1910 De Laval Self-framed Tin Sign

Appraised on: July 29, 2006

Appraised in: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Appraised by: Rudy Franchi

Category: Collectibles

Episode Info: Milwaukee, Hour 2 (#1118)

Originally Aired: November 5, 2007

IMAGE: 1 of 1  

Appraisal Video: (0:00)

GUEST: My mother-in-law saw it in the local hardware store in the back storage room, and she asked if it was for sale. And the proprietor said, "Well, it's my father's. I'll have to ask him." So the next time she came to town and went in the hardware store, she says, "Is it for sale?" He says, "Yeah." "How about ten bucks?"

APPRAISER: Ten dollars. Well. Now, this is called a self-framed sign. Well, it's a lithograph on tin. And it was developed around the 1880s, where they were finally able to put colors on tin and create signage. This sign happens to be from about 1910, though that image is earlier. That was the De Laval symbol that they used. It's like their logo. Now, when I started in business, I had a store in Montreal, and De Laval just about had a monopoly on cream separators for the Province of Quebec.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: So not only did I get cream separators into the shop, we got a lot of De Laval signs, but in a whole range of conditions. And it was very frustrating, because we would get a good condition sign with a horrible condition frame.

GUEST: Uh-huh.

APPRAISER: Now, the fact that it's in this condition is just amazing to me, 'cause usually there's big chunks out of it. And what's really frustrating is, that usually the De Laval logo down here is one of the things that's damaged.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: You can go over it with a little car wax. That brings up some of the brightness, and it doesn't harm it at all. But it's in excellent condition. And the frame, as I said, is outstanding. I've never seen one where both pieces came together like this. This sign in this condition with this frame would sell for about $3,500 to $4,000.

GUEST: Very nice.

APPRAISER: (laughs): Yeah.

GUEST: That was a good deal then.

APPRAISER: Yeah, that was a very good deal.