Vintage Signs of the Times | American Pickers | History
Vintage Signs of the Times | American Pickers | History
You know, I wanted to ask you about that bull nose.
Typically, most of the bull noses on signs– they were always missing.
This bull nose is a neon piece that was attached to an existing sign.
This would have been an ornamentation to the end of the sign, basically.
It just sat like that.
JUAN: Yeah.
MAN: If you have a flat sign or a vertical sign hanging off a building that’s a square sign, this would give the rounded edge on the end of it just a decorator piece.
This has got great color on it.
Yeah, I like the colors.
Yeah.
It’s just an unusual color.
I mean, the fact that it’s not red or blue, you know?
You’d have to find that sign that this went to.
JUAN: Yeah. Um, $375.
Uh, what about $400?
You know, it’s porcelain.
It’s kind of rare.
Yeah, when you find it, you buy it.
OK, all right.
All right, man.
-
Thanks, man.
[inaudible]
All right, one. -
Look at that!
Ah! Coat hanger!
And you got the porcelain shades on each side.
You guys want a Coke sign?
OK, you want to sell this?
No.
I don’t blame you.
If you have a sweaty looking sign, then you need something to hang it on that matches that– the ornamentation on the front of this, the lights– where they would have gone.
I was just imagining this in my shop already, and he was like, no way, man.
I love that he said, no way, because he knows exactly what it is.
He knows that this can turn up the volume on any original sign.
And it’s not for sale.
It’s a cool piece.
Do you want to sell this big bastard?
Pass, you know.
In the corner, can you see the year?
’35.
1935.
Those colors they used in the ’30s, yeah.
MAN: Yeah.
The Coca-Cola sign– everybody typically shies away from the size of it, but these, in the last five years, have demanded some serious dollars.
What’s that– what’s the, I would style it, price?
Your comfortable price?
This one’s got more hits on it.
[laughs]
This guy’s got some bambo jambo.
It’s been touched up.
It’s been touched up.
Somebody’s touched it up over the years.
They tried to save it from rusting.
I always take that stuff off.
Yeah.
I always strip it down.
Ooh, something like that? For, like, $2,800, something like that.
$2,800?
Yeah.
$2,800?
The fact that this Coca-Cola sign says “Fountain Lunch” on it makes it even more desirable– where you could actually go to the drugstore and eat a sandwich and have a fountain drink and have ice cream and pick your prescription up, all those things.
Everybody’s looking for these signs now.
Go ahead.
Pull it.
I am.
I’m trying to–
Here, I got it.
Uh.
Let me slide this down there.
Ugh.
Right there, Mike.
What else you got here?
You got–
MAN: Sinclair behind that Texaco, I think.
You got them stacked up in here like cornwood.
Sinclair HC?
MAN: Ahh!
There it is!
[sighs]
6-foot Flying A.
The double-sided.
Yeah.
One thing about collecting gas and oil– it’s all about distribution.
This was distributed in California.
The associated brand was all over the West Coast.
So when you’re in the West Coast, what do you buy?
The flying A, only if you can find it.
How about on that one?
[laughs]
Make me an offer.
I don’t know.
That’s a good one, double-sided.
$6,000 for the pair.
$3,200 for this, $2,800 for that.
$6,000.
$6,000?
Yeah.
All right.
All right, brother.
So we got to pull that out.
[interposing voices]
Almost.
Hold it.
Hold on.
I got it.
[inaudible]
I got it.
Let me know when you’re done.
Ahh.
Oh.
Oh, no, not done.
Help.
I’m done.
All right.
I’m done.
JUAN: Push it.
[grunting]
[sighs]
I could use the money now, so I have to let it go, you know?
I just close my eyes and let it go.
Ooh!
Ooh!
Dang.
Hey, whenever I can buy a Coke sign from a guy wearing a Coke shirt–
[laughs]
I know– I know how hard it is for you to turn loose, man.
I know.
I love signs, you know?
Juan, do you sell Coke signs very often?
This is the first time.
