Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Online Auctions, eBay Craigslist Petroliana Check out this Texaco Sign

Says it's real. What do you think?? I am not trying to cast doubts. Just curious.

http://cgi.ebay.com/extremely-RARE-ORIGI...1QQcmdZViewItem

Item # 150018239639

fake fake fake i have dozons of these i am sure seth does to made in ill by phil derrig

...the fakest! I have seen these done in exactly the same layout, with different colors and oil companies...

Email them,

Ask them if they will take Monopoly Money for the Fake sign!!

Tell them you are a strong buyer and have deep pockets!!

It's as fake as it gets, but they aren't being reproduced currently by any of the known sign manufacturers. The ones I carry are Cities Service, Phillips 66, Shell, & Skelly. I've not had Texaco's for at least 6-7 years.

Look at the word "Texaco" in the logo. The typeface is likely Franklin Gothic. I doubt this was used in the '40's.

Was this version of a Texaco sign ever a real sign at one time?

and where's the year numbers at on this "rare" sign"
lettering looks too modern as well.

Please put this on back at the "nostalgia store" with all the other repros.....

I DON'T THINK A PIECE LIKE THIS WAS EVER MADE IN ANY BRAND GASOLINE...THEREFORE IT'S REALLY A FANTASY PIECE NOT A REPOP, REPRO, ETC.

~DOC @ TAG.WEST

[This message has been edited by THE AMERICAN GARAGE (edited 08-03-2006).]

Well, I sent an email to the seller and invited to come to this site. Will keep you posted if I hear anything. Nothing wrong with repos or fantasy pieces, but please......

Alex

Alex:

There is a very rare Texaco Airplane Motor Oil Sign out there, only one that i've ever seen, but i don't have a picture for you. As far as this sign, Too Funny, nothing like this that i know of was ever produced for Texaco.

Doug

I emailed the seller asking about the heritage of the sign? Got an email back, very angry person, told him about the site and that I can't find the sign on internet nor in my sign book. Will see what happens next. I know that I have seen this sign before on ebay just with different brand name. Will see if he contacts me again.
Bob

I put in an offer of $1.99. If several others go in and go $.01 other offers, people will get the idea............

I've made a "best offer." We'll see what happens...

I offered $3.45 - beat that, Lance! Hah!


I would like to add that this is a historic occasion. It's the first time I've ever bid higher than Lance on something... Man, it feels good :P

Wes


[This message has been edited by thermactor (edited 08-03-2006).]

Okay Wes:

I'm going to bid next weeks lunch money and see if i can knock you off the board ?

$9.99

Doug

I just talked to the gentleman(Burgie) who is selling the sign in question, on the phone. His dime. He is positive that he has a one of a kind sign and I don't know for sure that he doesn't. He said that he has gotten a number of emails telling him it is a fantasy sign, his word on that is prove it. He told me that Texaco said they would buy it sight unseen for $2k. He also told me that a San Fran auction house appraised it for over $10k. Now I can't or won't doubt this gentleman, just relaying what he told me in our conversation. According to the seller(he is part owner) he has at least one party on the Westcoast and a party in Florida who want the sign and have offered atleast $10k. He did say that according to Texaco's historian, all their early reconds, that could verify this sign were lost in a 1950's fire. So they couldn't say if it was an original or not. As of 5:48 pm PDST, there have been two bids on this sign, the high bid according to Thermactor is $3.45. I would have thought that one of the parties from either coast would have put in a offer by now, but what the hell do I know?lol
Bob

I wrote the guy and told him I thought it was a fantasy sign. He wrote me back and told me I was uninformed and had more info on the sign. He suggested I call him and he would give me more info. I'll pass, don't need to get into any arguments.

I also wrote the seller asking him if he would pay for the shipping if i used buy it now ?

Doug

Maybe Ron Bettin or Amistadi can weigh-in and give us their opinion.

Here is the response I received from him.

"Hello, I saw shop talk so what that does'nt mean my sign is fake. E-mail me your phone # so we can talk. I have more info about my sign. Thank you"

I will be interested in if he knows the Texaco historian, becasue I do know him.

Okay, Let's look at just the logo. The sign is trying to spell out U.S. REG. PAT. OFF. Texaco for the most part got rid of that in 1931-1932. Went to REG. T.M. after that. So i guess that Douglas plane is from the 20's or 30's RIGHT ? Hell maybe even the teens. Wilbur and Orville if you look closely are in the cockpit !

The guy is a joke.

