Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Online Auctions, eBay Craigslist Petroliana More bogus highway shields

100%
FAKE. NO Questions!!!!!
Seller has more that are fake too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-ROUTE-66-TE...=item19bb5cc1a9

FUNNY HOW THE SELLER DOESN'T EVEN MENTION A SIZE OF THE SIGN....LIKE IT'S NOT A CONCERN!

I sent him a message, we'll see how he responds!


Message:I just received an email from a highly regarded collector that this sign is a 100% fake. You should possibly do some research on shape and size and verify it in your listing. This is just for your information!

IASKED EARLIER TOO WHY A SIZE IS NOT PROVIDED IN THE DESCRIPTION AND IF THEY KNEW OF ANY SOLID EVIDENCE PICTUREWISE WHERE THIS SIGN WAS USED. I ALSO STATED THAT I DIDN'T RECALL SUCH A SIGN OF THAT SHAPE BEING USED ANYWHERE ALONG THE ROUTE 66 HIGHWAY FROM ANY BOOKS ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

To the inexperienced, which includes me, you might think that was real by the way it looks. Weathered, scratched and rusted doesn't mean anything. My guess is that at least 9 out of 10 Route 66 signs that come up for sale online are fakes.

DID YOU SEE THE CALIFORNIA SIGN SUPPOSEDLY FROM NEEDLES BY THE SAME SELLER? THE AGING AND RUST LOOK AS IF THE SIGN SAT FLAT ALL OF IT'S LIFE!...LIKE IN A DAMP STORAGE ROOM AND MADE ONLY 5 YEARS AGO. LOL!

Heres the 2 replies I got from him!
1---There are numerous years of rust on this sign. The measurement on the sign at the widest and longest point is 24" X 24".

2---I appreciate your email; however, these signs are porcelain and extremely rusted. They are 24" x 24" at the widest point. The website indicating the California insignia are: http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/395pics4.html

HERE IS MY Q: "HI, I WAS WONDERING HOW BIG THIS SIGN IS SINCE IT IS NOT
MENTIONED IN THE DESCRIPTION. I SHOULD THINK THIS WOULD
BE A CONCERN WHEN THE OPENING BID IS $799.00! I AM NOT
FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF SHIELD SIGN BEING USED
ANYWHERE ALONG ROUTE 66. DO YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES OR
KNOW OF ANY PUBLICATIONS SHOWING THIS TYPE OF SHIELD
SIGN BEING USED ALONG THE ROUTE IN TEXAS IN IT'S HEYDAY?
THANKS!"

AND MY A: "The sign at the longest point to the widest point is: 24" x 24".

The insignia was used in California as can be seen on our listing for the California Route 66 sign. One of the websites that offers information on the insignia sign is: http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/395pics4.html We found the insignia sign mentioned in the route 66 california - colorado river to Needles, CA. - Also mentioned in the Cajon Pass and Inland Empire. I don't think other states used the insignia.

- crostod01"

The auctions have been pulled.

I sent the seller a message asking why the signs were so rusty and directed them to;
http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=us_rte_shields

Minutes later received the message that the auctions were pulled.

GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY! AND THAT'S A GOOD THING!

the insignia is the Cal Division of Highways logo. Here is a genuine 1949-1956 California sign with that logo.



1947-49 shields had the logo, and a narrower font. 1940-47 had the Auto Club logo but a similar layout, and 1928-1940 was a smaller shield with no reflectors.

photos can be found here of various 66 shields used over the years.
http://shields.aaroads.com/thumbs.php?state=CA&search=66

Nevada is the only other state I can think of offhand that used a logo - they used their own state highway department logo of course, not California's!

Texas never made porcelain signs. I have not seen a photo of a genuine Texas US 66 fully embossed sign (1926-1938) but here is an 81, for comparison.



24x24 shields started appearing around 1948 - they would not have had the state name, as they were simplified versions to be posted at junctions that were supposed to be legible from greater distances than the smaller state-named cutouts.



that's an example from Oklahoma. A black-square variant appeared in 1961 in every US-66 state except Arizona (which kept the state name), and California and Texas (which continued to use cutouts - CA to this day, Texas until 1969).