# Real or made to look old sign?



## SJ_BIKER (Sep 4, 2022)

Anyone know if these ever existed?


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## Drosentreter (Sep 4, 2022)

SJ_BIKER said:


> Anyone know if these ever existed?
> 
> View attachment 1690527



Looks awfully original to me, but who knows. The fakes are getting closer and closer to the originals…


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## GTs58 (Sep 4, 2022)

Looks authentic to me. Original patina around the edges. Is that a mid 60s issue?


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## Frank and Pam Skid Kings (Sep 4, 2022)

I stay away from signs because I'm just not educated enough on them yet. I would look at other items for sale by same seller, their feedback and their completed items (make sure this ain't the second one they have had or multiples of other signs they sell) to  get a "vibe". I've seen sellers with multiples of "original" signs. Also check other sign sellers completed sales to see if they have had this sign, that can give you an indication too. Hopefully this one is legit.


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## 1817cent (Sep 4, 2022)

My vote would be original but i am not in the market for one.  I also know nothing about signs and have never bought one. 😁😁


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## Robert Troub (Sep 4, 2022)

With 38 bids, at least 2 people think it might be real.......


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## koolbikes (Sep 4, 2022)

Don't think anyones repop'n one in that large of a size.
Original or Not that would be a great sign for any Schwinn Collection Display !


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 4, 2022)

Most of their large signs back are the same. That rust doesn’t look natural.

It would nice if they would guarantee to be original


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Sep 4, 2022)

Rust_Trader said:


> Most of their large signs back looks the same. That’s rust doesn’t looks natural.
> 
> It would nice if they would guarantee to be original
> 
> View attachment 1690768



If the front edges are as  rusted as they are it would make sense the back side would be as well. The back edges look crisp an no rust on top edge of the back I'm saying fake.


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## 1motime (Sep 4, 2022)

I think I recognize that seller. Good idea check the feedback. Rust doesn't look right


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Sep 4, 2022)

top edge of the back looks like finger marks and hand prints. They sell tons of signs I believe, they can not all be real.


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## ivrjhnsn (Sep 4, 2022)

They do have alot of signs the same size..Hmmmm. It's up over $2 g


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## GTs58 (Sep 4, 2022)

After looking at all the sellers other sign offerings, I say fake. The rust on the backs all look the same. If these were originals and intended for exterior use, the backs would not be raw steel. Nowhere in the listings does the seller indicate these are real.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144696705521?campid=5335809022


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Sep 4, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> After looking at all the sellers other sign offerings, I say fake. The rust on the backs all look the same. If these were originals and intended to exterior use, the backs would not be raw steel. Nowhere in the listings does the seller indicate these are real.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/144696705521?campid=5335809022



But man is she a looker


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## SJ_BIKER (Sep 4, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> After looking at all the sellers other sign offerings, I say fake. The rust on the backs all look the same. If these were originals and intended for exterior use, the backs would not be raw steel. Nowhere in the listings does the seller indicate these are real.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/144696705521?campid=5335809022



Good call. I saw a few 48" inch signs in solds and  many seem to have same rust pattern ...those have sold for 300-500 dollar range but you put Schwinn on one and it's crazy high now....


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## BFGforme (Sep 4, 2022)

If was $2-300 it would be cool to have real or fake!


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## mr.cycleplane (Sep 4, 2022)

in my opinion=real. as for other signs the same size-these weren't made by schwinn-by a sign maker and cheap-who made many signs the same size-not finished on the back-just enough holes to hammer a few nails to the side of a building. cool sign. i didn't carbon date the rust on mine but it sure looks old-light damage-as expected-circa 1939.


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## GTs58 (Sep 4, 2022)

mr.cycleplane said:


> in my opinion=real. as for other signs the same size-these weren't made by schwinn-by a sign maker and cheap-who made many signs the same size-not finished on the back-just enough holes to hammer a few nails to the side of a building. cool sign. i didn't carbon date the rust on mine but it sure looks old-light damage-as expected-circa 1939.



Schwinn wouldn't "Approve" of a raw steel back on a sign. Or would they? haha


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## ABC Services (Sep 4, 2022)

Fake recently made repo sign but hey it looks cool!


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## New Mexico Brant (Sep 4, 2022)

Total fake.


