Restore or sell as is rare reverse painted sign

So I have a dilemma , found this rare sign that has some problem. This has sold for as much as 5k in mint condition, the paint has bubbled mostly in the black, good news is it is still semi pliable the paint. Not sure how much a restoration would be. Anyway what would you do?

Thanks Kim

 

Have no expertise in signs, but if it were mine, but I would leave it as-is so you don't eliminate the purist collectors. I also would research the prices both ways, or perhaps members here with sign experience can supply better info than I can. Cheers - Joe

 

Agreed. Good advice to research prices either way. I don’t know much but personally I would also leave it ‘as found’. It is also my understanding that collectors of signs and advertising material want ‘originality.’

 

Yep. Sell as is. Good reasoning above re "purist collectors" and those who want to restore may have their own preferred resources.

Debora

 

Are you sure it is painted? Deteriorating and flaking paint usually looks more brittle, with cracking and lost flakes. The pattern on your piece looks more like a decal (a printed plastic film) that is bubbling and separating from the glass. If a genuine painted version is rare and valuable, there would be an incentive to create decal reproductions.

 

Good point and question. Does look like it’s a plastic cover that is lifting. Alot of the reproductions have like a laminated plastic cover. What is the sign itself made of? Thin metal sheeting?

 

One sided yes?

 

Does look olde tyme-y rather than old time. Compare.

Debora

 

Yes it is painted, has areas of where it has flaked off

 

Just had a look on line. If it is authentic and you are 100% sure then it is worth a lot money (as you said) and in amazing condition for it’s age (I read 1800’s?) I would then definitely not touch,restore it or have anything done. I will just get it verified and appraised and take things from there. Maybe someone covered it with a plastic sheeting to protect it (Iam no expert so I don’t know) Best to have it check out/authenticated by someone with knowledge.

 

I've never seen paint flake like that....!!!
It does indeed look like a laminated car window that is bubbling up...

photo's can be confusing.......sometimes..

 

What is the supposed date of the sign? Newer paints, based on synthetic resins such as latex, will deteriorate/separate in a different way than 19th century paints/lacquers.

 

A photograph of the back would be helpful.

Debora

 

neat piece @Sdcookie2 I'm with the others that have said to sell as is
here is one that looks to be the same as yours


https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-scarce-1800-jp-coats-clark-412547627

 

Or this one.....with a little similar damage. Sold recently for $31.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/384336684078?hash=item597c40642e:g:PB4AAOSwjcZhGvzI

 

excellent link SIS, that one shows the back. Looks like the same thing happening on the back of that one too, the decal/sheet is lifting/bubbling.