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The one on eBay is listed incorrectly as an original - it is actually a reproduction. It is also missing the glass therometer and now only good as "garage wall art."

As said by others these were sold at K-Mart in the 1970s and 1980's and a lot of them are out there. And usually mis-represented as vintage when they are a re-pop.

I also have one of the eBay type thermometers, bought off Oz eBay last year. It is in pretty good condition, the enamel only has a few small chips on some edges, but the metal is very flimsy. If I remember if cost about $10 with about the same amount for postage.

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Well, thank god I got it for free.

Thanks for the education guys.

Or look at it a different way:
I like mine. I know it's a repop. Hey it's a nice thermomter. Not original. But $10 in 1980 adjusted for inflation is about $30 US today. So the eBay price is still too high at $50.

How can these be considered a "reproduction" a reproduction of which there is nothing original? Whenever I see one on Ebay listed as authentic I ask for documentation. The answer is usually "it looks old" "bought it at an estate sale of an old guy" "I was told it was old". I always tell them if they can supply solid documentation I am interested. So far I have not bought any

Keith, when you would buy Mal's thermometer for $350.00 and Mal would buy yours for the same price, then both of you would own a very valuable Packard souvenir. Be so kind to transfer copies of the invoices to John H, they will help him to ennoble his.
If everybody is satisfied with the increase in value then I kindly ask for a donation for the benefit of Packardinfo.com, the world's largest free online marketplace of old looking Packard swap-thermometers?.

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56executive -

I agree, but the unfortunate reality is that most people casually throw the term "repro" (or "repop") at anything "new". While some of this "new" memorabilia have become antiques in their own right, that doesn't justify the misrepresentation and ludricous asking prices.

On a related note, I don't consider parts recently made from original tooling to be repro or NOS, but simply NEW.

Getting back to non-authentic memorabilia, I buy pieces like that to decorate my garage - rather than risk spoiling a rare original. There are even some nicely made round repro signs that are done in porcelain over heavy gauge steel (rather than merely paint over tin), which hold up wonderfully outdoors.

Years ago, I even saw some of these very same Packard thermometers used as decoration in some chain restaurants - perhaps for the same reason (and low price, then). Mebbee these eBay finds are merely cast-offs from remodeling - spirited away by former employees.

"unfortunate reality is that most people casually throw the term "repro" (or "repop") at anything "new". "

Ok. I see your point but raise u a question:
WHAt is it called???? A Retrospective Production or what??? I don;t think there is a ny genearly accepted, widely used not commonly understood word to describe any modern representations of historic artifacts other than grouping them into repops. Enlighten me.

"On a related note, I don't consider parts recently made from original tooling to be repro or NOS, but simply NEW."

Hmmmmm. can u give some examples of Packard parts that are made from original tooling???? I assume 'original tooling" means original FACTORY tooling as was produced by PMCC during PMCC production years. That 'original tooling' is NOT an interpretation on a par with "Original Artists" in the music world.

There are probably examples of Chev or AMC parts from OEM tooling but i really doubt that there is any Packard oem tooling extant. But even using oem tooling begs the question (in somecases) of production controls.

Let us suppose some modern day REprodcution part is better than or superior to the OEM manufactured part. Then it is not a reproduction either???? What is it??? If the modern day part is infereior or equal to oem part then what is it called????

I really don't know.