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#727847 Mon Apr 08 2019 04:37 AM
Joined: Mar 2015
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Petro Enthusiast
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Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2015
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Have you noticed how American Pickers Mike and Frank sometimes “set out” to find certain items and then at other times seem to “stumble into” a treasure trove of signs and pumps. Regardless of your feelings about the TV show, both scenarios seem to be a reality in collecting. Many of you are very serious collectors with incredible collections. I wish I could be, but time and resources have eliminated me. But here is the thought for this thread...can you share your greatest “stumbles into” finding treasure? And just as well can you share your greatest “set out” victories in finding exactly what you were looking for?

My greatest “stumble into” was a Cities Service Sign that I “stumbled into on Craig’s List that I had no idea of its rarity or value. I have posted a pic (please excuse the inclusion of the Conoco Minuteman...it was the only pic I have at the time of this posting).

My greatest “”set out” has been a Tom’s Peanuts wire rack display with sign that I have looked for the past 55 year. I have also posted a pic. My uncle had a Esso service station when I was growing up that contained a Tom’s display inside just like this one I finally was able to piece together.

Any other great “stumble intos” or “”set outs” out there?

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Last edited by Stephenwarren30; Mon Apr 08 2019 05:21 AM.
Please use For Sale forums to sell

Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
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My best 'stumble into' was when I was talking to a guy that mentioned that his dad used to own a gas station. I told him that I collected old gas items. Then he said that he himself still had some kind of odd glass plates in an old cupboard that said, "Blood or somethiing" on them. Being a Penn Drake collector, my heart dropped thinking that it would be too good to be true that he had the hard to find Penn Drake Blue Blood globe lenses. Sure enough he went to his house 3 minutes away and came back with them. He wouldn't take anything for them since I was a collector!

penn drake globe.jpg 100_4242.JPG
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Last year on a lead from a temp craigslist employee I got into this load of goodies. Several signs as well. All gone now.

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Saw that post Greg.
Last 3 words there were "not for sale"
last three here "all gone now".
lol


Wanted early tin litho signage.
petro, farm, auto, etc.
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I stumbled into this a month ago while on an errand to go look at some furniture with my wife.

BrianH

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Brian H
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I am somewhat attached to the pickers show. If they stand and tell you all about a gas pump, that information came from me. My name is listed at the end of the show as a contributor, but you need to put the TV on show motion to see my name. Now, what do I feel about the show, first turn off the sound, it means nothing, look at the pictures, look at what is all around the room. As pickers we are going to be faced with things we have never seen before, this is a good way to see a lot of new things that we have never seen before. I am a picker, I have been one for almost 50 years, I am not looking for petro related items only, I am looking for anything I can buy and resale to support the keeping of things I want to collect. Of course I know petro items, I also know a lot about old cars, motorcycles, almost anything that is farm related, coins, lunch boxes, pinup pictures, I could go on. My wife knows dishes, ceramics, silver where, jewelry, antique clothing, furniture, again I could go on. You never know what you will be looking at tomorrow, so use every source to determine what is hot and what is not.

Suggestions:
Don't buy anything that is made to be a collectible.
Don't buy furniture from the 50's and 60's, todays couples don't want all that big stuff, they just want a family room, also most don't have a dining room anymore.
Items that have gone down in value are lunch boxes, jute boxes, cash registers.

If you are going out to be a picker, be an informed picker. Some day I will post a nice story about the non petro items I have made $1000s of dollars on just because I knew a little about them

Jack Sim
Age 83


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available

Moderated by  Oldgas, Ryan Underthun 

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