Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Age of Sinclair sign

Mr.Wadhams started a post in which I put a picture of a a sign I have. It's 18' x 30" and two pieces. I was thinking the age would have been from 1918 but that has been brought into question. I don't want to hi-jack that thread with my questions, but now I'm curious. What do you think about it's age?

It's possible to be that early since the company started before 1918. Check out this site.. http://www.kipnotes.com/Oil.htm and scroll down to 1916.

Big money was being thrown around by the teens so a big sign wouldn't have been out of the ordinary.

Here's an early 20's sinclair station photo.. http://www.historicsageinn.com/shop.html

And another... and that's got and even bigger sign that yours.
http://www.alleganycountynylocalhistory....tation/pano.jpg

I know i've seen this style with and without the shadowing. Not really sure if one was earlier than the other or possibly used at the same time.

Manufacturing code ... No way it's from 1918 IMO

Prob a 1930s era sign

DC pate is correct. manufacturing code. for some reason that code is on the 14 ft non shadowed versions only. def not made then.

1931 seems to be about the earliest that sign would have been used. Sinclair used a much different font on their signage prior to that.
Various sizes of those strip signs were used from the early 30's into the 50's.

Thanks for the info, it's still the oldest piece in my meager collection, lol.

Couple pictures of my sign. I was told that the Sinclair strip signs with the black shading on the letters are probably older than the non shaded ones. I got my sign off of Tom B. at Peotone a few years ago. Mine is "dated" 5-2-14 but I am about positive it is not that old. Then again, maybe it is S-2-14?

I believe also that it is an "S" and not a 5. I would think these signs are from the 30's or 40's.

I've also heard the non-shaded versions are older but haven't confirmed that with period print advertising.

Wes is your sign 14'? If so could it be something like S = sign, 2 = 2 piece, and 14 =14'. That would work for my sign at 18'.

They made non shadowed first the they painted the shadow on and the thy made full porcelain shaded.

I have 24ft 3 piece that has holes for neon and it is marked S or 5-2-24 so im not sure that makes the 2 for 2 piece.
Aaron

Excellent detective work going on here boys! Makes total sense!

I didnt go out to the garage and measure my sign but my brother put a tape measure on his and sent me a picture.

His is 9 feet 9 inches so that lines up with the 9 3/4 mark on his