Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion GAS-A-TERIA coin operated visible pump

Has anyone heard of a GAS-A-TERIA coin operated visible gas pump built in Marshalltown Iowa? Any info would be appreciated. I have one and won't sell it until I find out some info.
Thanks,Gasguy

I'LL GIVE YOU SOME INFO,, SELL IT TO ME CHEAP OR ELSE!!!!!!!!!! JUST KIDDING!! SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PUMP,,, GOOD LUCK,, LET US KNOW.. CAN YOU POST A PICTURE??? IF NOT,, JUST SEND IT TO ME AND I'LL DO IT FOR YOU.. THANKS FOR POSTING.. FRANK..

I can't help you with the pump, but I'd be interested in a Gasateria, Gas-mart, Gasamat globe if you have one.
Bob

I know everyone hates pricing issue's on selling items but here it goes. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to price an item that quite possibly may be the only one that exists? The pump that I found is missing the base and the lower skins, we have no pictures of what it should look like but I would say it is quite possible that the GAS-A-TERIA pump company could have used a base from a Dart pump from Waterloo Iowa. The two companies were close in location and we know small companies sometimes bought other companies parts to assemble their own. The upper casting would suggest that a dart pump base might fit. Anyway thats a little off the subject. If a Wayne 800 or a Roman column that we all know there are several examples of are worth $5000.00 + then would a person put this pump in the same catagory? I know it's missing some parts but in my opinion it is quite a bit rarer than most other high dollar pumps. I also know that rarity doesn't always mean it's a high dollar pump but on the other side I would say that any coin operated visible would be highly desireable. Does anyone know what a Starkey coin op visible is currently brining? Anyway enough rambling but I would like some input on how you guys might consider pricing an item that no one else (so far)has ever seen. Frankie offered to post some pictures for me so I forwarded some to him to put on this forum for me. Thanks, Chad

There are at three visible pumps in Jack's Illustrated guide to gas pumps.

What I meant was coin operated.... I saw them in the book last night. But without going over every page I can't find them now. May Jack will post.

It really depends a lot on how appealling the pump looks. If it has pleasing lines and looks killer in your collection AND you will have the only one on your Continent, then it could be valuable. Of course, if it looked like a fridge with a nozzle and hose on the side and a modern coin mech it might not even sell.
Remember you can go down in price, but it is hard to go up so keep that in mind. Also if you can sell quickly to a high-end dealer for a medium price , you may be better off; you dont have to drag it to all the meets (sit on it for a year)and it will be years before (if ever) you make the contacts they have. Also many times they are selling to buyers who wish to remain anonymous and simply do not have the time to search out such items and are willing to pay someone to do that for them.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> dodogas, just throwin in my 1.5 cents worth into the fray..

VALUE IS A TOUGH ONE.. I FOUND OUT IT'S WORTH WHAT SOME ONE WILL PAY FOR IT.. I HAD A SIGN THAT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION, AND AS FAR AS I COULD TELL,, THE ONLY ONE IN EXISTENCE.. I FIGURED IT SHOULD BE WORTH $1000.00,, I GOT $200.00 OUT OF IT.. I WAS DISSAPOINTED.. LIKE DODO SAID,, A QUICK EASY SALE FOR A MEDIUM PRICE IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN LUGGING IT AROUND.. IF IT IS A VERY RARE PIECE AND MISSING PARTS,, THAT HURTS THE VALUE TREMENDOUSLY.. WHERE CAN YOU GET PARTS TO COMPLETE IT?? [ WHO'S THE JERK THAT WENT AROUND BACK THEN AND STOLE ONE OR TWO PARTS OFF ALL THESE PUMPS ANYWAY?? I'D LIKE TO GET MY HANDS ON HIM!!!] LOL!! ANYWAY,, MY GUESS,, COMPLETE YOU SHOULD SEE AROUND,,,,, $3000.00????? GIVE OR TAKE..AND DEPENDING ON WHERE YOUR AT.. MISSING PARTS,, IT'S HARD TO SAY,, $1000.00 MAYBE?? JUST AS A ROUGH GUESS.. HERE ARE YOUR PICTURES.. FRANK..

FYI-
Dart pump on ebay #3612503476 Restored.

I personally think you'll have a hard time getting top dollar for your pump. It's been my experience that only a handfull of guys would even be interested in it. If it were complete and just needing restored, that would be different. Not a lot of guys have the ability to re-cast a base, or to even find someone willing to loan their original base out to be re-cast. Even if it were just making skins for the pump. Only a few guys would do it. It looks like you have pieces of a great pump. If it were me, I'd try to do the work myself, and then you'd have a complete "great pump". Then you could ask for the "sky" ! If you don't have the time or ability to find or make the parts, you are at the mercy of those who do. Good luck, It looks like it could be a show piece.

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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas

Does anyone know if that pump has anything to do with the Gas-A-Teria self serv. gas stations? I think they used coin-op pumps.
Bob

A coin operated Starkey from Seatle went for $14k a few years ago on ebay...( I dropped out at $10,000)

The Round Starkey in Jack's book, I sold at Iowa about 4yrs ago unrestored. I felt lucky to get $2000 for the HEAVY @#$%^&*.
Dick