Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion IN THE BEGINNING.........

I just wrote the following as a reply to a question in the "Buy & Sell" section, but I thought everyone might be interested in the early days of this hobby, so I posted it here also.

In the beginning there was.....

For those of you who are interested in the beginning of this hobby as far as printed material, clubs and swap meets goes, here is what I remember.

Somehow in the early 80s some guys found out there were others who were collecting this stuff. These names included Ed Love, Jerry Keiser, Ron Hoyt, John Chance, John Logsdon, Scott Anderson, and some others I can't remember. The first thing they organized was "Check The Oil" club (sort of) and swap meet. The first swap meet I believe was held in Denver or somewhere in the northwest, this was around 1986. There was some splitting up of people and out of it came the "CTO" as we know it with their swap meets in Columbus, Ohio in June; "Iowa Gas" a swap meet held in Des Moines, Iowa since 1987; and Ed Love who started the Villa Publishing Syndicate, Inc. of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Somewhere around 1988 Ed started publishing two things, a newspaper like "Catalog" called the "VILLANEWS" and the "Tiger Rag." The earliest catalog I have is #8, published in 1991. The early catalogs sold items the Ed had made and was both auto and petro related.

In 1992, Ed started publishing the "Tiger Rag." The name came from Ed's favorite petroleum company "Power Royal" with their tiger logo. The Rag featured mostly articles by Tim Dye. the late Earl Ma, Tom Allen and Ed Love. It was mostly for can, bottle and map collectors, although it occasionally had articles about pumps. The newspapers became "The PowerRoyal Company" of the Villa Publishing Syndicate, Inc. around 1992.

One of the biggest things that came out of this union of guys was the start of the Sunflower Oil & Gas Swap Meet in Lawrence, Kansas. This meet started in 1988 and was hosted by Tim Allen.

I believe I first went to the Sunflower meet in 1889.

Incidentally, Ed didn't call this hobby Petroliania, he called it Petromatic. I could be wrong here, but I believe Jerry Keiser was the first to use the word "Petroliania."

Early 1992 brought the announcement that a new swap meet would be held in Tulsa.

Ed Love's Villanews continued to advertise his items, but now had ads for the Iowa Gas and Oil Capitol swap meets.

In August, 1992 the Villanews became the "Tiger Rag." It was much the same, Ed's ads, Iowa Gas ads and the front page was one long article about the Oil Capitol meet just held.

The October, 1992 Tiger Rag issue (#2), the first page was an article with pictures about the Iowa Gas meet. The younger versions of John Chance, Ron Hoyt and John Logsdon are pictured in front of pumps that were to be auctioned off. This issue also had an announcement of a new swap meet to be held in Columbia, MO. No name for the swap meet yet. This issue was also the first to accept outside ads, the first one was from Carl Mantegna.

The December, 1992 issue featured the Dye Report, this issue was an article about NASCAR. Tim Dye, in addition to being a petro collector was also a featured writer for the "Smoke Signals" a publication of the Pontiac-Oakland Club. Tim owned a number of GTOs. David Cole wrote a map article, and Ed wrote a can article. At that time I called my little business "I Remember When...," and I was the first collector to take out a two page ad. Others had small ads also.

I also remember writing a pump article for one of the issues around 1991 or 1992.

In 1993 the Rag became a monthly publication. Sometime in 1994, Ed Love (because of health reasons I believe) turned the Rag over to Tim Dye. Tim renamed the now magazine (with some color) "Tiger Hightest Magazine." My first issue states Volume 25, November, 1994. I don't know exactly what the Vol. 25 means, but I believe it meant the 25th issue. It listed Tim Dye, Editor & Publisher; Penny Dye, Cirulation; David Cole, Staff Writer; and Earl Ma, Staff Writer.

My Tiger Hightest collection goes through Issue 41 (1997, no month mentioned) which I believe to be the last issue.

This is what I remember, there are probably mistakes or additions that can be made so feel free to update or correct anything I have above.

Jack Sim

My CTO subscription # was 1502, that was a long time ago.

Very well put Jack. I miss the old days of the Lawrence and Tulsa shows

Jack thanks for the history,I have been around this stuff since 1992,and had heard of Tiger Highest,but had no idea of who was involved,also love hearing about the good old days when there was only a hand full of people collecting,neat to see what stuff went for.Thanks again,John

I agree with you John. I would like to see those prices again LOL

TO look at some interesting prices, look at some old Hemmings magazines at the Scott Benjamin ads that we in I believe close to late 70's. Saw the old ads and what was being sold and wanted and wished that I had only been back east where the early stuff seemed to be.

Stop it Craig you are making me squirm now

Something else with prices to make you squirm. Try and find an old copy of Spanier's Gas Pump Globe book written in 1979.

Jack, you must have been one young whipper snapper for that 1889 Sunflower meet.

Found a few things in a dusty box on the shelf, thought some might like to see them.

Ed

Captions mixed up, sorry.
Newsletters from Mitch Stenzler, Fort Worth.

Page from Jeff Spanier's price sheet, September 1980


Page from Jeff Spanier's price sheet, September 1980

I too started collecting whatever petro stuff that I could find in the "70's". I still have a copy of Jeff Spaniers globe booklet in mint condition. Also, my first contacts with globe people were Chuck & Lee pergl (sp?). There was very little info available back then. Obviously I didn't know values of stuff then & traded away some valuable globes for lesser things! I bought out a locl wholesaler who was going out of business. I had to buy everything just to get a nice Erie clockface that I wanted. To recoup my money, I re-sold really nice Wayne 60's for $50 each! Live & learn guys! Sam

I don't know if anyone would want them but since I was a friend of Mitch Stenzler, I can provide what copies that I have to anyone who may still want a copy of his old "Filler-Up newsletter. Mitch and I would tinker on his Model A from time to time and of course we both went to the Pate in the " REAL DAYS "!I bet ya'all didn't know he had a couple of very good Austrailian Ford "Utes" too. He wouldn't sell them at least to me and I sure as heck miss talking to him . Ed Shaver