Satellite Shopland Then and Now

I have been collaborating withTeresa Young (see her profile at http://www.signhugger.com/), on her Once Upon a Sign series to create blog posts about individual signs in the museum's collection.  Our most recent collaboration presents the story of the Satellite Shopland sign, one of my personal favorites.  I would run it here in its entirely, if i knew how. Next best thing is to send you to her blog.  You'll find some great stuff there in addition to the Satellite Shopland post.  Enjoy.

Big Top Comes to the Museum

After more than three years and at least three dozen phone calls from museum supporters, the iconic Big Top sign is now safe in the hands of the American Sign Museum.

Originally displayed in Mason, OH about a half hour from the museum, the sign has stood unattended after the closing of the restaurant in 2005.

I had tried several times to contact the owner of the property, but to no avail. It wasn't until Karen Duesing, the realtor who had listed the commercial plot, got involved that the owner agreed to donate the sign.

The imminent widening of the adjacent state route must have also been a factor since the sign stood in the way of 'progress'.

Unfortunately, the sign had suffered a great deal of paint damage in the years since it first came to our attention. More recently, the sign suffered a blow to the bottom panel, collapsing the sheetmetal.

The crew of our go-to-guys--United-Maier Signs--took extreme care in removing the sign and hauled it off to their shop to see what could be done to save this original section of the sign. Whether the metal can be saved or not, this sign will most assuredly require re-painting--an exception to our general policy of not re-painting signs.

We're thrilled we could save this Cincinnati icon. It will have a prominent place in our Signs of Cincinnati exhibit when we move to our new, larger site.

Road Trip to New England

It's been a long time, so it was great to be on the road again visiting old friends and making new ones. Oh, and picking up treasures for the American Sign Museum along the way!  Our first stop was Stow, Ohio, and the home of George Bowers. George had emailed me about a 24" by 24" solid bronze Kelly Springfield Tire Company plaque/sign. In 1983 he witnessed a demolition company tearing down the front wall of the Cleveland Ohio Kelly Springfield Tire Company Distribution Center. Not wanting the sign to be lost, George purchased the sign and has kept it safe for the past 27 years. Over the years, collectors have offered him a pretty penny for it, but he wasn't ready to let it go to just anyone. Then he came across the American Sign Museum, and we're glad he did!

According to George, Kelly Springfield Tire is the oldest continuously operating tire company in the US and the first to develop rubber vulcanization (1844) and bonding rubber to carriage wheels. During the Great Depression, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. purchased Kelly Springfield, and Kelly Springfield is currently a wholely owned subsidiary of Goodyear. Thanks to George and his wife for their hospitality and for sharing their treasure with the Sign Museum.

Next, we headed to Buffalo, NY, where we visited Paddy Rowell Sr. and Jr. at their AMAZING Flexlume facility. The Rowells have the makings of their own sign museum, as they have kept signs, equipment, and supplies since Paddy's dad owned White Sign Company way back when.  Flexlume is celebrating their 100 year anniversary this year.  We then went to dinner with Paddy Sr. and his lovely wife.  We learned about 'roast beef on weck' and REAL buffalo wings.

We ended Day 1 in Niagara Falls, enjoying some Perry's Ice Cream at Twist O'The Mist.

The next day, we visited Cooper Sign Company, in business for more than 85 years.  I had met the senior Cooper who told me to visit the shop sometime:  'I'm sure we've got SOMETHING for the museum.'  Well, not only did they have some great pictures and signs to show us, they also donated an 'Ad In Motion' sample of a sign designed for car tops. It's designed to swing in the breeze for added fun.  When we saw a picture of their custom rotating pink elephant, we had to track it down.  A little worse for wear, but still a great landmark for the current business and the town.  Thanks, John and Jennifer, for showing us your shop and contributing to the museum's collection.

 

From Niagara Falls, we drove to Dover New Hampshire, where a bit of a challenge waited for us.  Thanks to some great sleuthing on the part of roadside afficionado, Debra Jane Setzler, we were able to acquire a Norge ball from Sanford, Maine.  Debra Jane came upon this opportunity and notified us immediately. Good friend and museum supporter, Mike Leary at Sundance Sign and Design in Dover retrieved the ball for us and brought it to his shop for safekeeping.  We spotted it immediately, housed in the crate Mike built for transporting the ball.  After some initial catching up on all things signs with Mike partner-in-crime Jill Butterfield, we got to work on how to get the ball onto my trailer.  Once we raised it up and tilted the trailer, we were able to slide it on without too much trouble.  We got some great looks and comments driving down the road!  My favorite was when I was asked if we were with a carnival.

