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 2 1 2
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9
J
Member
OP Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9
My questions is, did Sinclair ever use porcelain 12" round Sinclair Aircraft pump signs? I've always understood that they only used decals, but I keep seeing people claim to have original 12" round Sinclair Aircraft signs with the "Spirit of Saint Louis" airplane on them. I used to have a 48" porcelain version of the sign, so I know those are at least real.

Last edited by jasonbarnett; Sun Aug 26 2012 09:43 PM.

aviation artist--I like anything Sinclair or aviation related www.jasonbarnett.net
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.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,998
Likes: 4
N
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
N
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,998
Likes: 4
Only stickers man. No signs.

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
Get catalogs from all the vendors you can to see what they offer.
These 12" Fantasy & Repop signs have been around since the 80's some even longer.
Stay away from Ebay sellers from India [stencilworks] & Argentina [forgot his ebay name].

Last edited by Dick Bennett; Sun Aug 26 2012 09:21 PM. Reason: "
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9
J
Member
OP Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9
There is someone selling a 12" porcelain Sinclair Aircraft sign as an authentic piece right now on Ebay and the bidding was up to about $60. That is what got me to wondering about this. I'm a huge Sinclair nut, and I had always understood that the 12" round porcelain signs were fantasy signs, but I've seen so many of them being sold as authentic pieces that I was starting to question it. I went to an estate auction 6 years ago and saw the bidding go up over $900 for a so called "original" 12" Sinclair Aircraft sign that was obviously a reproduction to me. I yelled out to the crowd that it was a reproduction, but the fools kept up their bidding war.


aviation artist--I like anything Sinclair or aviation related www.jasonbarnett.net
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 872
T
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
T
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 872
271042958303 I think this is the one you were referring to. I have an off-topic question that probably deserves its own thread, but are there any original 11.75" or 12" round pump plates?

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
Original HANCOCK's & SIGNAL's are 12". UNION OIL rnd 11 1/2", SHELL GREEN STREAK 11 15/16" just to name a few.
There are several books, auction catalogs [new or old] that have pump plates in them w/ size listed. Most recent is Dan Matthews, Benjamin-Henderson Pump resto book 1/2 of book has IMAGE STANDARDS showing how pumps were painted, sign or decal used, type of globe IF Used [I suggest getting the Resto Book & writing in the pump plate size when an orig. is seen/known].

Last edited by Dick Bennett; Sun Aug 26 2012 10:32 PM.
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 872
T
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
T
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 872
Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to get a book if I do ever start collecting pump signs.

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
I have a beat-up 12" repro hanging outside on my garage wall that was given to me in person by Amistadi. He said somebody paid $2,500 for it and couldn't get their money back.

SAD!!!!


DOC @ THE AMERICAN GARAGE
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 382
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 382
Dick, that pump resto book you are talking about, isn't that the one that is close to like $1,000 on ebay? I've seen a couple of the books that have ceased printing that are pretty pricey, but can't remember if that's one.

If it isn't, can you tell me where to get one at? I'll look in the bookstore on here, and if I find it there I'll come back and edit this.

I looked, that book is reasonably priced and well worth it. I believe it is Mr. Sim's book that has ceased production and increased in value/price.

Creating another topic for more info.

Thanks,
Eddy

Last edited by Here's Your Sign; Mon Aug 27 2012 05:12 PM.

Eddy Smith
Call or Text: 678-232-4637
E-mail: eddysmithjr@gmail.com
Always looking for pump plates or small signs!
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
Hell w/ ebay, get it from the Book Store HERE;

http://www.gaspumps.info/
$25 + USA Priority Mail Shipping $4.95
$25 + Canada Priority International Post $11.95

Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 382
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 382
Hey DB, I just meant that I think Mr. Sims and others have told me before ebay is one of the only places you can find his book now, since it stopped being printed, and I thought I remember someone saying it was north of $1,000.

The one you mentioned is the one I just looked at. I'm ordering it tonight.


Eddy Smith
Call or Text: 678-232-4637
E-mail: eddysmithjr@gmail.com
Always looking for pump plates or small signs!
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,780
Likes: 5
QUIT BELIEVING EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON ebay & Reality TV. Superman was a Fantasy & stencilworks [ebay seller] sells FAKES

Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 382
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 382
Originally Posted By: Here's Your Sign
Mr. Sims and others have told me before ebay is one of the only places you can find his book now


Eddy Smith
Call or Text: 678-232-4637
E-mail: eddysmithjr@gmail.com
Always looking for pump plates or small signs!
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,791
Likes: 9
J
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
J
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,791
Likes: 9
Here is Mr. Sim's thoughts.

When you write a book, the publishers do not pay you anything, nada. You sign a contract that after the book is published, the publishers will pay you approx. $2.00 for every book they ship. So, it is obvious you cannot make money writing a book, you can only make money selling the book. The publisher sells the book in quantity, and if you buy 100 books they will give you as much as 55% off the price listed on the cover.

When I wrote the first book, it was a surprised to everyone. I started taking orders months before the book came out, I was making about $17.00 for each book I sold, plus the royality of $2.00 to come later. So, I made some money on the first book.

Then, for some reason that I have tried to forget, I wrote a revision to the gas pump book. But this time, about four guys who are here on Old Gas decided to get in on the deal. They purchased 100 books and were selling them for $23.00 (list price was $34.95), so I sold very few books selling them at the list price. So, I made very little, considering my time and the cost of the brochures I purchased. I was reduced to selling books for a lot less than the retail price.

Just considering the royalities, which in my case were $2.00 per book, and the book sold 10,000 copies, that is $20,000. Sounds great if you got it right away, but the royalities come in heavy in the early years, then dwindle to nothing. Harldy enough to take my wife on that cruise I promised her in the first book.

So, now the book is out of print. One guy on Amazon wants $499.99 for a copy.

I am sitting on a few boxes of books waiting to see just what they are worth. I am no longer selling them for list price.

Am I going to write a third revision, I don't know? I actually could write a book that would identify over 4000 (existing book id's 1900) gas pumps if I felt it was worth my time.

One other thing, books printed on paper are a thing of the past unless your name is James Patterson. Publishers don't even want to talk to you about any book like mine. You either need to self-publish or go to e-books.

Personally, I think the future is in e-books. I know most of you are carrying around a smart phone, but in a few years Apple will make a great announcement, "the I-Pad now contains a phone." Why didn't I think of thet? Now you don't have to carry around two items, and now everyone will have an I-Pad, with access to just about everything, regardless of where you are in the world.

Jack Sim


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 762
Likes: 8
6
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
6
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 762
Likes: 8
The book DB is refering to is Guide to Gas Pump Restoration Second Edition by Wayne Henderson and Scott Benjamin. HYS if you had that book when you sold that Standard sign on Ebay and had looked on pages 195 & 196 it would have told you all Standard used were decals. It is sold here in the bookstore for about $30. Mitch

Page 1 of 2 1 2

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