Posted 7 years ago
Rattletrap
(885 items)
It's no joke! There really was a gasoline Brand that had this name and this is a real sign from one of the Illonois Stations. A guy buy the name of C W Hicks started the Company in Roberts Illinois to sell re branded gas in small towns in Illinois in 1931 and it stayed in business thru the 50s but evolved primarily into the propane business. It was a small company and the signs are very very rare. We got this one from a collector friend in Iowa and are anxious to get it up on a pole at Lakeside Storage in Provo. Pretty cool signs don't you think?
There was a HICKS branded station still extant in Canton, IL until the mid 1970's or so -- I remember passing by it on the way to Grandma's house when I was a child. I don't recall the 'ATOMIC' part however, just "HICKS".
With a little more thought, I might be remembering that wrong...after re-reading your info, I'm now leaning towards the Canton station being a "HICKSGAS" location, which might indeed have primarily been a LP/bottle gas dealer instead...?
(it *was* a long time ago, and I *was* a kid...sorry for the potential confusion...)
AnythingObscure,
Perhaps I can help? Getting older is very much like driving: the farther away you get from the origin, the smaller and dimmer it gets. Add time to the event and you compound the errors. Now that I'm closer to 100 than to 50, just imagine how dim the past is becoming. It's hard to believe that there were ever very many of these cool old signs out there & we are very lucky to have found one.
Nice piece! Rare sign indeed. In great shape, but do I see a couple touch ups on there? Not that it matters on a piece like this, just curious... Bobby725 comments very humorous! And wisdom from you Rattletrap!
Akrodog,
Yep the sign has been touched up and clear coated on the side shown. The other side is very nice but has a few chips showing age. I have no issues with touch ups if they are disclosed. Isn't shaving and combing what hair I have left a touch up?
TTomtucker,
Thx for the love it
Valentino97,
Exactly! We often make fun of being a "Hick", and I am one, and this guy was actually named Hick and put his gas stations only in Hick towns! Pretty amazing I'd say! What a name; Hicksatomic! Of course the use of the word Atomic was very popular after 1945 and the end of WWII. Just add it to your own name and start up a gas/oil Company! Anybody can do it!
EJW-54
Thx for the love it