Ambulance Sign

Sign

Kurt,

I saw this listed a couple of days ago..I couldnt believe my eyes....:cool:

Hmmm.... trying to remember something PT Barnum once said..:eek:

Maybe a trip to the local vintage plumbers outlet might be in order....;)
 
OK, something is fishy here. It was listed for sale a couple weeks ago, it was $250 (didn't sell), and it was located in West Virginia, near-enough to me that I said I'd drive to pick it up if I had bought it.

Now, it's listed for $1495 and it's in Massachusetts. :eek:

So either
1) someone is making these, thinking they will be worth a fortune
2) someone bought the one cheap and marked it up, way up, or
3) one of these is a fake sale

:mad:
 
My guess is #2. I don't know anything about the ambulance sign, but if it is from the same era and similar to the "silent siren" (which it looks to be, IF its real), then I can see someone buying for $250 and trying to flip for $14-1500. Consider how rare a silent siren is, and we see those come up for sale from time to time. $250 is about the bottom line for one of those, and NOS ones regularly fetch $1000 or so. This is rarer, if real. Doesn't seem like anyone here has ever seen one. Seems like it would be hard to fake the crazings and imperfections in the sign surface.
 
It's not like a Silent Siren in that it's not something for a vehicle. In our esteemed group with our combined knowledge and photo collections, nobody recognizes it. My guess is, if it is indeed something "antique", it was a sign above the ambulance entrance of a hospital or above an ambulance service garage door.
 
Well, like I said, I don't know anything about it, just throwing out a guess. Knowing what type of bulb was inside would tell a lot, if its vintage. 6v would indicate automotive use, 120v would suggest installation in a building. I have seen signs like that on old ambulances, just not illuminated. If the people here that spend all their time archiving photos have never seen it on a vehicle, then it probably was on a building somewhere. Or it was just a one-off homemade deal.
 
While on subject of NOS Silent Sirens and what they bring...

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...Have you ever seen a NOS ambulance version? Real deal, never mounted, still in The Monarch Floral & Funeral Supply Co box. Sky's the limit on value. :eek:

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These were acquired at Hershey just last year. There was a third NOS version never seen as well available that regrettably now was passed up. Any guesses what that one was?
 
I have seen the ambulance version before (but don't think they were no where as near popular as the silent siren. Ive never heard of a fire chief one, that has got to be rare!
And just think these silent sirens were $25 when new back in the 40s.
 
Todd Merrifield said:
Well, like I said, I don't know anything about it, just throwing out a guess. Knowing what type of bulb was inside would tell a lot, if its vintage. 6v would indicate automotive use, 120v would suggest installation in a building. I have seen signs like that on old ambulances, just not illuminated. If the people here that spend all their time archiving photos have never seen it on a vehicle, then it probably was on a building somewhere. Or it was just a one-off homemade deal.
Click to expand...

Seller advised me that the bulbs inside are AUTOMOTIVE,however he cannot tell if they are 6 or 12 volt...
 
Just suppose?

What if was for a department that had few ambulances and when one broke down this sign could be placed in the chiefs car etc.to use as a spare,:confused:
 
Just received a response. Seller is a former coworker and friend. It was bought in Maryland at a Petroliana show. He is a great guy and longtime paramedic and antique dealer. Let me know if there is serious interest.
 
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