Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion "direction"

Ducecpe noted that he lacked direction with his collecting habits in a different topic.I think that's a problem many new collectors face. That's how I was when I started. I bought quart cans, handy oilers, banks, signs, pumps......all different brands of stuff too. I had limited space and an even more limited budget. I figured out that I needed direction too. I decided to stick to a couple of oil companies plus I had a thing for anti-freeze cans because they seemed to be more graphic. That worked for awhile, but what I really desired was globes. After my sons passing I decided to just add items to his Sinclair collection and to my own globe collection. I've sold off quite a bit of my original can collection to support my globe habit.

I have a friend that collects just handy-oilers and 4 ounce banks. Another that is strictly into porcelain signs and high dollar cans.A couple more that collect ony globes. Do you specialize? Or collect a little bit of everything?
Bob

Hey Bob , you an me agin , well we all start out excited about the new hobby , we buy different stuff , i had a lot of everything , but you can't collect everything , anyway i can't . no room , so if it comes cheap i'll take it , for tradeing material , when i have guy in my gas station the first thing i tell them nothing for sale but i will trade anything but Seaside for Seaside , I have some good west coast stuff but my main love is Seaside , so thats what i go after , I know about the company from the beginning to the end , so i guess you can say i specialize , but everybody to his own ,

Hey guys,
I collect Signs, Globes (anything), U.S. military knives, pre-1940 fishing lures, fountain pens......and on and on.
Joe

My collecting in the last 25 years has gone from old movie films, posters, antique radios, theatre pipe organs, owning a historic movie theatre, and now old time gas station items. As an entry level collectible, I have found 5-gallon cans, 20 gallon branded drums, bulk oil pumps and non-porcelain signs economical items to aquire.

With 2 pumps in my 1916 garage, I may only have room for a couple more.

Hello!

As a near 15-year collector I feel that I now have direction.

I started out just collecting pumps. After getting backlogged with un-done restorations, I started collecting porcelain signs. Then I decided that I would specialize in vertical tire signs.

To this day I'm still working on the restoration of all my pumps/oil carts/etc. That's not to say that if a desirable pump comes around, I won't buy it. I will, but only if it is something I have lusted after for a while. I will also purchase common pumps if the price is right. I have friends that want a pump to go in their house or garage, and I would pick one up for them.

Occasionally, a new elements of the hobby grabs my attention. Right now, I'm heavy into collecting old glass oil bottles and spouts. I have a couple of oil carriers that I'm filling up with matching bottles to add character to some of my pump displays. I will continue to collect those bottles with embossing or fired-on logos. However, I will not go too crazy and try to get them all - it's just too much to try and aquire. I also have a desire for the 5-gallon 'Tipper' cans. I only have one at this time - but I'm keeping my eye out for more. These display fine on the floor (I've got more 'floor' than 'wall') and are something most people have never seen.

As time goes on (and funds become available) I look around my 'Coop' and see where I have space left for more collectables. Since I'm a graphic artist by trade, I'm always on the lookout for items that will accent my current Pump or Oil Dispenser displays. Sometimes I move things around to make room for new items, while other parts of my collection are permanently in place and will not move until my wife has the auction (after I'm gone).

As EJC mentioned, most of us have our tastes change over time. I'm just fortunate to have been able to focus, and keep my collecting to the gas/oil stuff.

Jim

I might even collect some stuff other collectors wouldn't . in EJC's post he says , 20 gallon drums , well i have some of thoughs didn't know what to do with them there big and take up room , the ones i have are embossed , so i put a line of 3/4" tape around the top, drilled a start and stop hole @3/8" and used my saw and cut the top off , had it blasted at the powder coating place , primed and painted it and put it on the wall , I'll ask Mr. Jim to put an image up for you to see , its all advertizeing , i have more to do , and they look good on the wall , check it out



Edit to make image appear.

[This message has been edited by Oldgas (edited 11-15-2002).]

Great topics lately! We should somehow make sign and pump stories a permanent part of this site. Anyhow, I'm 27 and collect only grade 8 or better porcelain signage. Its kind of snobby but once you get an inventory of good signs you have more leeway to sell and trade in order to keep building a nice collection. I had enough of buying beater signs that took forever to get rid of. To each his own though--most of my friends who are collectors buy alot of beater stuff...

Sounds like everyone gets going in the same way. Collect everything like I did then get a little more focused on a couple areas. I started out with pumps then moved to quart conatiners and into signs. Now I just try to get picture cans and signs that catch my eye. I have a few brands that I try to specelize in also.