Go to Debra Jane's website for an incredible pictorial encyclopedia on everything roadside and to her Norge Ball page in particular for details on Norge Balls and a picture of our own Norge Ball while it was still displayed in it's all it's glory. 

After a quick visit with daughter, Abby, in Boston, we headed back with our new treasures and said goodbye to the road for now.  But we're already making plans for the next road trip!

Old friends, new investors?

The Midwest Sign Association is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.  Congratulations!  Here's to the next 50 years! 

The recent International Sign Association / Midwest Sign Association event here in Cincinnati offered a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make some new ones.  Those who came to the reception at the American Sign Museum's future site were treated to a look at our progress to date and our vision for the future... hopefully the near future!! 

We received some very encouraging comments about what we're doing.  I was a little disappointed, however, and a little frustrated when I asked for a show a hands of how many were members of the museum. 

I read an article recently about how we not-for-profits should see people not as 'donors' or 'supporters', but as investors.  This makes a lot of sense. The goal of the American Sign Museum is to not only share with the world the history of the sign industry, but also to help shape our future.  We tell a compelling story of how of signs reflect and influence design, technology, American culture, and -- most importantly -- their unique and vital importance to commerce.  And if that's not enough, they're just plain fun!

Help us tell the world about signs and the role they play in business, community planning, engineering, marketing, communications, and -- yes -- art.  If you are not a member, or have not renewed your membership, please 'sign' up now.  You can do it online on our website.  Or we're happy to accept your check by US Mail!  You can also find other ways to 'Get Involved' on the website.
Now is the time to invest in the American Sign Museum!

More Respect - Signs ARE Art

Several months ago the Cincinnati Art Museum and ArtWorks approached me about a potential partnership in their summer project called 'The American Road'.  ArtWorks is a Cincinnati organization whose vision is to "be the leader in employing student and emerging artists to create art that enlivens the Greater Cincinnati community." The American Sign Museum has worked with them on other projects. Now they were getting ready to partner with the Cincinnati Art Museum on this American Road project, and wouldn't signs from the American Sign Museum enhance the experience?  In fact they were envisioning some of our larger signs lining the park entrance and winding road leading up to the Art Museum.

Unfortunately, when I explained the time, money, and labor that would be involved in transporting and safely installing the signs - for a temporary exhibit - the idea had to be shelved.  But that didn't mean we couldn't provide some smaller signs for the open area where the students would be working.  According to the ArtWorks website, the plan is to have ArtWorks artists:

creating a painted homage to the American tradition of road trips and traveling West. Working on site at the Cincinnati Art Museum, this team will transform the second floor ambulatory into famed highway Route 66 with a mural of vistas and landscapes of Western America and classic neon signs on loan from the American Sign Museum. Artists will be painting during open museum hours for visitors to observe as part of the Art Museum's See America series. 

Well, the signs are now in place, with their neon lighting up the hallowed halls of this revered institution. 

 

Soon the students will begin painting their mural. I look forward to watching and maybe even influencing their progress.  If you're in the area, I suggest you drop in and give them some encouragement.

Getting Some Respect

It's been a long time.  Too busy doing things to write about them.  But I'm working on it. For now, let's consider signs getting the respect they deserve.  I'm seeing it more and more. Allow me to share an example:

Recently I had the honor of conducting a workshop and joining in the fun at the centennial celebration of the the Bristol TN/VA slogan sign. It was a very big deal with local and state officials not only attending, but verbalizing their recognition of the value of old signs to a community. Granted, they're thinking in terms of signs that have already made their mark, rather than how this might relate to current sign codes, but it was heartening indeed.  The Bristol Sign Centennial included the mayors of the TN and VA versions of Bristol and state senators too.  It was really great to see them embracing the town's heritage through a great sign.

Signs appeal to deSIGNers...

The museum is many things to many people.  To the design community, it’s an excellent resource for tracing the history of advertising and commercial design. Whether interested in type design or design trends, designers—both professional and student—find the museum of special interest.

Matt Davis, chair of Bowling Green State University’s division of Graphic Design, knows this, so he and colleague Amy Fidler, an instructor in the Graphic Design program, brought 38 junior and senior students with Majors in Graphic Design for a tour in mid-March. One of them forwarded me this group photo with this comment:

'Thanks again for taking me and my fellow peers through your exhibit on Friday. I know I can speak for everyone when I say we all had a blast! Your displays were not only aesthetically pleasing but also full of history and background info... '

The Museum has also been a perennial draw for local academia, including students and professors at the University of Cincinnati’s Design, Art, Architecture and Planning School (DAAP); the Art Academy; Northern Kentucky University and the College of Mt. St. Joseph.

Have YOU been to the museum yet?