Friend of mine that casually knows gas related memorabilia from being around me found what he thought was a NOS one piece glass regular SHELL globe. It was in the original box at a small antique store west of me about 3 weeks ago. They were asking $600. He was heading out for a "long anniv. weekend" with his wife. Long story short, he forgot to tell me (guess I would too with what he was doing) till late last night. I sent a retired SHELL jobber friend 15 miles over to the shop this morning to verify what it really was and possible purchase. I had called at 8am, it was still available, (they would not hold it), called Gus and he was already headed that way. So, Gus called me about 7 hours ago holding the globe, said it was dirty but real and in awesome shape and was in the original box. One problem, it was sold at 8:15 am for $300 to a "picker" from the Portillo Hot Dog chain. The picker went to breakfast after paying for the globe, and was coming back as the owner was mulling some offers on other non-petro items. While waiting, Gus asked the store owner why he came down so much on the price and how long had he had it? Store owner said no one showed any interest in it for a month and I wanted my money back. Gus waited, picker came back and of course would not sell it. The new globe owner said " I am to deliver this to that college town up the road in DeKalb, Illinois to a Portillos Hot Dog establishment". (Where do I live - just guess, talk about adding insult to injury). He added, I pick for Portillos Corporate part time in retirement. Portillos are large restaurants with memoribilia wall to wall as are their other estabishments in and around the Chicago area.
Don't know if I can go in there again although their dogs, italian beef, chocolate cake and malts are to die for! Later on, Gus and I laughed in my office here at the University, had take out CHINESE for lunch and chalked the experience up to another "hunt" for automobiles and gas memoribilia gone wrong! Oh and Gus left my card for another time!! HAGD, Rob