A Brief History of the Sign Industry
Copyright 1976. Signs of the Times magazine
From Signs of the Times magazine;
September, 1976 issue, pp 62-66A, 95
To understand and appreciate any industrial segment of the United
States economy, it is necessary to view it in perspective over its
history. Very few products and services have been in general usage
longer than signs. Signs have been a fundamental element in trade,
commerce and industry for centuries. They are and will continue
to be a fundamental factor in our economy as long as there is a
need to identify a place of business or express a reason for its
existence.
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The earliest centuries
Symbolic advertising may have come into existence very early,
when individuals banded together into tribes for mutual protection.
Certain individuals, who became particularly adept in producing
products such as bows, arrows or utensils, |
probably drew a picture on the entrance of their cave or hut indicating
to others that they had products to exchange.
The instinctive desire for product improvement probably provided
the basis for competition and craftsmen learned there were rewards
for skill and production in quantity. Goods then may have been exchanged
on an inter-tribal basis, competition increased, and it became important
to tell prospective buyers within a limited territory about the
merits of a product or to call attention to the location where the
product was for exchange.
The earliest advertising medium was probably that of a "crier"
or "barker." As trade developed, the producer had a fixed location
and called attention to the merits of his goods by hanging out identifying
insignia. The use of on-premise, i.e., at the place of sale, advertising
as a medium was inaugurated. There are definite records of advertising
executed in stone and on bricks as early as 3000 B.C.
From 3000 B.C. and for more than 4,000 years thereafter during
the Egyptian, Grecian and Roman civilizations, and on through the
Middle Ages, the use of advertising displays at the place of business
constituted the only important and effective advertising medium.
Tradesmen's signs were prevalent in ancient Egypt and Greece. They
were widespread in early Rome - sometimes painted, sometimes carved
in stone or designed in terra cotta. One of the most widely used
signs in Rome was a bush of ivy and vine leaves, associated with
Bacchus the God of Wine, and attached to a pole to identify a tavern.
Most Roman shops displayed a sign of some sort, and many were uncovered
in the ruins of Pompeii and other cities.
After the Dark Ages, exploration and trade expeditions clearly
enlarged the commercial world. It was a prosperous era in business.
Wealth encouraged the arts, and talent found expression in painting,
architecture and literature. Merchant's signs in England, France
and Italy began to come under artistic influences and reflected
novel designs and colors. The signs were a means of expression for
many artists, and involved elaborate carvings, gilt and paints.
It is important to note that from the beginning of tribal life up
to the middle of the 18th century there is no record of any advertising
medium in use except that of criers and on-premise signs and displays.
Advertising was strictly an outdoor medium used to designate the
point of sale and the types of goods sold. In addition to the economic
value of signage of all kinds as we know it today, signs have reflected
man's culture since these earliest centuries.
The 14th to 18th Centuries
In the 14th century, signs were optional in England except for the
pubs.In 1393, Richard II required publicans (tax collectors) to exhibit
a sign, but it was not compulsory for other business locations. By
the 17th century symbol signs became common in Europe such as:
Bible.....................................Bookseller
Civet Cat...............................Perfumer
Key......................................Locksmith
Mortar & Pestle.....................Apothecary
Red & White Striped Pole............Barber
Shoe......................................Shoemaker
Sugar Loaf..............................Grocer
Three Golden Balls.................Pawn Broker
Seventeenth and 18th century England was an endless vista of colorful
signboards hanging from shops and banking houses along narrow streets.
The signs were quite artistic and even the posts of supports were
elaborately worked in wrought iron or in wood carvings as tradesmen
competed with each other for better and more distinctive identification
for their place of business. When increased travel led to several
shops in the same area, signs were accompanied by a name which could
be identified by customers. Symbols remained important, however,
for many years because many people could not read.
The beginning of sign regulation
Shops began extending their signs farther and father over the street
to attract customers. The signs became more elaborate and heavier--a
real danger to pedestrians. Regulations began to limit the extension
of signs from shops and also controlled their height to prevent
injury to the heads of horsemen riding on the streets.
In the early 1700's, Charles II decreed that no sign should hang
across the streets. The problem continued, however, resulting in
a 1797 statute ordering the removal of signs which projected or
could in any way be considered a problem to the public. One unusual
such sign in the latter part of the 17th century consisted of 25
life-size figures. (Delderfield, 1972).
