Columbia Motor Company Printing Plates

[phalcon2112]

We were wondering if these have any value at all. They are vintage Advertisement printing plates mounted on the original wood We can't find anything like them anywhere. They are for Columbia Six Cars.

Hope the photo posts

[Rauville]

The plates appear to be from the 1912-13 era, when the Columbia touring car featured the Knight engine. This was the final model for the Columbia.
I'm sure there is an ardent vintage car collector that would love to have your plates...the trick is to find that individual.

[phalcon2112]

Thanks! We've had them for years and years. We can't find much info on who or where to look for someone interested in/or has info on this sort of thing. Searched the internet many times. We found many printed ads but no plates for printing those ads. Any leads on any info would be great!

BTW-We found a man named "Duffy" years ago but he wasn't overly helpful.

[mart]

Have you tried inking and printing on paper with them so we can see what they say ??

[phalcon2112]

We did the rubbing that is pictured above-We have some close ups of the plates. But no we have not inked them-as we haven't any ink and didn't think of it.
Here are some examples-we have 8 and none are exactly alike

[rockandrollrods]

Printing plates are an absolute bear to sell. I found a couple of Michelin (sp?) Tire ones from who knows when that went for all of $8 each. The Columbia was an interested car though. They were one of the first companies to work with electric cars, and a false frame design that Ford later ran with. This is all assuming I'm thinking of the right Columbia auto company, but I'm pretty sure I am.

I also just checked a new book I picked up last week. A 1953 copy of 'Those Wonderful Old Automobiles'...and Columbia didn't make the cut I'm afraid. I doubt that there's much value there honestly. The car is old and obscure enough that there are no clubs for them, and while printing plates are cool from a historical standpoint, they're difficult to display and not very neat to look at.

[antiquepete]

As an old Letterpress printer, may I suggest you take your stereos to a printer with letterpress facilities -
namely a proofing press, who I think would quite willingly do a print for you from these plates. the hard bit will
be to find a printer that still has letterpress - nearly everyone is either offset or digital these days.
As an aside - I am quite sure the squares cut out of the plates are for "customising" the advert - the
name of the particular seller/trader would be set in type & inserted in the space for printing with the adevertisement.
I wish you luck in finding a letterpress printer - we are a dying breed.

[mart]

I just looked up Columbia Six cars and found several sites where these might be sold if that is your intent !! One in the UK that uses the Columbia Six Touring car for weddings and says it has the only one in the UK !!  Most people that own the cars or are interested in old cars would be a likely market for your plates !! Try a few car clubs !!  Doesn`t cost anything to send an email !! You never know !!

[phalcon2112]

Thanks to all. It had not occurred to me that my brother works for a printing company..what was I thinking..not sure if they have that type of printing equipment-but I will ask.

We're not sure we want to sell them but it would be nice to get a value on them. Maybe we'll just build a frame and hang them on the wall? Also we were really curious if any of them-other than these exist anywhere. How unique are they? That sort of thing. Would it better to keep them and make prints from them?

My husband found them years ago stuffed on high shelf in his parent's house.

[mart]

Actually them being unique or one of a kind has little effect on value if there is no collector interest !!  You can have the only set in existance but they are worth little if no one is looking for them !! You still need a market even if an item is rare or one of a kind !!

[phalcon2112]

Very true....well-I guess at this point..we'll just keep them..unless someone thinks they're worth selling, cos they're kind of cool and old. We do appreciate your help though :3

[rockandrollrods]

They're very cool and quite old. It's one of those things that look valuable but just isn't. But if you like them, keep them! I would do the same.

[mart]

What you might find a market for are the printed ads !! I see several have them for sale on ebay !! I would mount the printed ad along with the matching plate in a frame and hang them on a wall !! A little brass plate at the bottom telling the name and date ect, would be unique and interesting for your home !!

[KC]

Believe it or not....color prints from this would be great decorator items!!!!!

[rockandrollrods]

That would be killer!