DEALer sign archives
Explore the history and styles of the advertising signs offered by Oliver and White to their dealers over the years. The information below was compiled from our research and contains most of the signs, but is not an exhaustive list. Many of the designs below are now offered for purchase in the Oliver Archives Store.
Hart-Parr Tractors Sign
The Hart-Parr Tractors sign features a black, red and yellow color scheme and measures in at 70" wide by 36" tall. Two different versions of this sign were used: one with white letters reading " Dependable Kerosene Farm Power" and the other reading "Low Cost Power From Low Grade Fuels" The agency, representative, or distributor name was listed on the lower portion of the sign. We believe this sign was used around 1920. |
Oliver Farm Equipment Sign
As the merger of the four companies took place in April 1929, these are one of the first signs for Oliver Farm Equipment dealers in the 1930's. Measuring in at nearly 10' in length and containing smalt for reflection, these are a highly collectible sign.
As the merger of the four companies took place in April 1929, these are one of the first signs for Oliver Farm Equipment dealers in the 1930's. Measuring in at nearly 10' in length and containing smalt for reflection, these are a highly collectible sign.
Oliver Cost Reducing Farm Equipment Sign
This 24" x 15" sign features the original Oliver shield and was made for Oliver dealers by Nasico in Kokomo, Indiana. The dealer name and location was added to the top of the sign. This sign and the "Cost Reducing Farm Equipment" slogan are pretty rare as both were only used for a few years with the slogan first appearing 1939. |
Oliver Authorized Sales - Service Shield Sign
This 3-color Oliver shield metal sign measuring 47" tall was double sided and typically hung from a mast mount on a wall outside dealership buildings. This sign accompanied the new 3-color shield along with the "Finest in Farm Machinery" slogan debuting in 1944 or 1945. |
Oliver Sales - Service Shield Lighted Sign
This plastic faced illuminated sign featured the 3-color Oliver Sales - Service shield from the mid 1940's. These smaller signs were likely designed for display in a dealership window or show room. Because of the curved plastic face and heat from light bulbs, not very many of these signs survived making them extremely rare to find! This sign shown below sold in 2023 from the Arnie Meyer collection.
This plastic faced illuminated sign featured the 3-color Oliver Sales - Service shield from the mid 1940's. These smaller signs were likely designed for display in a dealership window or show room. Because of the curved plastic face and heat from light bulbs, not very many of these signs survived making them extremely rare to find! This sign shown below sold in 2023 from the Arnie Meyer collection.
Yellow "Finest in Farm Machinery" Shield Sign
This yellow background sign with the two-color Oliver shield featured the "Finest in Farm Machinery" slogan. These were offered as 40" x 40" double sided metal signs to Oliver dealers in the early 1950's. No Dealer Name Imprint was available in this design. |
Oliver "Finest in Farm Machinery" Shield Large Road Sign
The Finest in Farm Machinery road sign consisted of two signs - the upper portion with a large 2 color shield measuring 8' wide and 6' tall. The green and white colored lower sign is 10' long and was also made by Grace Sign Co. of St. Louis for the Oliver Corporation. To reinforce the sign, they were built with a wooden frame on the back. The white letters are reflectorized for the Dealer name and Location. |
Oliver Neon Finest in Farm Machinery Sign
Often considered the "crown jewel" of Oliver dealer signs, the double sided porcelain sign features the word "Oliver" in neon. This model of sign was manufactured by Neon Products, Inc. of Lima, Ohio. With the Finest in Farm Machinery slogan, these signs are from the 1945 to early 1950's era. Few surviving original signs exist and they have fetched over $25,000 at auction in recent years.