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## IngoMike (Sep 4, 2022)

The "Schwinn built" font is horrible, and the re-created rusty back is a dead giveaway. Buyer BEWARE! 
 I just saw the episode of AP recently where they bought an old "Airplane Rides" sign and got duped......signs are difficult. Buyer BEWARE!
Schwinn always used a classy font...


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## GTs58 (Sep 4, 2022)

IngoMike said:


> The "Schwinn built" font is horrible, and the re-created rusty back is a dead giveaway. Buyer BEWARE!
> I just saw the episode of AP recently where they bought an old "Airplane Rides" sign and got duped......signs are difficult. Buyer BEWARE!
> Schwinn always used a classy font...
> View attachment 1690945




I don't recollect ever seeing anything Schwinn with that lazy *S* like on that sign. That is horrible looking. One clue the counterfeiter did to alert people?


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## ogre (Sep 4, 2022)

No comment on authenticity or lack thereof, but for reference.

Here's a comparison of pics in current listing (bidding to *over $2K* as I type this!) and a couple of ended listings for similar signs, including one from seller "thecabe":


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## GTs58 (Sep 4, 2022)

ogre said:


> No comment on authenticity or lack thereof, but for reference.
> 
> Here's a comparison of pics in current listing (bidding to *over $2K* as I type this!) and a couple of ended listings for similar signs, including one from seller "thecabe":
> 
> ...




Nice work rounding another one up. Doesn't look like it's ever been hung. That lazy S is not Schwinn's style IMO. 

Final bid was a sniper shot.  
$2,325.00


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## rennfaron (Sep 4, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> I don't recollect ever seeing anything Schwinn with that lazy *S* like on that sign. That is horrible looking. One clue the counterfeiter did to alert people?



They are just enlarging the cover of the 1939 Schwinn brochure...making it into a sign. And if you compare the artwork, there are many inconsistencies... 



			Schwinn brochures and catalogs, 1893 - 1940 (128 of 147)


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## Gully (Sep 5, 2022)

She sells a ton of those signs painted on sheet metal.  Nicely done and may be cool to own, but not authentic if that's what you're looking to buy.  One rule of thumb as a sign collector, if you've never seen it before, it's probably a fake.


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## Rivnut (Sep 5, 2022)

If nothing else and the one showing the different parts, it tells you the painting process that was used - baked on phosphate, baked on primer, baked on aluminum base, baked on enamel final coat.  That in itself might answer some questions.


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## dfa242 (Sep 5, 2022)

That dealer sells a lot of fake license plates as well - buyer beware.


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## sccruiser (Sep 5, 2022)

Did a quick google search of seller name. Looks like other groups have had some suspicions as well.





						Oldjunque74 Sell Fake Gas & Advertising Signs
					

$1500,Oldjunque74 Sell Fake Gas & SignsAll reproductions or fantasy signs made in India purchased in bulk and sold on eBay for ridiculous amounts of money.Stop wasting your hard earned money on ju




					www.shopcheapluv.site


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## mr.cycleplane (Sep 5, 2022)

it does make you wonder-they must know! don't see terrible feedback either. at the right price you have to admit makes great decor for the bike room....2k is not it. like 250-that is decent. i have one and the nice big size fills up the wall-has a light patina to it also-its just for decor.


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## Ancient City Velo (Sep 5, 2022)

Fake yesterday, real in 50 years


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## mr.cycleplane (Sep 5, 2022)

Ancient City Velo said:


> Fake yesterday, real in 50 years



 so true!


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## GTs58 (Sep 5, 2022)

I have to believe all of these signs were never commissioned by Schwinn and they were produced like all the other signs made for all the different collectors. I see these types of signs made and sold at car shows etc.. And I still thank that lazy S looks like total crap!


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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Sep 5, 2022)

I have an old mid fifties coffee sign in my garage that I know is real and the paint on the backside is as good as the paint on the front ( its just awfully plain, go figure...)

with printing technologies that are readily available now its getting easier and easier to scan and replicate old stuff, I’d assume any sign was fake unless I could examine it close up.


