COLLECTOR THINKS MOBIL MEMORABILIA A GAS.

Byline: Victoria Giraud People and Places

Dave Mercer's collection of Mobil gas paraphernalia is part of his home's decor, both inside and out.

There's a special room devoted to the signs, pumps and globes from old pumps, old oil cans, toys, matches, thermometers, an old Pep Boys papier mache model, and even a mannequin in a Mobil uniform.

Driving by his home on the Santa Monica Mountains canyon road, one immediately notices the gas signs on the home's outside wall, the comfy wooden chairs, and the two old pumps from the 1930s, standing patiently as if waiting to dispense their gas.

``I've had people sit out there waiting for an attendant,'' Mercer says. ``Tourists stop and take pictures. Most people think it's real.''

Even the vintage fire hydrant near the pumps doesn't stop them from parking.

Mercer's been a serious collector for about seven years, his collection a natural progression from an appreciation of old cars: He's got a restored 1955 Chevy Belair hardtop in a garage decorated with collector items.

His first find was a 1940's Gilmore gas can that he bought for $20. The Gilmore Oil Co., owned by the same family that owns Farmer's Market in L.A., operated in the Western states and was bought out by Mobil.

Mercer's first idea was to collect Gilmore items, but ``Gilmore is so scarce and expensive. I would have limited myself.''

Collecting Mobil items meant adding all the companies that eventually were bought by Mobil.

``It became a historical quest,'' Mercer reflected. ``A piece of history goes with it.''

He's found many old oil cans from the 1930s and wonders why would anybody keep an oil can from the 1930s? Mercer believes he knows the answer.

``In the Depression, they would keep it and reuse it,'' he says. ``Sometimes, old (gas company) signs would be used to patch a leaking barn roof.''

One of his best finds was a double-sided, porcelain sign ``United Motors Service'' from the 1920s that came from an old gas station across from the L.A. Coliseum. The sign still hung out front, and although gas was no longer pumped, the garage building was still being used for repairs.

It took several months for Mercer to connect with the owner of the sign and negotiate the sale. Then it was up to him to cut the sign down. He laughs when he remembers the joint effort with his brother using a saw and a rope.

``My brother was on the pole sawing the bracket off when the second bracket broke. I was holding the rope on the other end when the sign started to fall and lifted me three feet off the ground.''

Another favorite item that he found at an Ohio swap meet is a 1939 red Chevy General Petroleum tanker truck, which Mobil occasionally uses for promotions. The 750-gallon truck, which ``was used for local farm deliveries,'' looks almost minuscule parked next to a gleaming 9,500-gallon modern tanker.

Mercer finds items for his collection by going to swap meets all over the country. The biggest and best is the August Iowa Gas Meet held in Des Moines.

``It's fun tracking it down,'' Mercer says and adds with a chuckle that his wife, Sofia, who is a collector of music boxes and old advertising signs, ``is a bad influence on me.''

The Glendale-born owner of a civil engineering company in Calabasas and father of three has lived in and around the Conejo Valley for the past 12 years.

Since backpacking and driving around the back country of Death Valley is another of his passions, Mercer also has a collection of animal skulls, which his grandson calls ``the bones'' as well as Western and railroad items.

``I'm slowing down a little bit,'' he admits. ``I'm more focused on higher quality pieces.'' The excitement, however, is still there. ``New pieces are coming up all the time that haven't surfaced before.''

His collection is interesting enough for a book, and a friend of his from back east will be coming out to photograph it next month. The book will be published sometime next year.

``To have a quality collection takes a tremendous amount of capital,'' Mercer observed. ``Prices are through the ceiling. A sign I paid $50 for could be $500 today.''

Although collecting is competitive and expensive, Mercer hasn't considered stopping. ``I do it because I really enjoy doing it. I meet really great people.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--Color only in Conejo edition) Dave Mercer's home is filled with Mobil Oil memorabilia, both inside and out.

(2) Dave Mercer sits in a room dedicated to Mobil gas paraphernalia. He says he's on a ``historical quest.''

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News