NOSTALGIC SIGNS OF THE TIMES: The Appeal of Porcelain Enamel
June 8, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Exquisite porcelain enamels signs will be among the more than 400 authentic pieces selling at No Reserve at the Northeast Automobilia Auction, which will start off each morning of the inaugural event, June 23-25 at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. A highlight will be the Hartung Collection, representing over 25 years of exquisite acquisitions. To register as an automobilia bidder, contact Rory Brinkman at [email protected] or call 480-421-6694. Bidders registered to purchase vehicles are automatically enrolled to bid on automobilia with no additional registration fee.
Barrett-Jackson Automobilia Director Rory Brinkman
Longtime Barrett-Jackson Automobilia Director Rory Brinkman is nationally recognized as an expert in the field of vintage automotive-related memorabilia – otherwise known as automobilia. He is a second-generation collector who was tutored on the benefits of buying condition and rarity and began his own collection at the age of 12. Today, with more than 30 years’ experience to his name, Brinkman’s reputation for appraising and selling valuable collectibles from the past is unparalleled.
I still remember my first enamel sign purchase. It was 1980 and I was at an auction in the middle of North Dakota. My father had started collecting cars and automobilia in the late 1960s and I had followed in his footsteps, primarily focusing on automotive-related advertising. Crossing the block that day was a nice selection of vintage gas and oil signs. Since I was only 12, I had a very limited budget, but one sign in particular caught my eye. It was a small Mobil Oil sign shaped like a shield and adorned with the artwork of a Pegasus. What really made it stand out from the rest was its shiny and pristine condition. Although manufactured in 1952, it was amazing to me that it looked brand-new. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it had a porcelain enamel finish, which helped it weather the test of time in comparison to the other examples being offered that day. From that moment on I was hooked on collecting porcelain.
The advent of applying porcelain enamel to sheet metal in sign-making dates back to Germany in the 1880s. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that the process caught on with American manufacturers, who noted its durability in comparison to simple tin or sand-painted signs. Although it was a more expensive and labor-intensive process than traditional methods, the results proved popular in the marketplace.
With the booming American economy of the time period, porcelain signs became ever-present along main streets and highways as businesses advertised their goods and services. Everyone ‒ from large industrial manufacturers like Ford Motor Company to small individual oil-jobbers ‒ were ordering up and utilizing porcelain signs. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that the process became uncompetitive and lost out to cheaper and more modern methods of sign manufacturing – mainly plastic.
Although there are many categories of porcelain signs to collect, one of the most popular is automotive-related. This can include automobile (Packard, Ford, Ferrari and others), gas and oil (Standard, Shell, Husky, etc.) or even accessories (spark plugs, tires, headlamp manufacturers and more). What’s fun about collecting signs is that they literally tell the history of the automobile and roadside America.
Some collectors focus on acquiring just a certain brand or manufacturer, where others might strictly pursue a certain time period to match the automobiles in their collections. However, many choose to amass a broad selection, thereby truly telling the history of the automobile. With hundreds of automobile manufacturers combined with over a thousand different oil companies in America’s motoring past, the potential to collect is limited only to one’s pocketbook.
Not only has collecting porcelain/enamel signs been interesting and fun, but can also be a prudent investment. Certain signs have been escalating in value since 1986, with some examples now touching nearly six figures. Just like cars, values run the gamut, with signs from marque brands such as Packard, Cadillac, Ferrari and Jaguar bringing premium prices in comparison to their peers.
Also just like in the car market, condition and rarity translates into higher values. Many collectors desire signs with great artwork, viewing them as vintage graphic art.
With the popularity of the hobby, demand is at an all-time high, with fierce competition to acquire great pieces. However, for the collector just starting out, there are still wonderful entry-level items that can be purchased for just a few hundred dollars.
At Barrett-Jackson Automobilia Auctions, collectors can acquire just the special piece they’ve been looking for. At the inaugural Northeast Auction, items from The Hartung Collection – which was 25 years in the making – will be in the spotlight as part of more than 400 unique and hard-to-find automobilia items, including porcelain enamel signs, are offered at No Reserve.
To view the entire Automobilia docket, click HERE.