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## Jay81 (Sep 5, 2022)

I thought I wanted to get into signs a few years ago. Started looking and doing research, and was turned off by all the fakes. India mass produces fake signs, many of them come from there. There are some that are pretty convincing, and others that are harder to tell. 
One big giveaway, is rust and / or damage only around the edges on the front of the sign, like on this Schwinn sign. You'll see porcelain signs with chips only around the edges. They use whatever process to cause the signs to rust, the new "fake" rust is bright / orangish. Old rust will be darker. Think of old rust on bikes and how different it looks from the rust on this sign. All indicators of a fake.


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## Archie Sturmer (Sep 5, 2022)

Perhaps if they also printed a fake excerpt of an A&S catalog to show past offerings of the same signs to dealers, might convince some that the sign was not as fake as it appears?

Fake signs are easy, but fake pieces of paper?


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## 1motime (Sep 5, 2022)

Ancient City Velo said:


> Fake yesterday, real in 50 years



Just an old fake in 50 years.  Will never be real except that it exists..


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## Handle Bar Hoarder (Sep 5, 2022)

i know this seller just from research.. not good feed back a lot of fakes & reproductions..........................


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## Maskadeo (Sep 5, 2022)

I’ve been surprised at what the India people can do.  Be wary when all edges are chipped. Stuff that looks legit is sometimes repop. No more signs for me.


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## Freqman1 (Sep 5, 2022)

Well sex sells...and she's hot!


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## MBlue6 (Sep 5, 2022)

If you see that lady holding a sign in an ebay auction anything she is selling is a Fake.


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## Nashman (Sep 5, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> But man is she a looker



And how!!


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## GTs58 (Sep 5, 2022)

MBlue6 said:


> If you see that lady holding a sign in an ebay auction anything she is selling is a Fake.




It is interesting that all the large signs they have currently listed have the exact same raw back and the rust is all identical. And they are all different advertisements. And advertised as vintage. 🤣


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## Jesse McCauley (Sep 6, 2022)

As has been stated before, this.... person is renowned for selling fake signs. 
There may be one or two real ones that sneak into their listings but honestly, stay away.


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## HEMI426 (Sep 6, 2022)

As far as the font being a little different it's a legal issue, my buddy makes fiberglass car body's and in order to avoid a copyright  infringement he has to alter a few things so it is not an exact copy. He learned that the hard way. Most of the signs I've come across seemed to have had some damage to the front in its 50 or 100 years of hanging around a shop or building. They used to use old signs to plug holes in barn walls and roofs, so a nail hole here and there and patchwork rust stains ( all different) could be the tell tail sign of a real sign. But be careful the repopers are getting good at their fakes.


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## ogre (Sep 6, 2022)

Antique Gasoline Sign Sells for $1.5 Million, Setting World Record

Note the authenticity & provenance!


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## Frank and Pam Skid Kings (Sep 6, 2022)

As I stated before I am not educated enough in old signs. What I think the real problem is though is not many people, buyers or sellers, are. Two different major swap meets couple years ago I talked with sellers. They stated how you have to be careful because of the fakes. What is funny I did a little research on signs each had that I thought were cool and am convinced they were both selling some fakes. I was at a local garage sale where a re pop beer sign was hung and overheard  seller say he was told a fake, but still thinks it is real. I just happened to be familiar with that sign because a friend was looking for one and saw one at a private museum that was real and so easy to tell his was fake, besides the fact it was a coveted high dollar sign, which didn't fit style of the garage sale guy. Gotta do research ! Us bike guys know that, right !


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## mrg (Sep 6, 2022)

So what is the definition of Vintage? ( the time it takes to ship from India! ) pretty lax on Ebay, back of the 7up sign and I guess they are too cheap to use a hot girl to distract you from the fake!, bad fake sign and BAD fake hot girl!


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## GTs58 (Sep 6, 2022)

mrg said:


> Back of the 7up sign and I guess they are too cheap to use a hot girl to distract you from the fake!, bad fake sign and BAD fake hot girl!View attachment 1692042




I wonder if she was holding that sign when the IRM was being sprayed on. That's Instant Rust Maker, in a squirt bottle on isle 24 at Walmart. Maybe they should get some in a spray can so it doesn't drip down like on this one.


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## skiptooth (Sep 7, 2022)

Looks like the real deal to me ! I know mine are real because i've had them for 40 years...


