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Garage-A-GoGo #314524 Sat Mar 24 2012 07:58 AM
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That's fine, you're entitled to your own opinion.
Hiding under a blanket of block button won't keep you away from the truth though.

Last edited by LApicker; Sat Mar 24 2012 08:01 AM.
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.
TheRoyalCrown #314528 Sat Mar 24 2012 08:11 AM
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Here's a Suggestion lapicker~ why don't you start your own website to assist wanna be pickers! I think you would be PERFECT!

Cold Pizza #314529 Sat Mar 24 2012 08:11 AM
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I joined this site for the knowledge that all the "old timers" had on originality of signs.

I HATE the "ande rooney" fake ***** tin signs. They don't come close to looking like real sigs used back in the day. So I decided to collect original signs. When I bought my third sign, I got screwed over on a fake porcelain telephone sign. I was *****. That was when I learned that even porcelain signs were being faked as originals. I got on the internet and found this site.

This site is heaven sent. It has saved me countless headaches! I am sure others as well.

We all have to deal with the people who join this site, at shows and other places in order to find that item we wanted. (No mater what we want to do with it.) I admit I will get an object in order to sell it to fund what I really want. I do not run all over the place to do it though. If a great deal presents it's self to me, I will not pass it up in order to give someone else the ability to enjoy it. I have probably sold only 10 items ever. Due to down sizing, I will be forced to sell more of my collection in order to get a few choice items instead.

I ignore people who's only posts are: what is this sign worth, post only in the for sale section in order to only get a customer, as well as the smart asses. I have gone to shows and met a lot of nice people, seen outrageous prices as well as prices where people have picked and passed on the object and a good price off to me.

All in all, you just have to be able to weed out all the ***** in order to find what you are in this hobby for, or what your intentions are.


Mike
strnge #314536 Sat Mar 24 2012 09:25 AM
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One of my favorite lines, from a bad movie...> "opinions vary!"
Everyone one is allowed to have an opinion. I do not agree with picker haters, but they have their own opinion. Its when people slam others, when it goes bad.
Some have just started "picking" to make a buck and that's cool. Some like myself have done it for 40 years. I was a rich kid till I was 3 yrs old. After my mom and dad split, we were dirt poor. I started working full time at the age of 12. When I worked in that junk yard sorting scrap metal. I would find things and sell them to make money to give to me mother. It got into my blood. It showed me that with a creative mind, you could make some extra cash. I have done it all my life, while having a full time career, traveling the world as a TV News Photojournalist. When that ended 3 yrs ago, because the economy took a dump, I decided to work for myself, take a risk and tell the corporate world to f-off.
I moved back to my family farm. Took over a 60x60 building, bought a truck, trailer and a new Mac. I started advertising, researching, traveling the back roads, going to auctions and learning all I could. I starting selling to make a living, pay all the bills, without taking any of my unemployment.
I met lots of cool people. Lots of collectors told me I have a good eye. I started a rolodex of collectors who wanted to buy my stuff. Some of the biggest collectors in the USA and Canada, love the idea that they have an extra eye, looking out for stuff they might want. I have been told this many times..." if a collector doesn't want a picker on their side, they are nuts!"
Why did I bother writing this? I was bored! smile BUT, its the truth. Do I make money, yes! Do I love the hunt? Its the best part... taking old stuff and handing it over to collectors, so they can save it for another 100 years. Is it easy? NO WAY! I hate shipping days.
In a nut shell, if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. I love what I do for 80 hours of more a week. As long as you love what you do and do it legally, thats ok with me. The people who know me and have bought from me, know I am 100% straight up and honest.
So, thats what the "picker" title means to me. It's what I do. I love every minute of it. Bill

always lookin #314538 Sat Mar 24 2012 09:35 AM
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Good story Bill! That would def be a great job to have! My problem is I can't make myself sell anything! Glad you enjoy it and take the time to do your research and keep it professional! Keep it up and stay happy!

Notchcad #314540 Sat Mar 24 2012 09:46 AM
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LOL, I want to keep everything. It kills me to sell many things. I need to sell, no matter how tough that can be at times.
ok, I must admit, I have 100 items on the wall, so I guess I collect too. smile

Jack Sim #314542 Sat Mar 24 2012 09:58 AM
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Great post Thunder II, appreciate the insight and thought you put into this.

