Posted 9 years ago
Rattletrap
(910 items)
This rare UTOCO is the smaller version of what we have on display at aaaLakeside Storage. This one is about 3.5'x 5' and with some cleaning up should be a very nice addition to the Museum. The fact that we were able to obtain this sign from a Nevada family who never sells anything but their cattle was quite remarkable. We purchased a Seed & Feed collection of signs a long time ago to get some of the items in the Collection that related to Gas/Oil. We purchased it from the widow of a Tractor Collector who also had some other collections along with his Tractors. Interestingly enough the deceased collector had the same last name as the Collector we got our sign from & they knew each other even though they lived in different states and 100 mi apart. Small world! No they were not related. The good news is that for some reason he and his brothers decided they wanted our Seed Signs more than they wanted this UTOCO sign that was just hidden away in corner of a barn. We're no experts in Seed signs but think we made a fair trade for both sides and all came out winners. It was a bit risky for us as we made a very long trip without ever having seen the sign we were trading for. Imagine our thrill when he pulled it out of the barn! The Fun was in the Hunt & the completion of this deal. Keep on Hunting! Many readers will know, but some may not, that UTOCO came from the first Utah Oil Refining Company that was formed in 1908. It was originally called The Utah Oil Refining Company and then changed after Standard purchased over 50% of the Stocks to UTOCO and used the typical Standard Logo which they kept for their many name changes of UTOCO, American, Standard, Pan Am, and Amoco. Unlike other Gas/Oil Companies they re used the same sign rings with each of the changing signs. Very convenient for Collectors like us as it is a pain with all the other Companies who changed frames all the time as well as signs. Hooray for universal sign sizes!