hardcore traditionists...ever seen one of these??

I bought this "Monogram Onyx Gear Shift Ball" at a flea market, probably in about 1990. It was made by the Kingsley-Miller Co. Chicago IL. It has a patent date of Aug 4, 1926 and has the old fabric wrapped wire. The ball is cracked but solid and I'm not positive it is a crack, it may actually supposed to be there and I'm not sure it was ever used. The installation instructions are on the lid and it indicates it came with several different colored bulbs and thread adapters, but those are not in the box. Anyway, does anyone have a clue as to: how old, how collectable or how valuable it may be??

 

thats a sweet find

 

hey..i like that.

 

I wonder if that's the Chromium Plated Fully Illuminated Genuine Accessory Shift Knob from C.W. McCall's "Wolf Creek Pass."

 

No clue at all about it other than it's damn cool!

 

Damn,, a fully illuminated, chrome plated genuine accessory gear shift knob. I only heard about one of those in a Tom T. Hall song.

 

Huh................what?

 

Well damn, I thought the exact same thing.

 

Can't read?

 

Earl called, he wants to know if you want him to screw that back on?

 

im not so sure i want my shift knob to be a light bulb thats just me.

 

That one and one more will make two that I've seen.

 

I don't know anything about it being collectable or rare, or anything like that. But I do know that it's really cool!

 

By the box art and type of wire I would guess it is late 20's early 30's. Cool piece.

 

It's Worth 23 buck's Where do i send the check?

 

cool looks like 20,s 30,s neat all hell though.

 

Way to go ! That it is just one of those really kool things you find at fleamarkets & yardsales ! Your's is the first one I have seen .

 

Umm...have you ever seen another one like it? Just because it's not worth thousands of dollars doesn't mean it's not a collectible. It could be one of the few left on the planet, so I'd say it's pretty damn rare.

 

Way up on the Great Divide??
I've been there. Great song.
Beautiful area.

The knob is really. I love old unique stuff like that.. Never seen one for sure.

 

It's pretty amazing it's still in the box and has the literature. That's like really old icing on the cake.

 

Is the ball hollowed out for the bulb? That would explain the crack (heat cold). It is a fine piece and should be used on a car just because it exists.
We used to sell reproduction real onyx stone shift balls in varying shapes and colors back in the 70s-80s. I think there still a few around here somewhere. They were no illuminated, of course.

 

I tend to agree--but, I think using it in it's present condition would probably destroy it. With box and all it would be cool on a shelf in a personal museum (garage).

 

thats exactly what i thought when i seen it..lol..
used to listen to that on 8 track headed out west with all my family on a summer vacation..etched in my mind forever

 

Thanks for the feedback, I have displayed it in my garage since I bought it. I've thought about using it and I may if I ever collect enough cool stuff build a totally traditional hot rod. In the mean time, I guess it will be a conversation piece. I think I paid a buck fifity for it and I'm a pack rat, so only under the right circumstance would I part with it. I'll have to check out the song you guys are reffering to,never heard it.

 

It is hollowed out for the bulb and I am kinda scared to take it apart for fear of the ball cracking worse. I dont know anything about onyx, but someone saw it once and said onyx usually appears to be cracked.

 

Email a pic to richwright66@hotmail.com Oldies car club...good luck

 

Hey, I started that! (only 70 years late this time . . . )

Not worth more than treefiddy and a sixpack, I'll gladly pay you Tuesday.

WAy kool.

 

Nope, that was lost in the crash at the feed store, in downtown Pagosa Springs. (about 47 miles east of here)

 

Man that is cool. I've never seen anything like that before.

 

Great find and even in the box... very kewl