Max Nordeen's worst nightmare is coming true.

The entire contents of his Wheels Museum, Woodhull, Illinois, will be auctioned August 24-26, 2005. Max, who passed away in December 2004, was the always-entertaining curator of an eclectic collection of items assembled over 76 years of life in Woodhull. Before he died, he fretted about the future of his unique exhibits. Max had no direct family or heirs (prepared to run the museum), and couldn't secure a public sanctuary placing appropriate value on his gear shift knob collection or toy Graf Zepplin. After his death, there was brief talk of preserving the museum, but the best solution for Max's scattering of relations has turned out to be this estate sell-off.

The Martin Auction Company is conducting the public "Closing Out" of Max's estate, starting with Wheels Museum items in August, and selling the balance of personal property in the house, museum and outbuildings on October 1st. Max, himself a trained auctioneer, would find this ironic -- and he'd be shouting himself hoarse trying to buy back his stuff if he wasn't dead.

The auction company's Shereth Conn told us about a special auction session on Wednesday Aug. 24, to sell Max's "Erotica." Shereth said "We were going to call it the 'Perverted Session' -- he had quite a large collection," including his assorted peep viewers, nudie photos, "old issues of gentlemen's magazines (Playboy, Oui, etc.), and 'sunbather' magazines," as the auction web site notes. It's all from a more innocent era of adult literature; still, no one under 18 will be allowed to enter.

The non-perverted sessions will include his toy cars, barber pole, Nazi regalia, John Deere death notice, and other Max Nordeen touchstones. The Petrified Leech has been cataloged and will be offered as part of Lot 196. Three giant meat cleavers (Hey! He only showed us one.) will be part of a lot sold on October 1.

Absentee bidding is possible. More information and a full catalog of items will be available over the next few weeks at the auction web site. Or hustle out to Woodhull to bid in person. Max always complained that few people ever took the trouble to see his museum -- things they'd "never see again," and this is your last chance....

[08/03/2005]