1920 Fry 117 “Mae West” Visible Gas Pump
In the early days of automotive travel and the purchase of gas, drivers had great concern that they were getting the gallons of gas they were paying for. There was distrust of the distributors and gas station operators by car owners. The solution to this distrust was the Visible Globe Gas Pump! In the 1920s, The Fry Pump Company emerged as one of the leading manufacturers of Visible Gas Pumps, touting their "Guarantee Visible Measure.
Early Visible Gas Pumps were large, heavy and displayed limited style. in the 1920s, Fry introduced the model 17 (5 gallon) and 117 (10 gallon) which were nicknamed the “Mae West” pump because of its curves. They were very popular pumps, but by the early 1930, Fry manufacturing fell on hard times with inventory of unfinished pumps. Wayne and other pump manufactures acquired the inventory, completing the pumps with “conversion” parts.
The pump presented at auction is a restored Rush Conversion to a Fry Pump. These pumps are quite rare and highly sought after by collectors. This pump has been restored and shows well. The Glass Cylinder is tinted blue and is believed to be original, but not confirmed. The globe is reproduction with Red Crown glass present on one side only.
Out of area buyers are responsible for transportation of the pump following the auction.
*Buyer is responsible for pickup in, or shipping from, Billings, Montana*
The Lot has been consigned to the Online Motorcycle Auction hosted by the Classic Car Auction Group. The auction is Saturday, May 9, 2026, with online bidding only.
