Some of you may remember a little while back where I was asking about plastic/glass/metal globe frames. And again, I am pretty much brand new to this hobby,(but hooked like a ...) so bare with me.

Globe 1
Metal frame. Glass lenses.
My personal favorite. And if I may say, this particular Sunoco globe is my globe goal. I love this piece!!!!! But $$ write now.

Globe 2
Plastic frame. Glass lenses??

Globe 3
Plastic frame. Glass lenses?? Front face screws!!

1. Are all of three of these examples of what was actually used in real world?
2. I see these plastic rings, (pic 2), all of the time. Were these ever used in the real world or are they just a repop piece that people use to display their vintage glass?
3. Is it fair to say that the metal frames pieces are either pre war or only just post war?
4. I've seen people comment that some plastic globes can even go pre war. True?

Please, any comments/information/education/tell me how it is/... will be greatly appriciated.

Globe 3 is a glass body not plastic.

If so, then I assume those aren't screws at 3 & 9 o'clock. What are they?

Those are screws with a knurled nut on the inside, The globe has 2 holes in the body for them to hold the lenses on. They did use plastic bodys in the 40's maybe earlier, The metal body in your picture is a low profile body they made a high profile as well. I would recommend getting Scott Benjamins globe books, They talk about all your globe body questions.

Tankar is right. I would recommend Scott Bejamin and Wayne Henderson globe books. I would look for a good used set as Scott and Wayne are coming out with a new CD of the globe books with more pictures and lots of info.

Company history and some of the repop stuff is in there. Best books out there... i am sure the CD's will top it!

If their screws with nuts, how do you put the nuts on the second lens when assembling? Do the nuts somehow fit into the glass frame?

Okay, so plastic was used back into the 40's. Was it identical to these clam shell designs like I see everywhere? I think their called capco or something.

All globes pictured are real. I hear people all the time not in the hobby think the plastic or capco globes are repo's. Drives me nuts!! I took a half dozen capco globes to a car swap meet about a year ago and had so many people telling me they were repos because of the plastic body that I took them off the table. Funny I never hear that at IG!!!

...yeah, the third photo is off Scott's site...


1. Yes.
2. Real world, and they are still currently made from original molds.
3. Both pre- and post-war....it's my understanding that there are metal frames from the 1910's...
4. Yes, there are some early ones that date to the 1930's. Some are of a different construction, i.e., the two components ('halves') are not identical, and some are wider....

So your saying the capco's are identical to what would have been used in the feild back in say the 50's/60's??

I'm just trying to learn.

I think Your quedtions have been answered except for "what would have been used in the field".You must realize that original capcos came in several colors add the colors were used by certain companies.For instance,the newer Conoco green capco is a somewhat distinctive (turquoise?) green.I have original capco bodies in white,green,red and yellow;there are more.Hope that helps.

How do you tell the difference between the newer, lets say fake, capco's and ones that are form the the 50's/60's? Is there a difference? I mean besides some possible color differences you mentioned?
Also, it sounds like your saying this same company, Capco, has been making these plastic frames for decades? I'm I understanding this correctly?

The new capco bodies only have 2 alignment notches instead of 4, they have a lot of flex in the body not stiff like the old ones, usually they have nubs on the side from filling the mold while they ground that off the old ones. Once you see and feel both you can tell. The new white ones are also usually a brighter white than the old ones also.

By the way Capco does not make the new ones but are reproduced by other companies using the old molds.

that's the easiest way for me...

So am I correct in saying that picture 2 (Sinclair) is a Capco body with glass lenses?

Thanks to all for the imput!!!

I am not a big globe collector,but even so I bought Scotts books on globes like Jarvis suggested.It is a must have. More questions will come up about things like, Hull bodies and Gill bodies Ripple bodies and so on.The books are a great help.