It’s the first time you sold a Coke sign, ever, ever?
Yeah, I don’t like to sell any Coke signs.
[laughs]
I don’t think I’m gonna sell any more signs.
That’s it for today.
California has always been one extreme or the other with us.
Either you’re hitting it big, or you’re coming up short.
While Danielle is pulling together leads for us, Frank and I are heading back to a place that we haven’t been in, like, six years.
Last time we were here, these guys were working for their dad.
Now they’re running the company.
You guys got time for us to look around a little bit?
Well, I don’t.
Me and my son gotta go back to work, but they might if they–
We can.
Can we look around a little bit?
Yes, sir.
Let’s do it.
So this hasn’t changed a lot, it looks like.
As soon as we walk into the warehouse, it all comes back.
It’s literally stacked to the ceiling.
It is.
It’s exactly the way it was, except there’s even more stuff in here.
Man, I can’t believe how much stuff you guys have accumulated in here since the last time we were here.
All our jobs are 100% recycled.
We save the doors, windows, everything we can save.
Plus, when we demolish the buildings, we’ll save all the old lumber.
And whatever’s the rest, we’ll take it to a recycling place.
And they’ll sort through it, and they’ll recycle everything.
The concrete goes to a crusher.
They’ll reuse it for base.
We save everything.
So much to see.
All the stuff we found over the years.
Mark, what about the Mobil Oil signs?
One stand’s been homemade.
You’ve got a rim on the bottom it.
Yeah.
My only rim.
What would you have to have for ’em?
That one right there?
I’d want about $1,500.
$1,500?
Yeah.
What about– what would you do on the pair?
I mean, 15, I think, is up there.
Thing is, I’ve got stuff that– you go into those flea markets– probably, like, $2,800 for both of ’em.
$2,800?
Yeah.
Oh– Dad, I don’t want to sell ’em.
I got– you gotta leave a little.
I was thinking 2,000 for both.
We’ll keep ’em for that.
I love signs.
I mean, I even have Mobil on me right there.
Yeah.
So I’m a diehard Mobil guy.
I can see some tension brewing between Mark and his son.
I’ve been in situations like this before, and I know I have to tread lightly.
I’ll sell one, if you want to.
It’s up to you.
Frank wanted both.
I go, no way.
Yeah.
So I’d be looking at the one here with the original base.
That’s the one we want to keep.
All right, well, let me keep looking around, then.
I mean– what’s the– what’s the best on the one with the rim?
$1,300.
$1,300?
Yeah.
Let me see the back of it here.
I think we’ve got a base laying around– original base somewhere.
The base is important.
It’s on a rim right now.
That doesn’t do it any justice.
Well, if I pay 13 for this, how much is the base, if we find it?
Probably at least– 150.
150.
That’s what I was thinking.
150 bucks.
For the base?
Yeah.
I mean, because it’s the original base.
It’s somewhere in here.
Right.
If I can find the base, we can have the rim cut off, have the pipe re-threaded, and then have it put on the original stand.
1,300, and you guys will try to help me find the base?
Yes.
Yes.
And if we find the base, it’s good condition, a buck and a half.
-
Right.
-
Yep.
-
All right. We’ve got a deal.
All right.
Right on.
You got it.
1,300 is up there, but I wanted to get some money going.
I wanted to get something going with these people, so they know we’re serious on buying.
Jimmy, what about the Miller tires?
Naw, I’m keeping that.
How about the Texaco?
Nope.
I’m dealing with Mark, and I’m hearing what’s going on with Frank around the room.
This is called a Junior Harley Davidson, made by Hubley.
Nope.
About your Valvoline?
Nope.
How about the clock?
Naw, I’ll keep that.
I’m hearing Frank ask about things.
It’s like, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no.
No, no, no.
You know?
Let’s see where– see where pops is at.
I mean, it just– you just gotta– you gotta keep trying.
You gotta keep trying.
Mark, what about this one?
Not a lot of color left on it.
Not for sale.
That’s the only one we’ve got.
