Oldgas.com Home  

Click here for Petro Porcelain Sign auction listings


Home | Help | Events | Auctions | Parts | Pictures | Links | Contact
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#57778 Sun Dec 28 2003 10:11 AM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
C
cnepace Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
Im a new member but have been reading these forums for a year now. I have recently become interested in collecting old Pumps, meters, cans etc but with NO luck. I am on the verge of giving up.It seems either no-one wants to sell anything or its priced sky high. Whats one to do!? What are your secrets!!!?? Basically here is what I have found in one year,

1. ECO air meter that grandma had in Basement...

Thats it

I guess it makes it harder that I live in Canada? Anyway, any searching tips would be greatly appreciated.

PS, I keep finding old Coke machines instead of Gas Pumps! Anyone want to trade! I have a 1965 Upright, and a Huge 1930's Chest cooler!

Please use For Sale forums to sell

Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
#57779 Sun Dec 28 2003 10:22 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,352
D
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
D
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,352
Welcome to Oldgas, if you are watching the posts, you should pick up a few tips on finding stuff!
Also getting on here a bit helps, and posting your town. I will gladly pass on stuff I cannot buy or pick-up to someone that is near it (as will many others), of course if I think I have a faint hope of getting it you will not hear from me at all!!

If you live in a major urban centre you may be getting beat to the stuff by more experienced faster acting collecters. If its advertised and you dont get there first day and it is reasonable it is usually to late!!
Did you get the Ecometer??...dodogas

#57780 Sun Dec 28 2003 10:41 AM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
Welcome to oldgas!
While it's true that pumps are getting harder to find, they are still available. I live in North-East Illinois and there aren't any pumps to be found around here. Most disappeared from the local farms in a two week period back in '96 or '97. The few that are still on the farms around here are not for sale.

What do you consider sky high prices? If you're looking for $50 or $100 prices you won't have much luck.

I suggest you attend the petro swap meets. Most of the gas shows in the mid-west will have 75-200 pumps for sale! You won't find any $50 pumps at the shows, but you'll find a good selection of $250-$1000 pumps.

Subscribe to Check The Oil and Petroleum Collectibles Monthly. Run want ads, and call the dealers that sell pumps and let them know what you're looking for.
There are lots of pump collectors on this site. Let them know what you're looking for too.

Cans are very easy to find! Go to the shows, or buy them on ebay. If you can't find cans, you're not looking very hard.
You can still build a nice can collection on a modest budget. There are thousands of cans that can be bought for under $25 each.

There's no substitute for attending the shows and talking with other collectors.
Good luck,
Bob


Wanted: Gas pump globes:Sinclair & affiliates, IL companies. Ripple bodies. Anything Sinclair, Stoll, Pierce, 4 Bros.


http://www.lastgas15.com/
#57781 Sun Dec 28 2003 10:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 986
Likes: 37
6
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
6
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 986
Likes: 37
The hobby is hard on newcomers. So is farming!! If you have some savings, put it in nice signs, pumps, or globes. You'll enjoy your collection and the prices will inflate faster than your savings...... When you die, your wife will be glad you were in the hobby.............

Butch

#57782 Sun Dec 28 2003 12:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
C
cnepace Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
I think I have just been looking in the wrong places. I recently went to a few antique malls and saw single oil cans for $180! And signs from gas stations I never heard of for $400. I may have a good lead and have a possible huge score coming. There is a company chain locally that uses antique signs, oil cans, ECO's and other automebilia including pumps for there theme. There are 230 stores.They are changing their theme in the new year and the manager has my name. The funny part is if everything goes OK I will have more than I can hold in a garage! I will likely just hit the three in a 50 mile radius. They have many porcalin signs, and a 6 foot tall 3D Plastic Michelin Man holding a tire over his head. I cant wait for that phone call! This summer I will be hitting swap meets too. Things will get better im sure!