Without street names or building numbers, signs were used for
providing directional information for newspapers and other forms
of communication. Signs were therefore used not only by tradesmen
and their customers, but by the entire population. During the same
period of time in France, and particularly in Paris in the 17th
century, merchants also competed for trade by using larger and larger
signs. Due to this continuing increase in size, an ordinance was
passed in 1761 requiring signs to be fixed against shop walls and
projection from buildings was limited to four inches.
Thus, today's sign industry has its roots in earlier centuries,
beginning with relatively simple carved and then painted symbols
and other types of signs, expanding during medieval days when travel
and retail business increased, and growing into the diversified
sophisticated graphics signage industry as we know it today.
19th and 20th Centuries
Gas Lighting. The first illuminated sign dates back to 1840 when
P.T. Barnum's Museum was advertised by a gas-lit display. Gas lighting
continued to be used on theater marquees, drug stores and other
retail stores until the electric lamp was introduced.
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Incandescent Bulbs
In 1881 the first electrical sign was built with incandescent
bulbs in London, England and featured the word "EDISON" during
the International Electrical Exposition in January, 1882.
The United States pioneered the night display type of outdoor
advertising, and the era of the illuminated sign is distinctly
American.
The first electric spectacular was erected in 1891 in New
York City. The sign was 50 ft. high and 80 ft. wide and contained
1,457 lamps. The copy was
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"MANHATTAN BEACH SWEPT BY OCEAN BREEZES." In the early 1900's the
use of electric signs in the United States continued to expand as
retail merchants recognized the economic advantage (i.e. number of
exposures to prospective customers) of on premise signs as compared
with newspaper and other forms of advertising.
The first electric sign company. In Chicago in the fall of 1900
Federal Electric Company (now Federal Sign, Division of Federal
Signal Corp.) was formed as an off-shoot from Commonwealth Edison
Co. which had been renting arclights to its customers. In 1905,
in support of Federal Sign System (electric)--a new name selected
by Federal Electric Company to reflect its position in the young
sign industry--Commonwealth Edison Company published a promotional
booklet including pictures of a great number of existing signs in
the Chicago area; many are now looked back upon as famous spectaculars.
The introduction to this booklet stated:
"Electric sign advertising is a unique means of arousing interest
in any kind of merchandising, and attention thereby is attracted,
held, and finally turned into purchases...Electric advertising is
the cheapest and most efficient means of advertising obtainable.
The first cost is small and the upkeep slight, in comparison with
other forms of advertising...Customers that cannot be reached in
any other manner are obtained through the medium of Electric Sign
advertising. In conjunction with other forms of advertising, and
Electric sign acts as a follow-up."
The same statements can be made today, 70 years later, with respect
to a well designed and manufactured electrical sign.
Federal Sign System expanded its business by providing incandescent
lamp signs to serve both as sidewalk illumination and advertising.
Some municipalities granted the right to have a sign extend over
the sidewalk only if it provided electrical illumination. Electric
signs increased sign values significantly for their users because
they reached prospective customers at night.
Most of these electric signs consisted of a colored porcelain
enamel center panel carrying the advertising message, surrounded
by a border of lamps. A patent was issued to Federal Electric Company,
one of the few granted to the sign industry over the years, covering
a clamp socket to hold the bulbs. By 1906 there were 75,000 electric
signs in use in the United States and 1909 brought the first mass-produced
signs consisting of four lamps of eight candle power equipped with
on and off flashes.
In 1910, the great chariot race sign in New York City was one
of the most famous electrical displays in the world. Erected on
the roof of a seven-story building overlooking Herald Square, it
featured a Roman chariot race and the sign was composed of 20,000
bulbs of different colors, 70,000 connections and 2,750 switches.
The simulated movement of horses, drivers and whips was accomplished
by 2,500 flashes per minute and the sign attracted crowds every
night for years. The erection of an intervening building ended its
period of use by a series of advertisers.
