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Jeff,
I hear what you're saying and if someone wants to be 100% safe I agree with you. Having said that, I HAVE bought several signs online and have not yet been disappointed with the condition once I had the sign "in hand", other than one sign that was damaged in shipment (and Morphy's took it back for a full refund). I guess I've been lucky. I prefer to look at them in person whenever possible though.

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I find the practice of purposely misleading your customers -- be it as an advertiser, auctioneer or other businessman-type -- to be a sickening practice. The cop-out response by the auctioneer alongside the fact that he has the brass to sell these items in the venue that he does is embarrassing and shows the lack of respect for new and old collectors, alike. Pure, unadulterated, disgusting scum. These people don't view collectors as people just dollar signs and fools. Sad, just sad....


Looking for Michelin items + NJ oil company related items (Mohawk, Guardian, Whiz, etc) + animal-related petroliana + Gargoyle/Shell/Sinclair items
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Stick with Morphy's.Rich-Penn never had the quality anyway.

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Just got my Penn Iowa Gas catalog in the mail - besides an overall lack of quality/rarity in any appreciable quantity - I was most disappointed to see all the "contemporary" signs included. This is supposed to be a top notch auction, at one of the two biggest shows of the year. There used to be NO reproductions allowed anywhere at Iowa Gas - now they are part of the "premier" auction? I also noticed several questionable clocks and signs that were not noted as such in any way. I don't like the auctioneer's reply any more than those of you who posted before me..... Sure makes me miss Matthew's Auction even more!

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Originally Posted By Signs&Neons
Just got my Penn Iowa Gas catalog in the mail - besides an overall lack of quality/rarity in any appreciable quantity - I was most disappointed to see all the "contemporary" signs included. This is supposed to be a top notch auction, at one of the two biggest shows of the year. There used to be NO reproductions allowed anywhere at Iowa Gas - now they are part of the "premier" auction? I also noticed several questionable clocks and signs that were not noted as such in any way. I don't like the auctioneer's reply any more than those of you who posted before me..... Sure makes me miss Matthew's Auction even more!


Well said, and I agree the auction docket leaves a lot to be desired for sure. Will be spending my time scouring the inside and outside venues while the auction is going on.


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It's nice going to an auction where the auction company guarantees everything to be original.

Now you have to 'do your homework' before going to the Iowa Gas Auction???? One of the premier events in the country. That is sad and not fair to novice collectors.

This auction should be 100% originals.

Last edited by Speedracer; Mon Jul 24 2017 08:37 PM.

-Steve B. (WTB: 48" Flying A button, 48" black/org Phillips 66, White Star, and Chevrolet Signs. Also looking for a Wayne 866. Send a PM. Thanks.)
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Might not have the expertise.Basically saying it's your problem.

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Originally Posted By Mike M.
I e-mailed Rich this Morning as follows along with his response.
Though as my e-mail states, there is a time and place for these signs to be in an auction. I do Not believe that time should be while a major gas/oil show is going on!!!

I LOVE THIS PART " They aren't a reproduction. They were special signs made for a special application. They weren't made to be resold. If it's made in the last 25 years....for whatever reason, we think "contemporary" is a good adjective.

My E-Mail:

Rich, having the chance to run the auction at the Iowa Gas show to me is a pretty cool thing. And I know you don 't like the idea of the auction being at night or on Friday where most of us believe it should be so we can enjoy the swap but having Reproduction signs and items (or as you describe them "Contemporary" )scattered throughout your auction is IMO a kick in the face of our Hobby.

These signs hurt our hobby every day and I understand there is a time and place where you can sell them at one of your auctions but during a show filled with collectors that hate this *****, it just plain sucks.

Thanks, Mike Matteson


His response:

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the note and your thoughts. I do appreciate input. I'll offer a couple of thoughts in response. I shared some of this recently as a post on FB.

