SOLD! Globe Tires DSTL Flange Sign
- Jun 5, 2025
- 2 min read
Hanging onto History: The Rare 1920s Globe Tires Double-Sided Flange Sign
In the high-stakes world of vintage petroliana and advertising collecting, few things get the heart racing quite like an authentic pre-war flange sign. These pieces weren't just meant to sit flat against a wall; they were engineered to boldly project out into the street, grabbing the attention of early motorists as they cruised down America’s burgeoning highways.
Featured as Lot 2035 in the Spring Classic Auction, this Globe Tires Double-Sided Porcelain Flange (DSTL) sign is an absolute stunner. It represents a golden age of automotive manufacturing and roadside marketing, making it a highly prized centerpiece for any serious collector.
The Story Behind the Globe
Dating back to the 1920s, this sign hails from an era of fierce competition in the American tire industry. As automobiles transitioned from luxury playthings to everyday necessities, tire companies relied heavily on vibrant, graphic roadside advertising to establish brand loyalty.
The Globe Rubber Tire Manufacturing Company, known for its ruggedly built tires, created some of the most visually distinctive advertising of the decade. This flange sign is a perfect example of their marketing genius, utilizing a bold circular design meant to mirror the shape of a tire while showcasing the company's proud name.
Museum Provenance: 45 Years in the Wild West
What truly sets this specific piece apart from other survivors on the market isn't just its age—it’s the exceptional provenance. For the past 45 years, this very sign has been safely on display at the famous Wild West Town Museum in Union, Illinois.
Having been curated inside a beloved regional institution for nearly half a century means it has escaped the typical hazardous route of many antique signs, which often spent decades rusting away in abandoned barns or exposed to harsh scrapyard elements. It is a certified piece of Illinois collecting history.
Condition and Visual Appeal
Measuring a commanding 22″ in diameter, this double-sided sign is a masterclass in early 20th-century graphic design. It features:
Vibrant, Eye-Catching Graphics: The colorful layout remains remarkably clear, bright, and highly legible from both sides.
Authentic Character: It retains some light, natural rust spotting along the edges and flange. For the seasoned collector, this minor weathering isn't a detractor; it serves as a proud badge of authenticity, confirming its nearly 100-year-old history and untouched original state.
The Perfect Flange: The mounting flange remains solid, meaning it is entirely ready to be bolted to the wall of a showroom, garage, or private museum to hang exactly as it did in the 1920s.
The Discerning Collector's Verdict
Porcelain and enamel flange signs from the 1920s in stable, vibrant condition are becoming increasingly difficult to source. When you couple that scarcity with nearly five decades of rock-solid museum provenance, you get an investment-grade piece of petroliana that seamlessly bridges the gap between automotive history and high-end industrial art.
For anyone looking to inject a burst of authentic, pre-war color and unmatched historical character into their collection, this Globe Tires sign is an opportunity you don't want to pass up!
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