According to AAA, nearly 100 million Americans will embark on family vacations this year, and half will choose the automobile as their mode of transportation.
For some, this brings back memories of slow summer treks on the most iconic roadway in America, Route 66. This was part of the original U.S. Highway system established in 1926. With a span of 2,448 miles starting in Chicago, Ill., and ending in Santa Monica, Calif., it passed through countless little towns.
While Route 66 is a collecting field all its own, let’s focus on the old advertising signs we would see as we passed slowly through small town America. Signs would be seen at gas stations, the diner and the country store, all advertising the popular products of the day. Many of those products are long gone, but some still remain, like Coca-Cola, Popsicle and Milky Way (candy bars).
These products typically were advertised on porcelain-enameled signs. These brightly colored signs were made from thin die-cut sheets of iron coated with powdered glass, then fired under extremely high temperatures, thereby creating brightly colored, durable signs.
Porcelain signs tend to be the most collectible of antique advertising signs. They were produced from the 1880s to the 1950s. Many were lost to the World War II scrap drives, when metal was needed for the war effort. Other signs just deteriorated with age and exposure to the elements, leaving few in good shape. Scarcity and condition dictate value.
Notable recent sales of vintage porcelain signs include:
- $2,599 for a Coca-Cola drugstore
- $4,000 for a double-sided circular GMC Gasoline-Diesel Trucks sign.
- $5,105 for a Wells Fargo double-sided, flange-style sign, circa 1930s.
If you ever plan to motor west, travel my way, take the highway that is best, get your kicks on Route 66. (Songwriter Bob Troup) And keep your eye out for those vintage signs.
Jon Englund has more than 30 years of experience in appraising and liquidating personal property, jewelry, art, collectibles, antiques, furniture, printed items and more, as well as more than 15 years of experience in real estate. A Midwest transplant, Jon trained at New York University in appraisal studies.
Donna Luger has assisted during that time, and is a veteran Associate Broker and Realtor with HomeSmart Realty—Elite Group.
For more information, call (480) 699-1567. You also can send an email to Jon@KnowBeforeYouThrow.INFO.