Neon tubes
The 1890's produced several technical innovations which would eventually
accelerate the growth of the sign industry. In 1898, English scientists
Sir William Ramsay and William Travers discovered neon gas, and
it was duly classified in the rare gas family along with other trace
elements in our atmosphere such as helium, argon, krypton and later
xenon. Independently, but simultaneously, a French scientist named
Georges Claude developed a method for liquifying neon gas which
he first disclosed in 1902. Up until that time neon was difficult
to produce, tremendously expensive and apparently offered no practical
commercial application. Georges Claude continued to perfect the
characteristics and promise of neon gas. Claude had found that neon
was extremely sensitive to electrical charges which produced a reddish
glow when applied. Between 1910 and the start of the war in 1914,
Georges Claude worked on the commercialization of tubular illumination
and produced some neon tubes 1-1/4 in. in diameter and 10 to 15
ft. in length, with electrodes up to 10 in. long. By 1910 he had
perfected a neon discharge tube, and obtained a French patent covering
the electrodes and processing system. During this period, Count
J. De Beaufort, another French scientist, became associated with
Claude in his neon developments and just before the war they conceived
the idea of bending tubes into shapes to produce letters, wording
and decorative effects. When they discovered that a drop of mercury
combined with the neon gas produced a brilliant blue light, the
luminous tube advertising industry was born. It is generally agreed,
without specific examples, that the first commercial neon signs
were installed in Paris by Claude during this period.
During the First World War, Georges Claude was on duty with the
French Government in the chemical warfare section. All French cities
were blacked out because of air raids, and all development of neon
tubes was deferred. Following World War I, however, the sign industry
took on a renewed life when the availability and potential of neon
as a sign and advertising medium was quickly recognized. The first
recorded use of a neon-luminous sign was in 1921. Although such
signs were reportedly in use in Paris as early as 1914. As far as
can be determined, the first neon sign in the United States was
imported from Paris in 1922 by Earl Anthony for Packard Agency in
Los Angeles. The approximate price was $1,250 and it contained just
the word "Packard." Two of the signs were purchased, one going to
San Francisco.
Through Georges Claude's activities in the United States in the
early 1920's, based on the patents he obtained in 1915, several
sign companies were formed in this country to exploit these patents
and several existing companies obtained patent rights to the neon
process. Aided by neon and a growing post-war economy, by 1924 there
were about 150,000 electric signs in the United States which sold
for an average price of about $400. At the same time, because of
the maintenance required for neon signs, a trend developed to lease
signs with maintenance. The sign leasing concept has grown to this
day, aided by capital conservation and tax factors.
Fluorescent tubes
As sign customers became increasingly aware of neon's advertising
advantages, colors in addition to red and blue were requested. Initially
tinted glass was used for tubes, but processing was difficult and
the colors were not sharp. Need again became the mother of invention.
Erich Koch, a German inventor, created a method of applying a fluorescent
powder coating on the inner surface of glass tubes and exposing
the tubes to ultraviolet radiation - the resulting glow enabled
a variety of colors to be processed. Koch received a German patent
in 1933, and Claude's company in France acquired the rights to process
and develop it still further to overcome remaining objectionable
features such as serious discoloration or blackening and the resultant
decrease in light output. Thus, fluorescent tubes became available
for sign application.
Beginning in 1934, Claude's company began the production of commercial
signs and lighting with fluorescent tubes. One of their largest
projects, which attracted worldwide attention, was at the Brussels
Exposition of 1935. Soon Claude licensees began producing fluorescent
tubing, and the General Electric Co., after spending millions of
dollars in fluorescent tube research, decided that Claude's patents
were basic and entered into a licensing contract with Claude. In
granting the license, Claude reserved the rights for the use of
this tubing for decorative and advertising purposes. Many large
companies, both in Europe and the United States, were involved in
this pooling of patents, including General Electric Co., Federal
Electric Corp., and Electrical Products Corp. (The latter two companies
were the two major sign companies in the United States). Electrical
Products Corp. held 18 patents which were pooled with those of Claude
to the benefit of the sign industry. In summary, developments in
sign illumination, beginning with the incandescent bulb and moving
on through neon and fluorescent tubing, provided the major impetus
to the growth of the United States sign industry. Evidence of accelerated
growth is the 1924-1929 period, when combined gross business for
relatively young sign industry in the United States increased from
$50,000 annually to over $18 million.
By 1930, practically every city or town, however small, had its
neon signs with colors limited to the conventional red neon and
mercury blue. From this point on fluorescent tubes took their place
along with neon and resulted in increased diversity in the design
and manufacture of signs.
