Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana Michelin Man

Found this great, all metal, Michelin Man on ebay. Love it

Nice piece..... Tom

REPRO, REPRO, REPRO!!!! Stay away.. All the cast iron ones are fake.. The originals were a very crude paper mechea/ plaster material, and hand painted... Someone made these probably using an original.. There are usuall a few in eBay at a time... Neat piece for about 50$..

7 on there right now from 325 to 1200.

Where do I get one for $50.00 bucks, I will take six at that price even if they are marked or unmarked!

Here is what i'm doing with the one i have. Castings are kind of rough so i'm doing some clean up on him. The air chuck will be in his left hand and it's plumped for water. I still need to paint him and the air sign, i'll letter the word Michelin on his ribbon and put on a white hose on and chrome hose reel. I was thinking yellow for the sign back ground and off white for him.

Totally cool!

Where do I get one for $50.00 bucks, I will take six at that price even if they are marked or unmarked! [/quote]

Didn't say they were available for 50$... That's about what they are worth..

Dear Oldgas friends.

Here Pau from Barcelona, Spain.

This bizarre statue/figure is a false piece, never existed before 2010-2011. It is cast made, with an "dirty patina" to look like real old.

Since 2010-2011 It is offered each week on ebay US and UK, sometimes described as "original" and with high prizes. Months ago I was discussing with an ebay seller who assured me: "This has been in my workshop for at least 15 years, bought with a job lot of bike parts". He was lying, of course.

Sometimes, the description includes a 1940s reference...
The french-based Michelin et Cie came in 1907 to American market, creating the Michelin Tire Company and erecting a big factory at Milltown, NJ.
The factory closed on 1930 due the Big Crash, and Michelin ceased operations in US until its return on 60s with Radial technology. So, there are no OLD items produced after 1930.

I know perfectly the story of Michelin Tire Co. official branded merchandising.

This statue It Is only an adaptation/copy very bad done of the real plaster (NEVER METAL) figure produced in 1920s only for US tire market to be displayed on Michelin stockist storefronts.

I know some collectors who have an original one.

Also, you can see on the web a real good replica produced in limited edition with Michelin Company permission, made and sold with honesty and respect and offered on the Coker Tire Co. web-site:

http://www.cokertire.com/collectibles/standing-mr-bib-resin-figure.html

...wich is much more similar to the original figure. A real nice collectible.

Please, see images at pages 96-97 in the reference book THE MICHELIN MAN. An Unauthorized Advertising Showcase by Rudy Le Coadic. There are big diferences.

Best wishes from mediterranean Barcelona.

Pau

Still working on my Michelin Man air station. The pole is a really ornate light pole that my dad and I cut down. The Michelin guy is the cast iron fantasy/repo item. Still need to attach the AIR globe and light it up. Thanks Lowright for the inspiration. My dad is a whiz guy with metal so it has made this whole project a 100 times easier.

Wasn't my idea but your welcome Seth,
Mine is a little further along but not quit done. Need to do a little chrome and some hand lettering. Got a hose made but not in this pic. May need to add a globe. Thanks Seth…LOL

I saw one of these for the first time maybe a year and a half ago at an auction. My thought was the patina was too even and it was a reproduction. Someone bid about $900 so they could take it home. I thought it would be neat for $50 or $100 as a door stop.

For all people interested, here are a lineup...

The visual differences between the original figure (and official replica) and false are evident...

The false statue have two versions, with the text "Tires" or "Tyres" on the belt... well, it seems it needs to be prepared to cheat US and UK collectors...

The statue is usually sold with a false description by passing by really old ... of course, if the seller clearly identifies it as a modern imitation, there is no type of deception ...

And everyone is free to decide whether or not to use these objects, provided they do not intend to mislead anyone in the future...

Sincerely, Pau
(and excuse me for my horrible english!)

Your English & spelling is Better that most that were born in the English Speaking World!

Ditto to what DB said on the good English and good spelling as many of us here (including myself) have lots of--ahem--typos! Thanks for sharing the comparisons!

Made of paper mache or plaster, did the originals last? I ask because 30 years ago, visiting my sisters godmother in Belgium, the town square was all scafolded for the clean up of buildings almost black with pollution. They said that a lot of damage had been done by acid erosion to the stone facades as well.

I'm wondering how the real Michelin Men fared? It must be really difficult to get originals.

I wanted to add, that even though they are reproductions, they look good on those stands.