Old Shell Sign

[BigE]

My father just gave me this. He found it at a flea market on the south end of the state for a few bucks. It is cast, but very poorly. Lots of porosity. There are no markings on it other than the front of the sign. Anyone seen one before? Know any background? Also, should I preserve or restore?

Edit: I'm not interested in pricing or selling this sign. I just want to know where it came from/how it was used.

 

[manwithtools]

Probably not worth whole a lot of money ( less than $35), but would be cool to restore and hang in the shop. Look on eBay, lots of similar ones. Some are repros and some look to be original.

 

[bob15]

I'd leave it alone. That being said, the average price is around $10-15 with it painted.

This is a good place for info: http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

 

[BigE]

Yeah, I wouldn't sell it. I'm just interested in the background and whether I should restore it before I hang it in the garage.

 

[bczygan]

I would paint it so it had visual punch and hang it up. Would not worry about value.

Bill

 

[BigE]

I would paint it so it had visual punch and hang it up. Would not worry about value.

Bill

I'm not concerned with its value. It is extremely valuable to me because my father gave it to me. I'm more interested in the history of it. Where did these come from? Where were they originally used? Etc.

 

[TheOtherChris]

I would suspect it was a "Door Push" from the 30's 40's.

 

[BigE]

From what little I can find online, it's from around 1937. There are pictures of them in original form showing red and black letters on a yellow background. Unfortunately, that's all I can find on them. Everything else is a site trying to hock them.

 

[Banjorear]

Not sure about the door push. Could be, but if it was, it was on a door that didn't get used.

Most of those pushes get smoothed out from hands grabbing/pushing against them hundreds/thousands of times repeatedly over the years.

 

[gnpenning]

Maybe mounted on the pump??

 

[iajonesy]

Mounted on a rack of cans of " Motor Spirit " displayed outdoors.

Mike

 

[Willie Makeit]

it's a reproduction from china. flea markets around here (North Alabama) are covered up with those and other "petroliana" cast iron trinkets. they sell for $5-$10 painted.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cast-Iron-S...ue-GAS-OIL-Pump-Plate-Door-Push-/331556330444

 

[Chaznsc]

Thats pretty damn cool. Id paint it original and hang it on the mailbox with a gas nozzle and confuse the neighbors. Twice a week id act like i was filling the car.

 

[58Yeoman]

I agree with the ones on ebay being repro's, but the OP looks like he has an original, especially since it's not painted.

 

[Willie Makeit]

I agree with the ones on ebay being repro's, but the OP looks like he has an original, especially since it's not painted.

the repops are sold unpainted as well. trust me, if it's cast iron then its a repop.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHELL-Motor...c74b71b&pid=100005&rk=5&rkt=6&sd=331556330444

 

[KenC]

I suspect it i a repro also. Most casting of that era are high quality. Porosity, pits, and no signs of previous paint indicate an 'off shore' origin. This from a guy that recently retired from operating an antique/collectible business for 25 yrs.

 

[58Yeoman]

That's a new one on me. I can spot the tin signs right off the bat, but I've never been looking for cast iron...so, thanks for the tip.