Now I know I’m not being paranoid.
I remember this exact sign from the last time I was here.
What do you get for something like this?
75 bucks.
$75?
Yep.
I’m just going to keep looking here.
I’m gonna keep– OK.
We always say the time to buy is when you see it, and here’s proof of that.
But more importantly, the time to buy it is when you first see it with Mark.
What about the Shell clamshell over here, that’s kind of rusty?
Nope.
All right.
Things were going great when we first stopped in, and then, all of a sudden, it shut down.
I mean, it turned off like a light switch.
What do you got on the Coca-Cola sign?
No.
Uh-oh.
Hey, what’s this, now, guys?
What’s this?
Here’s the base, right here!
There it is.
And of all people, you found it.
150?
We got it.
All right.
All I need to do is cut the rim off, have it threaded, put it on– raises it by hundreds.
All right.
I’m excited.
I’m back!
Jimmy finally sold me something.
Right, grab that side.
The kids– they’re just like their dad.
The apple did not fall far from the tree.
-
We got everything.
-
All right.
Well, thanks for– hey, thanks for the tour.
You’re welcome.
Take care.
Good to see again.
You, too.
Have to get some hair dye, man.
Thanks.
Maybe next time they come back, Frank will be bald-headed, and Mike will be with a cane.
Who knows?
I mean, I want these guys back quick, you know?
Yeah.
See ya, guys!
See ya.
All right, Mikey.
[music playing]
MIKE: Erica and Anita’s dad was out buying stuff at estate sales, auctions, basements.
So imagine how exciting this was.
I mean, you’re a kid, every day is a treasure hunt in some way, and your dad is feeding that fire with all these things he’s bringing home.
And then you’re learning about the history of it.
Anita!
ANITA: Where are you?
MIKE: I’m in here.
I’m in the bathroom with the Hamm’s sign.
OK.
Did you know this was in here?
I did.
MIKE: You know, this is the first time I’ve ever seen a Hamm’s sign in a bathroom.
Now, I’ve been to the bathroom quite a bit when I’ve been drinking Hamm’s, but I’ve never actually had a neon sign in the bathroom.
ANITA: I love it.
MIKE: Yeah.
It’s in pretty good shape.
It’s in really– The color.
MIKE: The color’s amazing.
ANITA: Yeah, it is.
MIKE: The color is nuts on it.
ANITA: Yeah.
MIKE: Hamm’s, PBR, Schlitz, Falstaff, Black Label, Old Style.
All of these beers weren’t known for their flavor, but they were known for their advertising.
I can’t see any breaks in this side on the Hamm’s beer neon, but this side has issues.
So it’s got Hamm’s, there’s no M-S on the bottom.
ANITA: The Hamm’s beer sign has been there for quite a few years, and my dad had written it down on a piece of paper what he thought it was worth at the time.
MIKE: I’d be a player at like– like 22.
Just for the fact that it’s gonna cost me to fix this $1,200.
Right, right.
So what do you think you need to get out of it to feel comfortable selling it?
$3,000.
I can’t do that because I’m gonna be into it for, I mean, close to $1,000 to fix it.
I’m not just negotiating with Anita, I’m negotiating with her father as well, because she’s working from notes that he had left her.
I found this, too.
This is a wall light, and it’s adjustable.
So this would have mounted on the wall–
That’s pretty cool.
–like that.
It’s very cool, so I want to pull this into the deal to kind of ease the pain on what it’s going to cost me to do the neon on the Hamm’s sign.
Still got the original finish on it.
And it does have, like, a copper look to it.
The finish on this light is what they call Japan.
Japanning is basically a European imitation of Asian lacquer work.
You know, you can move it.
It’s a task light.
Mm-hmm.
How about 28?
How about 2,750?
OK.
We got a deal.
[laughs]
All right.
Hey, and that’s if you help me get it out of here.
Oh, OK, right.
I’m kidding.
You know I’ve got Dave for that.
