Signkits & Sign-making Equipment/Tools

Signkits & Sign-making Equipment/Tools

The Museum has acquired a number of other signpainting kits for display in the permanent collection. Every kit has a story behind it, and each lends a clue to the special techniques and specialty work of its owner. The one in the background is a U.S. Army-issued sign box.

The one in the foreground at left was once used by Raymond Isherwood, a New Jersey signpainter who specialized in goldleaf. The kit was donated by Val Hadshinow, Signs by Val, North Arlington, NJ, who was Isherwood's understudy.

The signkit at right belonged to Albert Coonrod, Sr., whose signpainting career spanned over 50 years before he "retired" in 1986. Coonrod's diverse career included restoration of church statues and ceiling murals; a stint at the Mare Island Naval Yard in California; and freelancing as a designer and artist at Christmas Village, Waterloo, IA. Website: www.albert.howlingmoon.info

The Pope Lettering Set was manufactured by Glenn W. Pope Co. (Grand Rapids, MI). The kit consisted primarily of plastic stencils in various typestyles and sizes, plus a track system for mounting the card stock to be 'printed.'

The Duro Sign Maker kit consists of gold decal letters and numbers in various styles and fonts (including drop shades) displayed in a metal box.

The Aristocrat Sign Maker, was donated by John Smith, a retired vice president of Cincinnati Sign Supplies Inc. A beautiful 41/2 * 10 * 20-in. wooden box housed this kit and included two complete font sizes, a ruler and spacing bar, stamp pad and other accessories.

The Nu-LUME All-Purpose Signs display was marketed by Macklanburg Duncan Co. (Oklahoma City) and probably targeted hardware stores. The 1950s-style graphics show three installation examples. The typical copy reads, "Make Your Own Signs...in just a few minutes!" A pull-out drawer built into the mailbox opening houses individual adhesive letters.

Bob Fitzgerald, longtime Signs of the Times' columnist and author of the classic book Practical Signshop Operation, donated the signkit of his mentor, Elmo Wilson, who passed away in 1967. Fitzgerald wrote an article about the signkit in the May, 1983 issue of Signs of the Times. The kit harkens back to the days when sign painters traveled light, carrying nearly everything they needed for a given job. Fitzgerald also donated Mr. Wilson's "bridge", which he fashioned to span over still wet work or extremely hot metal, and a box of gold decal letters which he used to "gild" windows.

Charlie Wheeler, owner of Tattoo Charlie's in Louisville, KY, donated this signkit. Wheeler has a great interest in signpainting himself, and acquired the signkit of Charles W. Stanley, a colorful character who among other things, painted showcards and banners at Cincinnati's former Coney Island amusement park. Wheeler was a showman at heart, pulling off such stunts as the first "wedding on skis" during his tenure as Coney Island's Director of Special Events. He also purchased the bullet-riddled car in which Bonnie and Clyde met their demise, and was President of the National Fast Draw (as in gunfighter) Club of America.

The "Duro Sign Maker" lettering kit, manufactured by Duro Decal Co., Chicago, IL, is composed of gold and black outlined decals of upper case letters and numerals. The individual characters are available in six sizes, including, 1, 1-1/2, 2, 3 and 3-1/4-in. heights.

This signkit is a personal history of the signpainting career of its donor, Chuck Beauchemin, who retired in 1999 after 40 years. Each shop Chuck owned or worked for is recorded on the signkit with a logo and the year and state (or in one case, country-New Zealand) when and where he worked. The signkit was not just a show piece, but Chuck's everyday signkit.