Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Known & Suspected Unmarked Petro Reproductions Alemite oil sign. What do you think?

I took a chance on this one without arming myself with recent fake/repo info. From what I know, they aren't churning out repops/fakes of this one yet. What do you think? Real?

Thanks!

looks right to me,had one a while back

one just listed on ebay for comparison .. ...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1940s-Alemite-Motor-Oil-Double-Sided-Porcelain-Sign/264402871821

Well, I just learned that they now fake this item. It is not real.

3 sellers, all with almost the same Ebay name, all near Chatanooga, TN, are selling this sign. When compared to a known good one, it is clear that the font is wrong on the permit number, letter spacing is wrong, hole size on the grommets are wrong, the stamp in the center is wrong....

I've attached pics of a real one for comparison.

I wouldn't consider any sign "safe" from being reproduced any longer. To much greed unfortunately!

Fortunately, I didn't lose a cent on this misstep. I was able to inspect it in person and that's when it became clear to me that this is a new wave of fake garbage. The larger signs with odd shapes are now part of the fraud game.

I agree with mtrotnic with his assessment about signs that may be repo’s so I try to only purchase signs that I can inspect on sight and look for tells as to how they were manufactured. I find this has served me well in my recent sign purchases. I research all my sign and oil related purchases, if I have any doubts I will not make any commitment to purchase or bid on these items. I do have signs which I am sure are 95% real and 5% which I know are repo’s. A small number of them were sold as being the real thing.

I checked today and saw that three poor victims have been taken on this round of fake Alemite signs. One guy got roped for a grand on a buy-it-now.

It is to the point where if you do not know the seller or can not see the sign in person it is not safe buying on ebay

That really is the truth, Bill jr. I've noticed that the well done fakes, when purposely photographed in certain conditions, are next to impossible to authenticate simply by looking at pictures. In my case, I was able to inspect the item in person which is when the dead give aways were obvious when compared to a known authentic sign.

Another reason that this will kill the hobby at some point of collecting porcelain. Why pay thousands when you can get a fake for not much. Backlash will be swift after a while.

We can only hope that if, probably more likely when, the sign market falters, it happens when all the greedy sellers of known fakes have spent enough money on their stockpile to feel some pain!

I really hope you are wrong! Expensive baseball cards have been reproduced for years but originals still remain strong. I want to believe that the desire for original signs will always remain strong along the lines of "anyone can have a fake but mine is original". I think there will be enough collectors to compete for originals, well I hope so anyways lol. Time will tell. It's a fun debate.

Some poor Ebayer took it for $950 on this repo. Ouch...