I've only been collecting Gas & Oil since 2006. However, I've been into muscle cars since the mid 80's (high school days).

I observed the same happen in the muscle car scene. From a tight knit group of friends sharing a common interest and passion it devolved into a cut throat, disrespectful, highly competitive, envious and jealous bunch.

I think the root cause is two fold one is a deterioration of values, morals and ethics generally in today's society. The second being the economy and people looking for new sources of income. They are void of the passion of collecting and have no attachment to this hobby or the people in this hobby. They are driven by "net profit". When one is driven by profit (greed) they are blind to many things. Courtesy, etiquette, common sense, morals, ethics, and professionalism are not important to them.

What is really sad is that rather then be turned off by these individuals many simply choose to become like them. We should all stand our ground and see these times and individuals as examples of what we don't want to be and avoid becoming that. IT IS OUR ACTIONS, THAT DETERMINE WHO WE ARE. If we take ownership of who we are and stay true to what we know is right; We can turn this around. It is easier to become part of the decay, rather then stand our ground.

This is just a general observation on my part and not directed at anyone in particular. It is just food for thought and hopefully a cause for all of us to reflect on ourselves and worry less about everyone else!

Have a great weekend.


Dave GILL,
Dave's Garage & Memorabilia, Inc.
Dave's Garage #314546 Sat Mar 24 2012 10:14 AM
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Some of you guys need to take a chill pill..LOL

Anybody want to take bets on how long this thread lasts before it gets locked? PM me... I will get the board started, LOL.


FREEDOM oil items wanted.




always lookin #314548 Sat Mar 24 2012 10:30 AM
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Interesting story there Bill...

I have never had a problem with pickers, especially as my dad was one and I started buying, selling and trading gas and oil items in Aug 1965......

What I do have a problem with, is the "want to be" pickers....

If one has to continuously drop the price on an item... They either don't know the value of the item(s) and or they don't know the "clientele" they are trying to sell to ......or both...

Too often here, I see both of these factors... I see too many "want to be" try to sell marginal items here and then these marginal are priced way too high and the price is continuously dropped....

Also, find a mentor... It DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ONE IN THE HOBBY... In fact most of the time... Those in the hobby have NO IDEA about value... They know what they would want to pay for an item, but they have no idea about the item's true value... If you are going to be a true picker, find an Appraiser that will work with you... Myself, I was lucky... My dad had worked with a few different appraisers for years and they "took me under their wing" for awhile....

I very rarely give values, for a couple of different reasons...

#1; is because I haven't kept up on most items... At one time, and I still have one that has not been updated in way too long, I kept a 3 ring binder full of results from auctions... Even now even though I don't keep up on it, I "subscribe" to 3-4 auction sites.... Among them Mathews, Worth-point, Live Auctioneers and a couple others that I get info on occasionally.

#2 is because most members, notably new members, don't want the value of an item(s)... They want to know what someone would pay for the item(s) in question.. When they get an actual value; too often they grumble, cry and throw a hissy fit that any self respecting 2 year old would give a 3 out of 10....

Also, I don't come to Old Gas and ask what something is worth. As I occasionally sell items on Old Gas, I want my potential customer base to realize that I have an idea of the worth of the items I am selling.... If one has to ask, "what is this worth" and then turns around and offers it For Sale on Old Gas it tells me they have no idea what they are doing!....

We are all adults here and as such, no can tell anyone what to do... What we can do is offer advise....

My advise to all "new" pickers: research, research, research... Know your "product" and just as importantly know those you are trying to sell too... This site is dedicated to the Collecting of Gas and Oil related items... The members here are educated in what to look for. They know for the most part what items are selling for (again different than value). They themselves have Collections.

So to bring before them; Marginal items, common items and "non-original" items. One is destroying their credibility as a knowledgeable seller of items..... Or at least that (these) is/are my opinion(s).

Opinions based on 50 years in this hobby... Some will read and reflect on what my opinions are, some will reject them off-hand with a "what does he know"? To those, do what you will... I wonder if you will have 4+ decades of Collecting, buying, selling and trading in the hobby or will you be driven away because you didn't understand and never could sell to those considered; "Hard-core Collectors?


