HistoryYe Olde Sign Shoppe at the American Sign MuseumSigns, photos, and other artefacts from sign shops of old in the American Sign Museum's collections.Better LettersMar 20, 2025 7 min readTilden, Nebraska, was once served for up-to-date signs by Russell & Sons.During my week at the American Sign Museum, I was blown away by the history preserved there in terms of old sign firms, sign painters, and gilders see searches for 'sign painter' and 'sign shop' in their online collections for example.I featured some of these Beverly Sign Co., George C. Brooke, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., Keith Knecht, Raymond LeBlanc, and Mike Stevens in last week's post, so the following is more of a photo dump of other 'ye olde sign shoppes' that can be found at the museum.I've had to resist the urge to get into local historical research for these, but if you have any knowledge to add, then I'd be happy to edit accordingly.'Ye Olde Sign Shoppe' is a regular column in BLAG (see all back issues), and one of my favourite research topics. There are dozens of bl.ag online pieces with the 'ye olde sign shop' tag, and I'm always excited to hear new and interesting stories: please share yours by emailing sam@bl.ag.Original Sign DesignsLet's pick up more or less where we left off with the 1941 Original Sign Designs book.Brown Sign Co.These sequential pages show the design by J.L. Beardsley and a photo of its fabrication following a few small adjustments.Beardsley's credit (first image) locates them in Dayton, Ohio, so assuming they worked for the Brown Sign Co., we'd have a location for this shopfront. Wittich / Hastings Co.The credit on this page reads "Hastings Co., Philadelphia, PA". It's not clear to me if the firm is Wittich or Hastings Co., as the latter doesn't seem to correspond to an easily identifiable location in/near Philadelphia...Vehicle EvolutionNext up some pairings of sign shops with vehicles, theirs or otherwise, outside.Wilmore & Co. / A.A. RitterLet's take it right back to when sign painters used to get to jobs on a penny-farthing bicycle. (Check out this bl.ag online feature for more sign painters on two wheels.)My guess for the whited-out letters is 'Company' to read 'Wilmore & Company' with the ampersand above the window.The new sign placed above the doorway advertises A.A. Ritter, perhaps placing the photo to a time when this sign painter took over the Willmore & Co. firm.Looks like an ornate piece of reverse glass work in the frame.Ryan SignsCheck out the massive manicule/printer's fist pointing to the way in to Chas. Ryan's shop, which is located above a restaurant and a barbers.Lowdown lettering in the restaurant window boasts of "tables for ladies", and the vehicle looks to date from the 1910s.Russell & SonsHere's Russell and his sons with their well-appointed mode of transport for big signs in Tilden, Nebraska.Russell & Sons are proudly sponsored by Red Seal White Lead, whose mascot bears an uncanny resemblance to the Dutch Boy brand.Yes, that sign on the floor really does say "paint with pure white lead and end your troubles", if you work your way around the layout in the right way. In fact, as we now know, lead spells trouble.Maybe one of the sons did this one.Neon BreakdownIs the guy on the left the mechanic, or the sign man expressing frustration with the pace of this tyre change?R. & H. Strachan, Inc."We made signs before we could talk" and we're ready to make more in Brooklyn, New York.I think that Strachan has a brother of the brush in Cuba.Anon., Lufkin, TexasAnd, finally, bringing things into the modern era.If you enjoyed those, then get right up-to-date with this extended photo post of contemporary sign painter vehicles.Self-Promotion'Be wise, advertise' they say, and the sign game is no different.Pierrepont Signs, Inc.These blocks were produced for printing advertisements in newspapers and magazines, most likely Signs of the Times in this case. Pierrepont Signs is still trading in Rochester, New York.The blocks would be positioned alongside others, and/or with type, to set the page for printing.I've flipped these two over so that you can also see the layout as it would have appeared in print, although in negative, as the lighter parts here are where the ink would be taken, while the darker parts remained white/the colour of the paper.Geo. C. Kirn & Co.These look to be original artwork for reproduction at smaller sizes, perhaps as trade or business cards, or in press.The winged woman brought to mind the one on the Signs of the Times artwork in last week's post and I'm wondering if they perhaps represent Iris, messenger of the gods in Greek mythology?This relatively large piece is marked up with the reproduction size of 2 1/8 in (5.4 cm).Detail of the lower portion of the above advertisement showing the address and direction details.At the ShopStriking a pose at the shop.Raiford Sign Co.What a smart bunch of fellows in Houston, Texas, and we'd expect nothing less from a firm established in 1892.Six suited men posing in the doorway of a shop adorned with signs for the Raiford Sign Co.Signs by LeeBut which one's Lee?Low PricesIf these guys put their prices up, they might be able to afford a better photographer.Cincinnati LocalsEagle-eyed Jenna Homen spotted these in the Historic Photos of Cincinnati book.John the Sign WriterIs that the man himself in the upper left window? John's Cincinnati Sign House was located on West 5th Street, with this photo taken in the 1880s.Dilts Advertising Sign ServiceThis photo was taken on Queen City Avenue in 1915."High-water streetcards had their motors mounted up in the body of the car that was elevated from the tracks"Queen City Sign Co.This one rang a bell, and then I recalled I'd seen it somewhere online, colourised. My notes have it on Vine, between 4th and 5th streets in the late 1880s.The photo presented in the book is actually slightly cropped versus the colourised version below.Gary Godby has an alternative treatment here with the sign in red, and showing the annotations on the original photo.On Main StreetAnd, to close, a sneak preview of some of the signs for sign painters that are on display in the Main Street sign shop at the American Sign Museum.Ad-Art DisplayFormerly Elliott & Johnson?Winsted Sign ServiceGrant Signs / Olga SignsDo you know how the (presumably local) three-digit phone number can be used to date Olga's sign?Stades SignsL.D. Van OrdenMack's SignsWhatever you need, Mack has you covered for quality sign work.PS. I Miss YouAnd, last but not least, is this beautiful envelope, hand-drawn by Charles N. Dunlap in 1898. He was a former employee at the Smith & Quehl shop, and the letter inside expresses discontent with his new employment in Youngstown, Ohio, and nostalgia for those happier days back in Cincinnati.More Olde Sign ShoppesMore History