Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Collecting one brand

Hi guys,

Tried searching this but didn't really come up with much. Just curious how many focus on just collecting one brand and why?

I started collecting one brand by accident. Have been into cars and soda stuff for years, never took much notice of petro stuff until I started hanging around my uncles place. Was at an antique store and saw a gas globe with the "home" brand. Hadn't scored anything else that day, so I thought it was neat and was cheap so I picked it up. Later that day I took it to show him thinking it was probably a repop, well it wasn't, turned out I found something good, he gave me a bunch of smalls to go with it and the rest is history.

I like collecting just one brand as I display it in my living room, so space is tight. As well it makes a nice cohesive looking display with so many matching cans and such. Plus the stuff is relitively scarce as they where a regional company that got taken over by Esso in the early 1970's, so when I see it I buy it. Curious to hear what others have to say.

One brand vs several brands single choice
	One brand
	Several brands
Votes accepted starting: Thu Mar 05 2015 10:24 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

i started collecting one brand to reduce my spending... collecting any of the brands makes everything desirable, but focusing on one brand, especially a small brand, makes it easier to save for those items when they become available

one brand would make it tough & you would always have something with a variety too trade for your favorite brand...

Not exactly one brand, but that is the very reason I limit myself to one state. instantly does away with need to have 95% of the items I come across.

...that's what I call an occupational hazard, especially these days...

...it's a bell curve - the longer you collect one brand, the harder it gets...you find all of the easier pieces, then before you know it, you're happy if you find one piece you need at a show...I collect Gulf, but I pick up odds and ends that I like, now and then...

I bet a lot of people are the same. Kind of like one or two brands the most, but wont turn down a cool item at the right price no matter what it is. I like a few brands the most, but find myself really liking anything art deco, nice bright colors, etc.

Bryce,

That's exactly why I've stuck to one brand. Easier to justify and save for a big item when you know you don't have it and probably won't see it again or for a long while. At least that's what I tell myself, lol. I do pick up other brands if I come across them for a really good deal, helps fund the addiction or good for trades.

I collect a lot of brands (unfortunately) and stay away from other brands. After 30+ years of dragging the stuff home it's just "man that is really cool" and I've done it again. My wife says I always have my want button pushed in. But that is what this is all about.

I buy what appeals to me . I especially like anything related to my antique Ford trucks , 1953 and 1978.

When I started seriously collecting old gas related items, someone told me to pick a brand to specialize in because if you don't, it can get very overwhelming. Low and behold I chose to specialize in Socony-Vacuum/Mobil, one of the most prolific companies one could have chosen! I DID at least narrow the focus of my collection to the "Pegasus" years I call it, 1931-1965. If it has a horse on it, I'm interested.
At any rate, even though Mobil is my main focus, I now have mini collections of Marathon, Gulf, Shell.....well, you see where this goes. Ultimately I had to vote for the "several brands" category!
Darin

One brand for me.. Gilmore.

Any sign that is metal,tin, porcelain,etc..ill try to buy. Too many cool pieces out there to focus on one brand.

When I was much younger, I worked at one of the last Tidewater Oil Flying A Stations in S.W. WA...

Approx. 7 years ago, I changed my collecting from "whatever caught my eye". And started collecting mainly Associated/Tide Water/Tide Water Associated/ Tidewater Flying A... With a few Getty Flying A items...

I have spent years researching all that I can about the "Flying A" Brand... But, the more I know; Proves how little actual knowledge about the Branding, I have...

I have items from different Oil Company's, but my major considerations centers on the Tide Water and Associated Oil "family"...

I started out with Just looking for Pure stuff but once I started hanging out with all the cool guys, I had to try others and became an addict of all Gas/Oil stuff!!! LOL

Pure Oil is still my sweet spot but there is a whole lot of cool gas stuff out there that just screams "Pick Me".

Grandpa and dad were both at different times the local Sinclair bulk plant operators. Dad started bringing home old globes, pumps and signs that at the time were for the most part junk. He and mom built up a nice collection and I caught the hobby from them. As a new collector that is also a single company collector, the common and cheap items got bought up first. As a beginner it was hard to justify spending big money on a single item. Still is at times due to the size of the collecting budget. My goal was to get one nice item at every show. This is getting harder to do as the items I "need" are getting harder to find and more expensive at every show I go to anymore. It does make a nice display to have the early items and later ones to show the company history. The thrill of the hunt and finding a great deal or new item for the collection gets harder to find as the collection gets bigger.