Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Mobil Oil Sign real?

Guys,
Looking for some help on this one. Love the colors, but not familiar with these signs. Think they went on the station oil cabinets?
Looking at the graphics, font, and grommets, does this look real or repo?

IMO - Real McCoy .. ...

I will give you my opinion for what its worth as no one seems to care about these cabinet signs being old or new, they still sell for good money.
But 20 years ago you hardly seen any at Iowa Gas or any auctions. Be lucky if one of the cabinets showed up for sale anywhere.
Fast forward 15 years into the realm of reproductions and low and behold there is one in every auction and hundreds sold over the last few years.
Someone has gotten away with doing a very very good job at making these and like I said no one cares or questions them so it doesn’t matter if its real or reproduction you will get good money for it

100% real I think the reason your seeing more is the value has gone up so much on them. Dead give away look at the back if not sure put a picture on here of the back.

I agree Tankar, the backs on most originals are pretty distinct with all the rack dots.....
Darin

I don’t think this is a matter of price.
If the cabinets are rare as hens teeth then the signs that went on them should be also. That’s not rocket science. So I’m saying someone is making these and yes the backs look good I agree but that means they are very good at it.

Every fake I've seen had the same back. There were 4 signs on every cabinet and I've seen many cabinets for sale over the last 40 years.

Well I guess we were on different pickin trails cause I have never found a cabinet in the wild in 40 years of pickin and seen less than a handful for sale at Iowa Gas in 25 years.
And as a coincidence all theses signs you see in auction are always a 9 condition or better.
Anyway nothing is about to change on them price wise no matter what I think so I will leave it at that 😊

Hi Guys,
Do appreciate the information here.
Given various signs have been reproduced over the years and prices of signs being what they are, it's sure risky.
I’ll ask seller to provide a picture of the back of sign and report back.

That's the safest picture of back.

what the original backs looked like .. ...

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/81348046_mobiloil-gargoyle-cabinet-sign

above sign has been authenticated

basically what Kim says "if they made it once they can make it again"

and possibly could match the back - they are getting too good ..

a little from the past - http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=450615

there are 3 variations of this cabinet sign -

Here is the sellers pictures they just sent to me this evening.
Your thoughts and what would the going rate be(not what you think it should be valued at, but given you have seen others sell, what would you say the current market rate is on it.
They are asking $1600 for this specific example.

Survey Says?

Thanks in advance.

It's a good one, I have seen them bring more lately

a couple that sold at auction last year .. ...

Thank you for the info. Very much appreciated.
Any additional comments welcomed.