I'm Dan Matthews the authentication company we authenticate antique and vintage advertising items .
I started collecting antiques in 1990 and they've been they've been faking just regular antiques for quite a while. When I got into the signs the items got such to be a high value and they're so much harder to tell than the reproductions that we just seen the need for it.
When we started talking about all the Productions have been been made for the last 20 or 30 years and most of them weren't made to fool people, they were made to use on gas pumps instead of buying the original ones.
Some were made 30 40 even in the 1970s they were made by car clubs and those those signs are 50 60 years old now. People think they're original when they're not and they're paying original prices when they shouldn't.
First is just helping people so they don't get took advantage of. The other thing is is that just like it's like being a detective you have to figure out and you have to study and figure out why something is isn't.
TAC's got three levels: you got silver gold and platinum. When you're a silver member which everybody has to be to search on the website you just have to sign up at your email address and that way you can search you and you can see items and see if they've been authenticated or not now you do not get sizes or prices for that. For that feature is gold which is a monthly or yearly subscription and you'll get prices and sizes in three to four consultations a month where you can actually send us pictures and ask us questions.
The Platinum level is you get unlimited access to us with questions and also is you can have all your items put under your number so you have your own roll of deck if you want two of of items in your collection well I've been I've been in the sign hobby since 2000 which does seem like long.
That's 24 years and I've seen a gradual increase in prices and as long as you buy good quality items they you know they shouldn't go down in value science seem like there's been on a steady path upward buy something cuz you like it not because you're going to make money on it unless you're really astute and you really get into figuring out what's real what's what's worth money and not because you have to buy it cuz you like it but over time most collectors of anything if you buy enough stuff and different a variety of stuff you'll make money on some items you lose money on some some items we put a sticker on there, a sticker with a serial tag and that's unique to that item.
If you have a list of your own items you put that serial down next to it and something happens to your family your relatives know which item you're talking about well most time we do antique anything signs, Globes, and oil cans mostly.
So you can go to matthewstac.cm to visit our website or you can call 21756 38880 if you to call the office to talk to somebody. That's the best way to get started with authentication and call with any questions you have about something but first always send a picture my cell phone number is better I'll ask you to send a picture anyway if you send me a picture before I will be able to help you a lot more.
