Just as any collector, hunting for something to collect is half of the fun of collecting. I was in an old paint store over 20 years ago when I noticed an old can on the shelf with great old graphics.
Being in the billboard business, I used to paint on a daily basis and had never thought of the lowly paint can. I continued to look around the store and noticed an old Sherwin Williams “Cover the Earth Sign”, then another old sign with a boat, advertising Woolsey paint. At this point, I was hooked and thought this is for me.
Going from antique shop to flea market, I would ask for old paint cans, especially gallons. Of course, I got strange looks, as well as laughs, were common. I quickly found that there was plenty out there and I needed to be more focused on what I purchased. I decided to collect the gallon cans with great graphics and only purchase smaller cans with colorful graphics when I found them.
Paint cans came in all shapes and sizes. Older shaped cans including cone-shaped, triangular and rectangular are extremely rare. The graphics on any of the older cans are wonderful with great attention to detail. Some of the labels were printed on paper, while others were printed directly on the cans. After collecting paint cans for over 20 years they are now extremely hard to find.
Watch for my other blogs on other paint advertising I collect! Share or like our blog and be sure to sign up when each new great article is posted.
Check out great vintage pieces on the website http://www.icollect247.com. The site is all vintage with no productions and on limited editions. Deal with quality sellers who are also collectors!
Learn and enjoy collecting vintage and antiques. 
Have you ever come across a can of MARKIZ paint out of Chicago C. 1930’s – 1970’s? It was a family business and and a regional brand. First generation immigrants. I’d like to get my hands on or at least a photograph of one. Their ad copy was “we can’t all live in the white house but we can all have a white house.”
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