First, we love selling people's collections. We love both the buyers and the sellers. Because we're collectors too. So... when we sell a collection, we sell the entire collection. We don't cherry pick. And there's a good reason for that, everyone's collection has some great stuff, some ordinary stuff and some "why did I buy that stuff?" Those are the mistakes.

We all have some, including me! Many of those collections have mint original pieces and pieces that are newer. Pieces that are marriages. And pieces that have been restored with replacement parts. I don't think we've ever sold a restored Juke Box, a car or a slot that didn't have something "aftermarket" on it. Some might calls those things reproduction, because they aren't all original. We wouldn't. It's fairly rare to find pieces that come to the market today that are 100% righteous.

Most collections have some of those righteous pieces. Most have some pieces that have been altered over the years or even restored. Most have pieces that are newer, or contemporary. But the collector that owned them liked them all. We sell them all. And we try to be clear about what we sell.

Where a purist collector hates to see the newer pieces, restaurants, decorators and those new collectors love them. The new younger collectors usually can't step up for that $5,000 sign. But they love the look and when their finances allow, they might step up. The market is big enough to make both groups They were made for a business. They aren't a reproduction. They were special signs made for a special application. They weren't made to be resold. If it's made in the last 25 years....for whatever reason, we think "contemporary" is a good adjective. I guess you're welcome to disagree.
happy.

We have some signs in this auction that are newer. And only one or two were made.
We do our very best to meet the needs of both buyers and sellers, the entry level collector and the advanced collector. In the long haul, the market and the hobby will grow when you're serving both segment. No one gains when sellers are dishonest. That's where "reproductions" hurt the hobby.

There ya got it. My two cents worth. Which might not be worth even that.




Thanks again for your thoughts.




Rich Penn


"The market is big enough to make both groups They were made for a business. They aren't a reproduction. They were special signs made for a special application. They weren't made to be resold."

...I might point out to Rich that ORIGINAL signs, globes, etc. weren't 'made to be resold' either, and were made for 'special applications'...I agree, this is just about the biggest load of manure I've ever heard an auctioneer spout...they don't 'cherry pick' because 'everyone's collection' has repros and restored stuff? crazy

...and I guess 'contemporary' can mean whatever you want it to?


Last edited by gulfiend!; Tue Jul 25 2017 05:27 AM.

Looking for better Gulf items: signs, globes, cans and paper - especially porcelain Gulf flanges, and Gulf A-38 & A-62 ad glass...
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This is so sad. Like a lawyer making a case for something that everyone knows is wrong. Fake signs at a premier event like this are just not in anyones interest except for the people to make money on.
Look at ebay and the people who buy the new stuff and do not know it. This is why I have stopped buying porcelain years ago. At some point people will just do the same either when they get screwed with a repro that was misrepresented or just when they did not know and the auctioneer did not know.


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I attend several large flea markets in the south....seems everywhere there is large supply of 'contemporary' repo gas & oil items from signs, bottles, racks, cans & YES EVEN HANDY OIL CANS.


Always Interested & Collecting Handy Oil Cans, Handy Oilers, Gas & Oil Apparel, Gas & Oil Advertising Memorabilia
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Iowa gas is turning more & more into aisle 5 at Hobby Lobby.


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I hope next year to get to go to Iowa gas.


Always Interested & Collecting Handy Oil Cans, Handy Oilers, Gas & Oil Apparel, Gas & Oil Advertising Memorabilia
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Follow the $$$$$--all about the money!

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It's not called "cherry picking", it's called "pulling the weeds."


Collecting the Mississippi companies:
Billups, Southland, Rose Oil,Crystal Oil, Barq's
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Update:. I have posted on here and Facebook about the Mack bulldog sign in the auction tomorrow... I have also emailed the auction company directly and thru live auctioneers, and explained why the Mack sign is a known reproduction.

I have got no response and the sign continues to be described as original and advertised as one of the primo pieces in the sale. I hope no one gets burned!


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