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## 1motime (Sep 7, 2022)

The percentage of negative feedback suggest that is not the case


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## Dave Stromberger (Sep 7, 2022)

Look at the rust on the back, the runs in it from where it was sprayed down with a rust solution of some kind. Salt+Vinegar maybe. Natural rust doesn't look like that.


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## mrg (Sep 7, 2022)

skiptooth said:


> Looks like the real deal to me ! I know mine are real because i've had them for 40 years...




Completely different kind of signs, bike, soda, etc. with the exact same rust pattern on the back is one of the giveaways and 40 yrs ago was the 80's and they were faking old signs then too, but not saying yours are fake.


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## Coyote (Sep 7, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> That's Instant Rust Maker, in a squirt bottle on Aisle 24 at Walmart.



That is a thing???
So that explains it.
Someone has been sneaking into my basement and spraying down all my bicycle wheels!! 😁


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## rennfaron (Sep 7, 2022)




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## mike cates (Sep 10, 2022)

I'm not into signs but....you sign guru's should check out this huge sign. Not mine or know anything more about it other than coming across it on craigslist. Thought I'd share it with you fellow bicycle collectors.
Mike Cates, CA.
Click here:  https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/atq/d/agoura-hills-original-1950s-schwinn/7512797710.html


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## 1motime (Sep 10, 2022)

mike cates said:


> I'm not into signs but....you sign guru's should check out this huge sign. Not mine or know anything more about it other than coming across it on craigslist. Thought I'd share it with you fellow bicycle collectors.
> Mike Cates, CA.
> Click here:  https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/atq/d/agoura-hills-original-1950s-schwinn/7512797710.html



WOW  That is huge!  Very cool if you have the space


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## Freqman1 (Sep 10, 2022)




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## Gully (Sep 10, 2022)

mike cates said:


> I'm not into signs but....you sign guru's should check out this huge sign. Not mine or know anything more about it other than coming across it on craigslist. Thought I'd share it with you fellow bicycle collectors.
> Mike Cates, CA.
> Click here:  https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/atq/d/agoura-hills-original-1950s-schwinn/7512797710.html



I like it!!  Looks like it was cut out of the building.


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## GTs58 (Sep 10, 2022)

Looks like it's still for sale. Here's an earlier thread on that sign. 

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/o...gn-vintage-antique-5-500.208760/#post-1429949 


Gully said:


> I like it!!  Looks like it was cut out of the building.


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## RUDY CONTRATTI (Sep 10, 2022)

*Lets start from the top If you want a Re Pop sign,,thats preety much all she sells,,and when that sells,,there will be another,,I have the Porcelain Fever,,and started years back ,,and after countless Swap Meets and E Bay I have learned that anything can be re pooped,,and they are real good at it .Made in India,,,Canada,,Tenn.,,by the 1000s everyday ,,shipped here and sold to people who dont no its fake ,,or simply dont care,,If someone with a keen eye,has ever seen one in a photo of an old bike shop,,I stand to be corrected,,She has lots more even bigger then that,,But hey ,,who cares sometimes if it fits in the rite space,,ya have the cash ,,buy it ,,My wife doesnt go for Re Pops anymo,,as far as the Wooden Sign and the story is true ,,thats History!  its real ,,and worth the cash they want,,A photo of the bike shop back then would tell the story on that one*


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## Barto (Sep 10, 2022)

Rust doesn’t look right on the back, too even!


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## Barto (Sep 10, 2022)

I was in Bangkok where I found what was supposed to be a Vietnam era medic’s helmet,  Along with several other desirable helmets 86th, 101st, MP etc. etc!  They were fake and I told him!  He denied it of course, I collect helmets, it was such a good repop that I bought it any and display it proudly ( as a fake)


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## mike cates (Sep 10, 2022)

Someone will appreciate this Schwinn / Whizzer sign and have the space for it. I remember going to a bicycle collector's home some years ago and he owned the 2 story home across the street that he had gutted. Within this house it was like being in a huge filing cabinet. There were framed and mounted original billboard sized bicycle advertisement signs, posters, etc on rolling tracks so you could pull them out to see them in their entirety. Some were nearly 20 feet long and 8-10 feet high so there are the exceptions in collecting and this is where this sign will probably go.
Mike Cates, CA.


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