​Why did you start collecting? ​Hello Old Paint

Sep/Oct 2023 edition
Issue #30 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
​by Irene and Carter Davis

Why did you start collecting? Did you start collecting because you remembered an item from your childhood years ago?  Perhaps there was something you wanted and never got, or an item you loved that was lost over the years? Did you decide you wanted to fill your walls with some colorful signs, or perhaps you like to collect items tailored to you career?

​For me it was memories of my dad and his off weekends. You see, my dad restored Ford Model T and Model A Fords, and I tagged along to the local ACCA meets.  I heard him say several times, “My car didn’t win a trophy because of my paint job.” You see, dad had hand-painted the body with a paint brush, as he did not have the budget nor the equipment to spray-paint it properly. I guess that formed the connection for me between antique cars and paint.

Whiz Rapid Repair Enamel in half-pint size from the 1910s. Manufactured and guaranteed by Therm Hollingshead, Co., of Camden, NJ. Valued at $300-$400.

Glidden Endurance Auto Finishes tin sign, 15"x12". Valued at $4,500-$5,500.

Breinig Brothers Everdure Motor Car Enamel celluloid sign from the 1910s, 10"x12". Valued at $2,000-$3,000.

Acme Quality Motor Car Finishes “For Refinishing Old or Shabby Automobiles” celluloid sign from the 1910s, 12"x14". Valued at $1,500-$2,000. 

Patton’s Auto Gloss wooden wheel advertising sign, with center cardboard circle applied to the wood wheel, from the 1920s, “Goes on Right – Makes Things Bright,” 22" in diameter. Valued at $2,500-$3,500. 

An old Devoe paper advertising piece, showing a gentleman updating his car to brilliant red, 24"x36", matted and framed. Valued at $6,000-$7,000.

Murphy Da-cote Enamel tin sign from the Murphy Varnish Company in the 1920s, 19"x27". Valued at $2,500-$3,500.

Full cans of paint with antique car graphics are hard to find, though, as they tended to be used and thrown away. Many of the cans had graphics of men painting an automobile and even painting the white sidewalls! While other collectors might be searching for soda signs, we were in search of paint cans and signs. Paint signs were easier to find than cans, and brands such as Dutch Boy, Devoe, Murphy, Sapolin and DuPont Duco seemed to be the most colorful, with nice graphics. Condition was important, as we were going to put them in our country store, so we passed on some that were on the rough side. Cardboard signs were the hardest to find, since they were intended to be thrown away after being used in the store.

Patton’s Sun-Proof Paint, heavy cardboard puzzle (fragile) circa 1920s, 4" in diameter. Valued at $800-$1,200. 

Fixall Automobile Finish Gloss Black pint can from Louisville Varnish Inc., Louisville, KY. Valued at $89-$120.

Lowe’s Automobile Varnish Colors, 1920s metal countertop display, 14"x22"x4". Valued at $9,000-$10,000. (Publisher’s note: One very similar to this and in less original condition sold for $29,000 on April 1, 2023 at the Matthews Auctions Bob Harrington Auction.)

Along the way, I started to see smaller counter signs with automobile graphics that advertised different paint companies. These were colorful and had great graphics. Some held small paint charts, while many had small paint-sample wooden slates. Still others had the sample colors printed on celluloid. Glidden Auto Finishes had the most unusual sign I’d ever found: It was tin, with the car bodies cut out and separate color samples that could be moved behind the car. The customer could actually see the exact way his car would look with that color on it. Wow! At that point, the collection took on a life of its own.

The painting of automobiles has its own history. Since the Model T was designed as a low-cost automobile, they used an asphalt enamel paint. This paint had its downsides, one of which was it was only available in black – plus, the story goes, they needed a large amount of room to spray, and any stray bit of lint or hair would mark the paint job. So the men who painted the cars did so naked. Bet that was a sight to see!

​In the 1920s General Motors started working with DuPont paint. When the stock market crashed in 1929, car colors got dimmer, with somber green and grays, but later in the 1930s to 1940s, GM brought in sun-resistant and metallic paints. In fact, metallic paints were made from actual fish scales (it took 40,000 herring to make 2.2 lbs. of paint), and as you can imagine, it was only used on expensive cars.

Whiting’s Brushes sales display from the 1930s, featuring a can of Lus-Tro-Lac Super White 4 Hour Drying Enamel, a Whiting’s paint brush, and great graphics of an automobile and guy getting ready to paint. 12"x15". Valued at $700-$800.

Black Duck Auto Top Finish pint can from the 1920s, with great duck graphics. The 
message implied is that the finish will keep water off just like a duck keeps water off its back. Valued at $650-$850.Black Duck Auto Top Finish pint can from the 1920s, with great duck graphics. The message implied is that the finish will keep water off just like a duck keeps water off its back. Valued at $650-$850.

Perma-Finish quart can of Black Enamel from the 1940s. “The Perfect Wipe-On Car Enamel,” with instructions to apply with a powder puff. Valued at $60-$90.

Wizard Automobile Enamel pint can from Western Auto Supply Company in code P4592 Monterey Green from the 1940s. Valued at $300-$400.

DuPont Tire Black quart can from the 1960s, “A Paint for Making Tires, Mats and Running Boards Look New.” Valued at $15-$25.

Even though we loved them, signs with automotive graphics became harder and harder to find, and paint cans were not out there at all.  When we did find one, the condition just was not there. So we started looking for any early graphic advertising paint signs, which took on a life of its own! Colorful porcelain and tin paint signs filled the walls of our garage. Some signs were easier to find, such as Devoe, Sherwin Williams, Valspar, and Pittsburg Paints. Companies that went out of business were harder to find, such as Lawrence Paint, Sapolin Paint and Kuhns Paint.

If we could not find signs, I always came home with the small paint giveaways, such as playing cards or paper weights, match holders and paint counter signs. These filled our country store shelves and showcases.

You never know where your collection will take you. In my case, it was a passion that I was glad I had. I was blessed to be able to have Schiffer Books publish my collection, “Collecting Paint Advertising and Memorabilia.” This has been the only full-color book printed to date on paint advertising. It featured my collection at that time. It is still available either through Schiffer or myself for $29.95. My collection has continued to grow, and I still hunt for paint signs and paint cans with automotive graphics.  You never know where they will show up!

Irene and Carter Davis

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