I just returned from a Gas Station Memorabilia show and found a place than can restore old porcelain signs back to new ... Here are a few pics of there work. If interested PM for the name & number......
Just wondering how a restoration alters the value of an old sign and do they somehow mark it to show it's a resto? It's a moot point of you just have an old sign you want new and not worried about the future value-and it ;ooks like they do nice work.
Now, if they could restore the prices back to what they were when the signs were new they would really be having something.
I have a bunch of signs, and i enjoy the bullet holes and rust. Now I have a old greyhound bus sign that is very bad that I may try myself.
A few of those should have been left alone. The restored ones look like reproductions. Of course, those who mess with these things know what is reproduced & what isn't. Nice to know it's possible though. Neat stuff. Maybe fix the worst spots & leave the little stuff. Wonder if that's possible? JH
Restoring a sign can severly hurt the value. But sometimes it is a good idea. Most people that send a sign out to get fixed, send out an extremely rare sign, or, one of their favorite pieces. If my favorite sign was had a big chip on it, I'd consider gettin it restored. That chip can be mean thousands of dollars sometimes. A restored sign might look like a repo to some but it's STILL an original sign...I don't mind a little patina, but there is a limit! The problem with restoring a sign comes in when someone gets a sign fixed then trys to sell it as original.. That can be a real problem.. and Harrison: A lot of guys only get a chip or two fixed. It's a lot tougher to blend the paint but very possible.
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