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Oliver 2 Color Shield Panel Signs
In the 1950's Oliver offered a new look to their dealers with their panel signs. The 2' x 6' panels were made from 24 ga. sheet with a rib at the top and bottom of each panel. They featured a white background with red and green text/logo. So dealers could choose how they wanted to interchange the panels, six different panels were offered : OLIVER with logo, Dealer Name, Farm Machinery, Industrial Equipment, Sales & Service, and Used Equipment. These signs were manufactured for Oliver by Grace Sign Co. of St. Louis. |
Oliver Plastilux Lighted Sign
The 3' x 6' outdoor "plastilux" lighted dealer sign was offered to dealers starting in 1951. The Selke Implement Co. sign is an excellent rare surviving example of this sign that sold at auction in 2021. As you can image, 1950's era curved plastic coupled with the heat from the internal lighting caused many of these signs not make it to present day - some 70 years later! Interestingly, the manufacturer only offered a 3 year warranty on the sign's colors when new! |
Oliver "Finest in Farm Machinery" Road Sign
Very similar to the tacker sign, the red Oliver shield with "Finest in Farm Machinery" text was offered in a 40" square size double sided tin "Dealer Road Sign" and could be hung from an 11 foot tall pole. Oliver recommended dealers have 4 road signs in strategic locations. |
Oliver Keystone Metal Sign
The Oliver keystone metal sign measures 46" tall and was available in single or double sided. These signs were made by Grace Sign Co. of St. Louis and normally have the name of the dealer they were shipped to stencil painted on the back of the sign. They also have a wooden frame on the back to support the sheet metal sign. The dealer's name was not available on this sign - a separate rectangular sign panel was offered for the dealership name. |
Illuminated Outdoor Keystone Sign (1962)
The 4' x 5' white plastic lighted signed featured an aluminum sign frame. Three mounting options were offered: double sided mast arm mount, double sided center pole mount, or single sided wall mount. In 1962, dealers could purchase the sign for $179. A 10" x 48" metal panel could be hung below the sign to identify the dealer name.
The 4' x 5' white plastic lighted signed featured an aluminum sign frame. Three mounting options were offered: double sided mast arm mount, double sided center pole mount, or single sided wall mount. In 1962, dealers could purchase the sign for $179. A 10" x 48" metal panel could be hung below the sign to identify the dealer name.
Plastic Keystone Sign (1966)
The plastic molded keystone logo sign was designed as a indoor sign with many of them hung above the parts counter in dealerships. These measure approximately 34" x 29" in size. The plastic embossed keystones were made by a plastic company in Omaha, Nebraska in 1966. According to former Oliver employee Duane Starr of the Oliver Branch in Omaha, the branch provided a plastic keystone sign to each of dealerships in it's territory.
The plastic molded keystone logo sign was designed as a indoor sign with many of them hung above the parts counter in dealerships. These measure approximately 34" x 29" in size. The plastic embossed keystones were made by a plastic company in Omaha, Nebraska in 1966. According to former Oliver employee Duane Starr of the Oliver Branch in Omaha, the branch provided a plastic keystone sign to each of dealerships in it's territory.
Oliver Farm Machinery Sign - Keystone Logo
The Oliver Farm Machinery road sign featuring the keystone logo was one of the largest signs used by Oliver measuring in at 46" x 94" in size. The sign included the dealership name and sometimes location on the lower half of the sign. Dealers could choose to order the signs with plain paint or a reflectorized finish. |
WM Logo Lighted Dealer Sign
In the mid 1970's, White Farm Equipment, which was owned by White Motor Corporation, switched to producing White branded tractors and thus, a new logo and dealer sign was offered. The euclid green color was added to the color scheme for signage. This lighted signed measured 6' wide x 5' tall. The bottom module was offered with choice of different text including Parts/Service, Outdoor Products, or Dealer Name. |
WFE Lighted Dealer Sign
Offered as replacement panels for the existing White dealer lighted signs, the WFE logo with the red, black and gray color scheme was available in two different signs. The 2 module sign without the dealer name measured 4' tall x 8' wide. The second option, a 3 module sign which included the dealer name, measured 6' wide x 5' tall. |