Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion New to collecting, texaco question

I have a "texaco FIRE CHIEF Gasoline" tin sign that looks different from many that I can find online. It has Texaco written at the very top of the sign. Most others (that I've seen photos of online) don't seem to have this written.
The firemans helmet is also angled "forward" in a funny way with the circular texaco star below the hat itself. I can't find any images like it online It appears old. I have a photo.
Where can I look to find out if this is a repro or to date this sign? I am new to this type of collecting.
Thanks so much!


[This message has been edited by casiokey (edited 11-04-2005).]

CASIOKEY:

SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE ONE OF THE VERY FIRST FIRE-CHIEF SIGNS FROM AROUND THE EARLY 30'S-MID 30'S. WE NEED A PHOTO OF THE SIGN TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE. EMAIL ME A PHOTO AND I CAN POST IT FOR YOU.

DOUG

[This message has been edited by casiokey (edited 11-05-2005).]

Sign is 12" x 18". Edges are rusting out in places and there are some big chips in the white paint (enamel?) missing. Some rust on the surface of the front- looks like the rust transferred from another sign. White color is not bright white as shown in 1st shot. It's more of a cream/eggshell type of white, as reflected in other photos. Sorry about the strange digital lines my camera makes, it's broken.
Thanks for any help on this, I did try to research it on my own but couldn't find this design.


[This message has been edited by casiokey (edited 11-05-2005).]

I believe you have a porcelain sign, not a tin sign.
Jack Sim

MY MISTAKE IT'S A PAINTED TIN THAT WAS A PROTOTYPE THAT WAS MADE FROM EARLY SIXTIES-SEVENTIES.

DOUG

I would agree with Doug. It appears to be dated 1963 (FIRE-CHIEF was introduced in 1932), "FIRE-CHIEF" was originally hyphenated, and it has the white- (rather than black-) outlined "T". It must have been one of the Company's brainstroms which never went anyplace.

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Jim Hinds
Columbus, Indiana

[This message has been edited by indianrefining1931 (edited 11-06-2005).]

I've seen this sign before, it reminds of the alternate Diesel Chief sign which is tin and reads DIESEL FUEL.

I believe both signs are American made signs for foreign markets. Texaco made most of their signs in America for their foreign locations. For example, there is a strange "Nafta" variant on Ebay now and it's marked "Made in the USA."

I learned this from a jobber I met via Ebay. I came home Saturday night after a few beers and found a tin Diesel Fuel sign on ebay for a buy it now of $100.

[This message has been edited by DCpate (edited 11-06-2005).]

I have decided to sell the sign on ebay. If you are interested in viewing or bidding please use oldgas.com to navigate to the auction.
Go to the bottom of the auctions page on the site and use item number 7196886719 to locate the item on ebay. Using this method will help to support this great website.

Thank you for the helpful information provided by posters on this board. Without it, my aunt planned to yard sale or throw this sign out. Instead I got ahold of it and kinda fell in love- I think it's launched a new old gas fan. Alright, I'll keep my eyes out for another one- yeah right...

It sold for $86.00 on Ebay