#57783 Sun Dec 28 2003 12:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,160
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,160
My advice is dont give up. I started collecting in 1990 ...at that time I thought most of the good stuff was gone and held onto by collectors that loved it. I started with cans and have expanded to signs and pumps since then. In aprox 10 years I had accumulated thousands of quarts...so many I decided to start selling and trasding cans for other stuff I wanted. Its a great fun Hobby ...so dont be discouraged. Antique malls most of the time will have inflated prices but always stop and look. I have gotten great deals on occasion from poking around looking. Hit garage sales and flea markets ...mention the stuff you collect to everone you meet. Everone I meet knows I am a gas geek and sometimes you will find someone that says...you collect that stuff? My Grandpa has some old junk like that in his Garage etc. Make some cheap biz cards on your computer and hand them out and pin them up in grocery stores or where ever. if youre lucky...sometimes the stuff will find you. buy an old timer a drink in a bar and reminisce about days gone by and a slower paced yesterday and let him know about your love of old Station collectibles. The more of a gas geek you are the more likely your collection will grow. The more effort you put into it the better your chances are to get stuff. Welcome to your new addiction and good luck my friend. Dont forget to faithfully watch and participate in this awesome site as well. Great group of gas geeks here for sure.


------------------
Hubba the GAS GEEK , OIL FREAK of Shoreline WA


Hubba: GAS GEEK , OIL FREAK of Seattle WA
#57784 Sun Dec 28 2003 01:01 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 489
W
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
W
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 489
where are you in canada I am in saskatchewan

ward

#57785 Sun Dec 28 2003 01:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
C
cnepace Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
Im in Ontario

#57786 Sun Dec 28 2003 02:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
C
cnepace Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
hey guys, its this a good event to attend?
http://www.bcheese.com/

I may wait till then to find a pump! I may also be able to sell my od Coke Machines there..

#57787 Sun Dec 28 2003 02:51 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 8,509
Likes: 289
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 8,509
Likes: 289
Hi cnepace,
Welcome to Oldgas.com Shop Talk. Put your location in your profile and you may find a kindred soul in your area.

You'll find more good petro stuff and make more valuable connections with people at Michigan Gas than you would by visiting every antique mall in your province.

You mentioned, "single oil cans for $180! And signs from gas stations I never heard of for $400." Truth is, those may have been good deals. Regional oil companies that are long out of business are often sought after by certain collectors. The better investments in oil cans are the upscale cans, while the common cans don't appreciate in value that much. Learn as much as you can about the stuff you like and what it is worth. Watch eBay, attend swap meets, read the books available on this site and hang around with the experienced people here on Shop Talk.

------------------
Jim "Oldgas" Potts
Your host and moderator


Jim "Oldgas" Potts
Your host and moderator
#57788 Sun Dec 28 2003 03:02 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 115
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 115
There are still some good items waiting to be found it just takes persistance. I agree that most antique malls are way over priced, but like Hubba, I have managed to get some good deals when people did not know what they had. Even thought the sign you saw at the antique mall was 400.00 dollars it may be worth it if it is a rare sign. There are plenty of signs that most people have never heard of that bring big $$$.
I think that ebay has made it a little harder to get items cheap because most people know that they can go there to find what something is worth. It is easy to get discouraged, but when you find an awesome pump at a good price it will all be worth while.
Good Luck.

#57789 Sun Dec 28 2003 03:17 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
Just so you understand, there are alot of cans that would be a bargain for $180, and even more signs that would be a bargain at $400. The more you get out to the shows and talk (listen) to other collectors, the more you'll learn. Most of us invest alot of time in our hobby. You'll eventually be able to figure out which cans are worth $25 and which ones are worth $2500. Yes, there are cans worth $2500! There are signs worth $15,000+ and there are $10,000 pumps. For the beginner there are still lots of cans priced at $10-$25, signs under $200, and restorable pumps under $300.