Doug

Alex, he(the seller) told me that the historian is a woman and lives in New York. I wonder if his phone call to me broke the bank. It does seem a little strange that a person trying to sell such a rare and valuable sign would want you to call him instead of the other way around. What little research I have come up with, still leads me to believe that Texaco never made a sign like this one, but as my ex used to ask, When have you ever been right? Would like to know if this is a long lost original, tho. The seller said he would come on the site and tells us more about this sign and answer questions about it.
Bob

The DC-3 first flew in 1935. It would have been at least somewhat after that that the sign would have been made, if it were original. If Texaco started using "REG T.M." in 1932, I'd say that casts serious doubt as to the authenticity of the sign.

Wes

I just got off the phone with him. He said that the Texaco historian in New York and California are interested. He said they were both women. I used to deal with a male historian in CA, but maybe he retired. He says they took it to an auction house in San Francisco (?? I think). He mentioned the name Butterfield Auction. They said he was quoted a price of $10K by them. I told him that this sign causes concern because no one has any original pictures. He says Texaco lost much info in a fire in the 50s, but you would think that someone would have a snapshot somewhere. Who knows??? I know I found a Fire Hat (Like the Texaco Fire Chief) and it had a plaque that it was given to Ed Wynn (spokesman for Texaco and comedian in the 30s) and it had the newspaper clippings and notes from an estate. I contacted Texaco and they wanted it real bad. Unfortunately it was already sold when I got back to the antique shop. Anyway, may be has something, maybe he doesn't. He was very polite and seemed sincere. He says he has been getting many nasty emails. I think we should be polite to him and express out concerns in a professional manner. My intent when I posted this originally was to see if it was legit, not harass the guy. Perhaps others who may know of this sign will weigh in.

Alex

[This message has been edited by Alex (edited 08-03-2006).]

I wood go at least 24.14 with Monopoly Money..

...fake, fake, fake...

If you look at the back of the sign I think that tells all. My opinion this is a reproduction/fantasy sign. Joe

SInce I still have questions on this sign and it sounds that others do also. I e-mailed the Chevron/Texaco Corporate office, in care of the corporate historian. Since the seller has used the historian as his authenticating authority, I posed the question to him/her did they say the sign is real and did they offer to buy it? My hope is that once they know that the seller is telling people that Texaco made an offer on it, they will give me a reply letting me know if they do think this is an original sign. I will let you know if/when I get a reply back and what that reply is. My opinion still is that it is fantasy piece, hopefully we'll see what Chevron/Texaco thinks.
Bob

Wheres the proof from Texaco supplied by the seller that they are willing to pay $2k for it?

And if 2 people have offered him $10k for it why didn't he take them up on it? Instead he would rather take offers on ebay and pay ebay fees.

Yeah, I believe his story....NOT

GUYS...this is an Ande Rooney repo from about 10 years ago...nothing more, nothing lose. Don't waste your time trying to substantiate this guy's convaluted story. This is a simple, cut and dried case. I handle repop signs EVERYDAY OF MY FREAKIN' LIFE and this is one!

AMEN

hope they listen to you Seth

Hey guys. Don't really want to bring this up, but out of curiosity, I emailed Ande Rooney to see if this sign was one they reproduced and they said that it is not a sign that they have ever made. Perhaps there is another company who could have made the sign?

Mac

I can weigh in on this one too, because I own one just like it! It is a fantasy piece that I picked up at a flea market about 10 years ago!
So, if he is able to get top dollar for his, then I will do like wise!

Just an update: I received an email from John Harper, historian for Chevron/Texaco today. Mr Harper said that he doesn't remember anyone asking about this sign. He also said that he couldn't put a value on it, nor did he offer to buy it. I contacted the seller, but honestly don't expect to hear back from him. I see that the high bid is still in the neighborhood of $13.00. I'm not sure if Mr. Harper has checked out this site, but if he hasn't, I hope he will. I am sure he will enjoy the site, as much as I have, if he does decide to check it out.
Bob

Mac...with respect to Ande Rooney (who I deal with on a weekly basis) they are not sure what they make currently, let alone 10 years ago. This sign is a repo, I would be my house on it.

Anyone have a pic of the repo they own of this?

EVERY picture you see of this sign is a repo/fantasy....

[This message has been edited by www.globesandsigns.com (edited 08-09-2006).]

Here is another interesting topic. I wouldn't bid on the sign but as I read on, we have 2 contributors to the topic who have exact signs and could put it to rest, but don't send pictures. One with dozens of the signs. Who is blowin smoke? I have a similar Phillips 66 sign but it has mechanic not engineer.

I thought this had been put to bed long ago... but since you asked, here is a picture. http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1828/dscf0156nv0.jpg

Thanks, does it for me......