Any time you’re digging through somebody’s life’s collection, you’re getting to know them in a completely different way than anyone else that knew them throughout their lives.
All right, my second here.
OK.
Today we had the opportunity to dive into someone’s life’s work and share those moments with his daughters.
As a parent, a father, a collector, to be able to share that love with your kids, that is what it’s all about.
We appreciate you.
-
Yeah.
All right. Thank you, honey. -
Thank you so much.
-
Thank you.
Appreciate you.
Thank you.
To honor our dad, we are gonna do the best that we can and get the value for him, not for us.
We want to make him proud.
Yeah.
OK.
[honks horn]
See you guys!
-
Yep, bye!
-
Bye!
Thanks! Come again!
MIKE WOLFE: Dani Mark whose family ran an electronics and car stereo shop.
It’s not too far away in Virginia.
FRANK FRITZ: Just think if this guy has got some original 6×9 Jensen Triaxials.
Ha! You know it.
MIKE WOLFE: Jensen Triaxials in the car, boom, boom, boom.
Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Who, Zeppelin.
If your lady left ya and your motorcycle won’t run, but you still had a set of Jensen Triaxials, you were doing good.
Hello.
FRANK FRITZ: Hey, you Mark?
MARK: How are you doing?
Hey, I’m Mike. This is Frank.
-
Nice to meet you.
-
Nice to meet you.
How’s it going?
You got any Jensen Triaxials?
Yeah. -
You do have Jensen Triaxials?
-
Yes, I do.
Do you really?
That’s what we grew up on when we were kids.
MIKE WOLFE: You got them in the box?
MARK: No. I have a box.
MIKE WOLFE: Oh, you got a box.
Here’s some of the stuff that we need.
So Dani said you guys have been in business for a long time, huh?
Yeah, my father started this business in 1947.
MIKE WOLFE: No kidding.
My dad could always make money.
He was owner of six different businesses.
Radios, TVs, appliances, electronics, record business.
I took it over in 1976.
Whoa, look at this, Mike.
MIKE WOLFE: What?
RCA Whirlpool appliances.
So I mean this looks like ’70s?
MARK: Early ’60s.
And you guys never hung it or anything.
MARK: Never hung it, and it works.
I cleaned it up one day, plugged it in, it worked just like a brand new light.
I mean the subject matter is not appliances, you know what I mean?
Now in signs, subject is everything.
You know, we’re usually looking for transportation stuff, but the thing that this sign’s got going for it is it’s mint.
Is this something you would sell?
Sure.
FRANK FRITZ: What would you have to have for this?
MARK: Like to have $350.
FRANK FRITZ: $350.
I mean I like it, because it’s got nice colors.
It does say RCA on it.
It’s brand-new.
I think $350’s fair.
Thank you.
MARK: I grew up with my dad keeping stuff.
He didn’t throw away anything.
He told me 100 times, I might need that tomorrow.
Oh, Pioneer eight track.
Bam.
[music playing]
Whoa!
Things are rocking in here.
Oh, yeah.
Knock it off, Frank.
FRANK FRITZ: Hey, what about this?
Says caution, do not drop.
It’s got a speedboat on the front.
It’s got the wooden handle, so you can tell it’s got some age on it.
My dad got into racing go-karts in the late ’50s.
Go-karts in the late ’50s?
Right.
Everybody did around here.
No kidding?
MARK: They ran 2-cycle engines, and they were buying racing fuel to run them.
My dad drove, and my brother drove.
After the first year, he got super competitive.
FRANK FRITZ: So this was like alcohol racing fuel.
Great graphics on the front.
What would you have to have for this?
$50.
I’ll do the $50.
OK.
All right.
Thank you.
Careful now.
You find some mint Jensen Triaxials–
I’ll call you.
-
Yeah, man.
-
Give us a call.
-
All right, buddy.
-
All righty.
Take care now.
MARK: Mike and Frank were very cool.
I’d have them back in a minute.
Might sell Frank some more of those fuel cans.
[horn honking]
Later, Mark.
Bye.
