Pre-neon Electric Signs 1900s-1930s The double-faced Federal Sign lightbulb sign for Old Barbee Whiskey is porcelain and dates from the first decade of the 20th century. The metal channel letter was saved from the Moore Theatre in Seattle, WA. The changeable letter plugged into the 1907 theatre's marquee readerboard. The stroke of the letter is illuminated with a single row of incandescent bulbs. The circa 1930s metal sign for Mrs. Hughes Beauty Shoppe has reverse-painted glass faces internally illuminated with incandescent bulbs. The glass faces are signed by "W. Frank Hull - Pgh., Pa." This incandescent, internally illuminated sign measures 8 x 24 x 32 in. and probably dates back to the turn-of-the-century. The double-faced can is constructed of heavy metal with glass faces. "Chemist" and the druggist's bottle are outlined in foil; background and copy are reverse painted, leaving the light to shine through the bottle graphic. The porcelain-enamel "bulb sign" represents the pre-neon electric sign era. Thanks to an earlier donation of a 1905 Federal Sign catalog by Rick Glawson, Fine Gold Sign and Esoteric Sign Supply, the Museum was able to identify the DRUGS sign as a Federal Sign stock product. The 2 x 8-ft. three-dimensional eyeglasses probably date to the turn-of-the-century. When the sign was acquired, it had plastic lenses in place of the original glass lenses, which would have had goldleaf and/or painted "eyes." The electrode housing holes around the bridge indicate that the sign had later been retrofitted for neon-probably in the 1930s. The sign is currently undergoing restoration by David Benko, the Museum's Electric Sign Curator. The double-faced, internally-illuminated sign dates to the 1930s. The punched-out louvers, which form the text for the sign, permit illumination by incandescent bulbs; the smalts background provides an illuminated effect during the daytime. This Cole Batteries sign was manufactured by The McSavaney Co., Springfield, OH. The Payne Furnace point-of-purchase sign was manufactured in the 1930s, according to Chuck Beauchemin, who donated the sign. The sign's face is hand-cut card stock, backed by colored theatre lighting gel. Illumination was originally provided by an incandescent bulb, but the sign was later retrofitted with fluorescent tubes. The 15 x 30-in. punch-out louvred sign was intended for interior display and features a handpainted woodgrained face. The sign was manufactured by The McSavaney Company, Springfield, OH and was discovered in a Soho (NY) toy store specializing in mint-condition vintage toys. The 20 x 32-in. sheetmetal cabinet "Bar" sign has flat opal glass open-face letters illuminated by incandescent bulbs. The circa 1910 sign is missing one section of opal glass and has multi-layers of paint. It is currently being restored. The 34 x 72-in. double-sided, porcelain-enamel Goodyear Tires sign features a bright copper border and embossed ("A.R. Burton & Son") and flat ("Goodyear Tires") glass letters. The internally illuminated sign was manufactured by Flexlume, Buffalo, NY, in the late 1920s.

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