Some guys try to collect it all. Thats tough to do. Most of us specialize in one or two catagories (signs, or globes, etc). Some collect items from their area, or items from just one company. You might want to give some thought to specializing in what you collect. When I started collecting in '95 I tried to buy it all. I had quarts,1# grease cans, maps,oil can banks, handy oilers, signs, anti-freeze cans,etc. I even had a few pumps and globes. There was no direction to what I was buying. I finally figured out that I'd never have a great collection if I didn't specialize. My first collectible was a globe. Globes are what I really wanted, but I lacked the money to buy them. I decided to sell off alot of my stuff and buy globes. I sold off most of my signs, all but a few of my anti-freeze cans, etc. I used the money to buy more globes. I've even sold some of my globes so I could buy different (better) globes. Sure, I wish I had kept some, but I wouldn't have as nice a collection now if I had.
Many collectors specialize even more by just buying porcelain signs instead of tin, or they just buy pump plates. Some can collectors only buy 5 quart cans, other just quarts. Some globe collectors only buy glass or metal bodied globes. You'll figure out whats right for you. Hit a couple of gas shows before you decide on a specialty.
Unmarked reproductions are everywhere so be careful! Collect what puts a smile on your face.


Wanted: Gas pump globes:Sinclair & affiliates, IL companies. Ripple bodies. Anything Sinclair, Stoll, Pierce, 4 Bros.


http://www.lastgas15.com/
#57790 Sun Dec 28 2003 03:29 PM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
OKAY...HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEWHAT CHEAP. 10 YEARS AGO I WENT UP TO BOSTON AREA AND PICKED OUT A CLEAN TOKHEIM 39 COMPLETE FOR $400 FROM GAS PUMP JOHNNY'S PUMP GRAVE YARD. THIS WEEK I WILL BE GOING 10 MILES TO LOOK AT ANOTHER TOKHEIM 39 FOR $225 THAT IS ONLY MISSING THE GLASS AND IS REPLACEABLE. JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT I TRAVELLED FAR AND PAID ALOT TEN YEARS AGO, AND NOW A SHORT TRIP FOR ALMOST A COMPLETE PUMP FOR ABOUT HALF THE MONIES!
THE STUFF IS OUT THERE, SEARCH IT, FIND IT, HAGGLE IT, BUY IT AND SMILE! THE HUNT IS WHAT KEEPS YOU INTERESTED IN THIS HOBBY. IF EVERYTHING JUST FELL INTO YOUR
LAP...IT WOULDN'T BE FUN...DON'T EXPECT TO BUILD A COLLECTION OVERNIGHT! I'VE BEEN COLLECTING 17 YEARS AND 32 YEARS COCA-COLA
(SORRY, DON'T WANT THE MACHINES OR COOLERS) AND THE BEST STUFF IS THE STUFF THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND SUDDENLY COMES INTO VIEW AND MAKES YA SMILE ONCE IT'S IN YOUR COLLECTION...KINDA LIKE A PAT ON THE BACK....OKAY I'LL SHUT UP NOW!

-----DOC @ THE AMERICAN GARAGES


DOC @ THE AMERICAN GARAGE
#57791 Sun Dec 28 2003 03:30 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,055
B
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
B
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,055
hey chris if you come to the michigan gas show i will give you some cans, and map's not real hi dollar stuff. but neat. also i might trade a pump for your pop machine, this is a awesome show and a great place to meet collectors.cheese

#57792 Sun Dec 28 2003 03:33 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
C
cnepace Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7
This whole spark started when I decided it would be neat to have some old gas stuff in my rec room to match my Die cast cars and old car paintings. I then started searching around and its starting to become my main hobby. I might specialize in Canadian oil companies such as white rose and BA but does Canadian stuff have the same value as National gas companies? I also really like he look of lit up globes! Im going to attend that gas show and see what direction I want to go in. Thanks for all the help guys.

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  Oldgas, Ryan Underthun 

Link Copied to Clipboard

Click here for Gas Pump auction listings

Copyright © 2023 Primarily Petroliana Interactive, All Rights Reserved

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5