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Petroliana Paradise: 40 Years Of Iowa Gas

A framed cardboard sign from the mid 1950s promotes Chevrolet Super Service brake maintenance. The asking price was $795. Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

Just as it has happened for most of the event’s 40-year run, petroliana enthusiasts gathered in Des Moines, Iowa, in early August for the Iowa Gas swap meet held at the Airport Holiday Inn.

For the first 10 years of the swap meet, it was held at various locations in Des Moines, according to meet registrar Stacey Hoyt, whose father, Ron Hoyt, is co-founder of Iowa Gas. When the event eventually moved to the Airport Holiday Inn, it found its long-term home, which features both indoor and outdoor vendor spaces.

This year’s Iowa Gas swap meet, held Aug. 3-5, featured 150 vendors. Their vending spaces were a mix of either indoor spots, such as individual rooms or lobby and conference room areas, or outside in the hotel’s parking areas. The three-day Iowa Gas event also included an indoor, two-day petroliana auction hosted by Iowa Gas and presented by Oil Capital Collectibles.

John and Jackie Alinder of Minnesota offered for sale several new-old-stock petroliana signs based on cardboard, paper or vinyl, including this pair of Rislone-branded items from the 1940s. Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

The Iowa Gas vendors Old Cars spoke with came from as far away as Colorado, Indiana and Texas, as well as from Iowa-neighboring states Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Most said they’ve been attending Iowa Gas for decades, having had regular success as sellers.

One example of long-term vending was the five members comprising three generations of the Iowa-based Reincke family. Les, Jr., Keith, Kevin, Max and Alex Reincke offered for sale a variety of petroliana items, such as gas pumps, porcelain signs, oil cans of various sizes and gasoline-branded road maps.

Oil can collector Joe Thompson of Amery, Wis., offered for sale this Detroit-based Long Life Motor Oil quart bottle with aviation graphics. The glass bottle was produced in the early 1940s when metal was rationed during World War II. Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

Vendor Kevin Wilcott, of Bloomington, Ind., said he’s been a petroliana/automobilia collector for 35 years, but admitted he reached the point where “I have too much stuff.” The thinning remedy was to begin vending at Iowa Gas eight years ago, each year bringing examples from his massive vintage toy truck collection as well as oil cans and new-old-stock Chevrolet dealership displays. When asked how he acquired many of the unique items he was offering for sale, Wilcott replied, “You’ve got to get out there and look. I’m never satisfied, always seeking what’s next.”

Another vendor couple, John and Jackie Alinder of Minnesota, have been sellers at Iowa Gas since its inception 40 years ago. The Alinders, like Wilcott, said they’re cutting back on their large petroliana collection by regularly selling at the swap meet. Their display of items offered for sale included several rare oil company-related signs made of cardboard, paper or vinyl that remained in mint condition, contradicting their fragile nature.

Kevin Wilcott, of Bloomington, Ind., offered a selection of 1940s Chevrolet new-old-stock items acquired from a Tennessee auto dealership, including this gearshift knob display. Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

This 1920s half-gallon metal can of Carbon-Nit carbon eliminator was offered by Todd Tessman of Hastings, Neb. His asking price was $225. The product’s original price was $1.25, and it was endorsed by “Teddy Tetzlaff, Barney Oldfield and the world’s greatest racing drivers.” Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

These vendors had diverse insights about the current status of petroliana collectibles, but, overall, were united in believing that quality condition items continue trending up in value. Based on asking prices that Old Cars witnessed, gas globes and gas pumps — both restored and unrestored — are still extremely marketable.

Vendor Kevin Reincke, of Anderson, Iowa, said he believes, “The petroliana hobby is more accessible to beginning enthusiasts than purchasing collector vehicles.”

The younger automobilia/petroliana collectors, according to Wilcott, are also creating a generational shift in that category of collectibles. “The vintage [toy] trucks from the 1920s are down. Japanese tin toys and pressed steel trucks are up,” he explained.

Brian Sykorn of Rapid City, S.D., a 10-year vendor at Iowa Gas and an all-category collector, mentioned porcelain signs and display cases/racks as currently sought-after items.

The 2027 Iowa Gas swap meet will be held August 2-4 at the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines. Learn more at www.iowagas.com.

This rare Japanese 1950s Wallfrin chalkware bobblehead was offered for sale by Julie Rawls of Colorado, who said she acquired it 15 years ago from an antique store. Her asking price was $295. Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

A French Canadian Corvette? This example is a (U.S. equivalent) one-gallon motor oil can with battleship graphics from the 1950s. The asking price was $185. Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

Three generations of the Iowa-based Reincke family have been long-term vendors at Iowa Gas. They are (back, l-to-r) uncle Keith, grandfather Les Jr., dad Kevin and his sons (front, l-to-r) Alex and Max Courtesy of Ron Kawalke

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Petroliana Paradise: 40 Years Of Iowa Gas

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