Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Cutting up signs to improve ?

I cut up signs on a regular basis. Most of the time to improve the visual or usefulness or to eliminate badly damaged area. Here are a few examples.

The Gulf Solar Heat sign I cut out many years ago and have had it hanging on the wall. I tried for years to sell it as the better half of a larger sign like the one shone. No interest. I found another in better condition and will cut it out and keep. The old one {cut out} will be at the Check the Oil show in a few days.

Henry I like it better cut, imo

i love the look of them cutout, and it looks really well done... the only thing that worries me, is what transactions could take place 20 years from now, with someone potentially claiming it as original. we see some of that problem now with logos cut from well/lease signs and being marketed as a pump or lubester plate

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I like the idea , When one runs out of wall space this would allow
More areas to drop these cut down signs into

The Pontiac signs are not the same one.Just an example. I had a Pontiac that was all rotted so I cut it out.

The Pontiac sign that I cut out. I sold it for what it was along with one that was not cut out, all original. Both ended up on e-bay at different times from the same seller. The trouble I had with the listing was the lack of an honest description. No mention that it was cut from a larger sign. I would think that the person that bought it on e-bay was quite unhappy when it was delivered and they realized it was a cut sign. I could be wrong.

I have bought cut signs and been very happy with them but the price also reflected what it was. Best advice is to educate yourself and others, ask questions. Go to the shows and know what you are buying.

...exactly my concern - they're TOO well done...

cutting a sign like that is damaging a sign that goes trough times and aquired history to it, bullet holes, scrapes, rust make the history behind the sign, I prefer keeping an original sign complete than having a sign cutout, for me at that point there is nothing more than a badly damaged sign, I don't see any improvement in that, it's only damaging an original sign, it's exactly like making holes in a porcelain sign to add neons on it that were'nt there at the origin

too bad you cut the canada dry and the pontiac, they were in pretty good condition before

The pictured Canada Dry with the marquee I sold as a complete sign. It was a hard sell and took years at a very reasonable price. It was big and flimsy. The cut one I did for myself. Kept it for several years until I found a NOS small version to keep. Much easier sell. I saw the cut one for sale not long ago. A friend had it. Much higher price then I sold it for.

The cut Pontiac was in very poor condition not at all like the whole one pictured. Even as a cut sign it is still poor. Back side is gone.

Cut signs do ruin some the history of the sign but I think in some cases it increases their value. I say this because a signs value is for a big part dependant on its desirability. Where a person may not want a rusty beat up sign, cutting out the good part can make it more desirable/ increase its value to some people. Yes there are people that may cut a sign and try to pass it off as original. Bad on them and it could fool someone down the road. Then again, collectibles are modified all the time. Petro, cars, motorcycles and other things. I think the Standard show above was an improvement.

take a smile, the best would be to engrave ( so we couln't erase it on the back "this item had been cut out of a larger sign"

Good point. Need to find my engraver.

If people can paint and restore gas pumps and make them more desirable and valuable via the restoration process. This is after they have replaced original parts with inferior quality reproduction parts. Even replaced the original pump id tag. Fair to say, that by doing all of the foregoing they have managed to add value to their pump?

Considering the pump restoration scenario. I fail to see any problem with trimming signs and making them more desirable and presentable. As long as your intentions are good there is nothing you can do today to control someones intentions down the line.

I think we need to take a step back and just go back to the days...when this was just stuff that we collected for "OUR" own fun. Do with it, what will give you the most pleasure and enjoyment.

If you pick up a sign and inspect it. I would think it is no problem to see that it has been modified. I can see it would be a problem if you are buying on the computer. That is why questions are important.