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Posted 7 months ago
Daddy_Nobu…
(105 items)
To me, a good bit of the fun in collecting is adjusting displays. This 7"x17" masonite thermometer I bought off an eBay BIN listing last week is a good case in point. Bottom right corner is missing, so I cut a piece of a Heineken carton and applied it to the back to soften defect (without permanently altering the piece - please cue the Sanford & Son theme song). After I hung da thermo, I decided to balance better by moving a cardboard sign next to it. Which then inspired me to take an old frame, back it with a 40's silk scarf, and mount my fan collection for display where the cardboard once resided. And to complete the new Command Central vibe, I put my first straight-sided bottle on the shelf as a finishing touch. Lots of fun.
Happy Friday and please do have a fabulous weekend. Good Finds Everbody!
Dave
Coca Cola ThermometersBefore it became known for its television commercials, Coca-Cola promoted i…
nice thermometer, I never seen that one before
Ok Dave, Heineken carton...uh no. Work with me here. Do you have access to a color copier? Bring said thermometer to color copier. Copy bottom area, matching the masonite green texture. Then adhere color copy onto piece of foam core. Cut to fit the broken section. Vua-lah!
Thanks fifties. They do come up once in a while for auction, not frequently. Book value is 450. I had to step up for this one, despite the condition issues, a little north of 150.
TGBWC, So I drank a couple (or was it three?), staring at the empty green carton on my coffee table, looked at the thermo, looked at the carton, looked back at the thermo... where are the scissors and tape! ... you how it works when the brewskys are flowing. :) I will take your advice.
LOL, Dave I would've bought that too. In fact have looked at them several times on ebay. Thermometers, especially Coke ones, always draw me in! I'm very curious about one thing, is the masonite very fragile on this therm? I ask this because I see many that have pieces broken off. Before I pull the trigger, I need to know what I'm facing here.
Hey Perry, thanks. The masonite is not what I'd call fragile, but certainly not as strong as metal. This thermo was actually on eBay first as a bid auction item, undamaged, price ran up to 235 with a couple days left, then seller ended auction and relisted it as a BIN 165. That's when I jumped on it. I sent him a note asking "what happened?" Turns out he broke that corner off when it pinched between two display tables he was moving. So certainly this material will break easier than a metal thermo, but I didn't worry any while handling it, it felt stable. Also, it is warped a little, has a bend to it, which probably is common the way wood soaks up humidity.
Ok, well I'm glad to hear that it's got a little more strength to it than I thought. I've obviously never touched or held one in hand.
Very nice thermo and at a decent price, I think. You don't see many of these without defects.
thanks Tom. I wasn't sure about price, sometimes I just go with my gut (and about half the time that means I over pay). I hadn't thought about it before, but this is my first and only masonite sign. In 1944, metal in non-essential manufacturing was pretty scarce because of the war effort. Here's what Wikipedia has to say: "Masonite was invented in 1924 in Laurel, Mississippi, [3] by William H. Mason, who was a friend and protégé of inventor Thomas Edison.[4] Mass production started in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s Masonite was used for many applications including doors, roofing, walls, desktops,[5] and canoes. It was sometimes used for house siding."
I saw one today Dave, almost got it but the bottle image had some damage. They wanted $275 and wouldn't come off that. I walked away.
Sounds like that was the right call Perry. My rule of thumb is 1/2 book value is usually a fair price these days. Petretti's most recent was published 2008, so pricing was compiled pre-downturn. I think some sellers just haven't adjusted or maybe aren't serious about unloading stock. Some of the asking prices on eBay are just downright hilarious. You've obviously had tons of success getting quality pieces at good prices, a real pro. The art of walking away is part in parcel of collecting.
You're right there Dave, I almost stole a corner of it for ya tho,,,,LMAO
Man, I really LOVE this.