual auction block today.
The Nut House, which had reopened briefly last summer for outdoor dining, has closed permanently, a victim of the COVID-19 shutdowns that hit businesses like bars particularly hard.
Owned for decades by Tony Montooth, the California Avenue bar was taken over by his family after he died in 2017.
“Our only hope of returning the business is if indoor dining or indoor bars are approved. Other than that, we’re done,” son Jess Montooth told the Palo Alto Weekly last year.
Today’s sale by Clars Auction Gallery features more than 40 neon signs and other pieces that advertised beer or cigarettes, including a Pabst Blue Ribbon “Palo Alto” bar sign, a Coors Light/ San Francisco 49ers sign, Corona/san Jose Sharks sign and a Coors truck pool table light. There’s also a pub table shaped like a peanut (the bar was known for its shellstrewn floor) and two lots of black bar stools. Most of the signs are valued at under $500, with opening bids around $100.
The most valuable item being auctioned is a Hamm’s Beer motorized bear-and-helicopter display. Clars’ experts have valued the piece at $2,000 to $4,000, and the minimum opening bid will be $1,000.
The Nut House items will be sold during an online-only auction that begins at 9:30 a.m. at Clars. com and also includes jewelry, art, decorative items and furniture from other estates. As with all auctions, there’s no estimating how quickly the bar items will go up for bid.
To participate and preview the items, go to Clars.com, click on upcoming auctions and register to participate.