Looking for Tide Water/ Tide Water-Associated/ Tidewater items
Bob Richards #314552 Sat Mar 24 2012 10:52 AM
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I came to this website a couple years ago when I was in need of a Double Bubble Clock back can. I will be honest and say that I had no intention to keep checking back to this website. However I soon found how interesting the people and their stories were! I was hooked! All the knowledge that could be found on this website was amazing! I am guilty of asking the occasional value question. But many times this is only after hours of research showed nothing.

I have been around the antiques business all of my life. My grandfather was a dealer, my father is a dealer, so I was forced into it more less. I have ran my own business of buying and selling antiques (not just advertising) since I was at the age of 10. Now as a 19 year old college student, I have learned many things.
1. The most imporant thing I have learned. Respect the older folks in the business. Don't try and show them how much you think you know (or how much you really don't know). Just sit and listen to the stories they tell. Sort of like the old addage children are to be seen and not heard. Children being the new collectors or pickers. Even after being around this business all of my life and 9 years of it on my own, I still consider myself a child in the business
2. Don't ask for favors and then give nothing back. People take note of this, and will not help you in the future.
3. This hobby/business isn't just about making money. If you are in it just to make a buck and not enjoy meeting new people you will truly not enjoy it. The people are the reason I like the hobby and they also are the reason I continue to stay in business.

I don't post often, but I wanted to put my two cents in (two cent's is probably more than it's worth). This wasn't directed to anyone, just my observations.

I enjoy this website and think that it is the supreme gas and oil website on internet!

Brandon Ferguson


Brandon Ferguson
Central City, KY
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Bob Richards #314553 Sat Mar 24 2012 11:02 AM
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How do I put this not to upset anyone. But I think the hobby has changed. You can't hold on to the past thinking that its the present. I agree that values are a subject that has its issues. I asked for a value AND for some education on my item but instead got scolded. The younger collectors can just get their stuff directly anymore. My best friends dad was a picker and collected a pole barn of stuff. You CAN'T do that anymore! Not here near Chicago. You might end up with a bullet in your butt. Instead of complaining, man up and teach us. Don't let the history die because you need to sell your book. TEACH another generation the love of gas, cars, woman. Sorry still working on that last one. Do it with tact and style. I'm so interested in this subject but recently after seeing some of these posts have a bit of discuss in my gut. The value section is there for a reason, good or bad. Don't like it don't use it. However as I said my first question on this site was about value and EDUCATION of a product. Now I'm more interested in how to and stuff I have never seen before. Lets work together. If the older collectors don't take the time to educate the younger collectors then this hobby will be lost like so many other handed down traditions. Thanks

Thunder II #314554 Sat Mar 24 2012 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted By: Thunder II
Back in the day, it was about friends... Check it out. Even Huskybob thought it was cool... But that was before he got wrapped up with the bunch he hangs with now. smile

http://oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=107545#Post107545


Thunder my boy....... that particular post was made before you and some other Oldgas members were involved in the "Hate Button" campaign against another Oldgasser a few years ago at Iowa Gas.
To me that is one of the darkest events to ever happen in the hobby.
As for the "bunch" I hang with now...... it's certainly better them than you. smile

As bppierce said about you in a recent thread.
"I have a total loss of respect."

huskybob #314557 Sat Mar 24 2012 11:12 AM
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I love the original post by Thunder. Spot on.


Collect small Oklahoma Oil Co.'s 1920's-1940's. Barnsdall, Cushing, Eason, Marland, etc.

carson #314558 Sat Mar 24 2012 11:18 AM
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Remember steel porcelain signs Now plastic
Remember glass oil bottles Now plastic
Remember full service Now Nothing

Ryan Underthun #314562 Sat Mar 24 2012 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted By: Ryan Underthun
Some of you guys need to take a chill pill..LOL

Anybody want to take bets on how long this thread lasts before it gets locked? PM me... I will get the board started, LOL.


LOL!!!!Right on Ryan!!!


Life is like a video game. The more you play, the better you get!!!
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