Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion A thought to always remember!

Midway,
I had run across that auction listing online. I called the auctioneer to get more info on the globes since the ad just said two gas pump globes. I asked what brand they were. He said Zephyr. I asked if he could describe them. He said small. I asked if the were round or oval. He said oval....I think. I asked if they were blue with a diagonal white band with red letters. He said YES! I think OK, cool, I like ovals. I made 2 1/2 hour drive, park the car 300 feet away and immediately see they are red ripples!!!! I started to panic. I only brought enough cash to buy ovals. I check out the globes. The lenses on both were in great shape. The ethyl is missing the screw on base and has a chunk out of it (that a new screw on base would cover), the other body has a little weak paint near the base but not bad. I find the auctioneer and introduce myself. He said he was sorry that he told me wrong and asked if these were worth the drive. He asked if they were worth $100 each. I told him they were better than the ovals but I had only brought enough cash to buy the ovals and asked if he'd take a check. He said sure, no problem. I told him I'd open at $300. I had gotten there pretty early. I looked them over right away then stood where I could see who looked like they would be serious buyers. Two guys were looking at them, one of them elbowed the other and nodded towards me the other guy glanced up at me. I couldn't place them at the time but they are pump dealers I see at swap meets. Those are the only two guys I saw look at them like they were going to be serious buyers. I didn't see you look at them. I remember hearing some people in the crowd gasp when I opened the bidding at $300 LOL. The guys I thought were going to be bidding never got a bid in. It was just you and me. I thought both globes sold at very reasonable prices, but that was the most I had ever spent on a globe. I thought my wife was going to be upset because I spent so much money. Right before Christmas too. She wasn't. I told her about the globe you bought and said I wished I had been able to buy it too. She said you could have bought it. Go figure.
Bob