During the 1930's a number of companies not affiliated with the
sign industry developed products specifically designed for use by
sign manufacturers, such as transformers, electrodes and ballasts
- thereby creating a new sign supply industry. As with any growing
industry, its successes and expansion created important new business
opportunities for the products and services of other companies.
The war years (1914-18 and 1941-45)
During World War I, the sign industry was restricted in the use
of materials for sign manufacture, and further expansion of the
use of signs as an advertising medium was delayed. Because of the
maintenance required for neon signs made in earlier years, a trend
had developed to leasing neon signs with maintenance by the company
who manufactured them. Such maintenance revenue generated by the
need for servicing neon signs helped some of the sign companies
through the difficult war period. One large sign company diversified
into war-related products such as sirens and fuses, and this has
now become a significant national business for the sign company.
After World War I, the sign industry renewed its growth with the
availability of neon to serve and expanding economy with a now defined
appreciation of the commercial value of signage.
World War II had its effect on the sign industry. On June 30,
1942, the manufacture of metal signs was entirely prohibited; transformers
used for signs required copper, thereby eliminating the availability
of a key sign component. Some larger companies took in various types
of government business related to the war effort, such as aircraft
parts, communications equipment and metal housings. Sign maintenance
again provided continuing business for some. However, the industry
generally went into a period of decline and large numbers of experienced
signmen left the industry. Following the war, increased consumer
demand caused sign companies to be faced with a short supply of
materials, particularly transformers. The suppliers of these products
began to create new and redesigned items to supply the sign industry.
From 1945 until 1948 neon signs once again flourished. During this
period sequentially lit or "spelling" neon, animated neon, flashing
neon and large neon murals began to reappear. The high point of
all neon signs probably was reached just prior to 1948.
The age of plastics
The post World War II sign market, conditioned by the technological
advances of the war, demanded new designs, processes, finishes and
materials. Most important of these materials in its impact on the
sign industry was the advent of colored translucent plastics Many
types of plastics had been tried before the war with generally disappointing
results. Recognizing the potential in the growing sign industry,
the major plastic manufacturers accelerated their development of
durable, color-fast, stable materials and simultaneously conducted
a concentrated and successful campaign to sell their new products
to the ultimate sign user market.
The use of plastics, mainly acrylics, in outdoor custom signs
called for a new approach in sign design, fabrication skills and
illumination. Plastic signs reduced the need for specialized maintenance
service and therefore could be sold directly without the lease or
maintenance agreement more common with earlier signs incorporating
neon tubing. Plastic signs were a relatively easier sign to manufacture
than the neon and porcelain enamel metal which required specialized
and costly skills, particularly in bending glass tubes. The educational
and promotional campaigns of the plastic producing companies were
so effective that plastic is now used in nearly 95 percent of the
signs in the United States. Because of the low investment and lesser
skills required in manufacturing plastic signs, literally hundreds
of small sign companies were formed during the 1950's. Many of the
existing companies gave up their neon facilities, even though the
production of neon was at that time still cheaper than some types
of plastic signs.
With the introduction of plastic signs, the on-premise neon signs
which were so prevalent in many parts of the country tended to deteriorate.
The rapidly increasing use of plastic signs represented the tendency
of our culture to promote the disposable product and replace the
durable. In many instances this meant the loss of beautiful signage
artifacts created in the days of neon.
The sign industry today
Sign companies today are providing the same service to our country's
retail, financial and industrial places of business as did the sign
producers of ancient times, medieval centuries and the early days
of the twentieth century. The sign industry has deep roots in the
world's history, and has broadened its contributions to the increased
welfare and success of all kinds of customers.
Composed of over 3,000 sign companies, ranging in size from a
handful of employees to many hundreds, the broad diversity of signage
and related graphic identification are in evidence everywhere about
us. It is estimated that the annual revenues generated by the sign
industry approximate $600 million. Sign companies offer on-premise
illuminated and non-illuminated signs of many types, directional
secondary signage, interior signs, façade and other architectural
graphics helping to identify the place of business. The industry
draws on a long history of creative artistic design skills and a
steadily increasing variety of sign materials to enhance creativity
in sign manufacture and a basic understanding of the important relationship
between a business and its sign.
Although the sign industry cannot be classified as utilizing high
technology, electronic developments in other industries have led
to a variety of neon sign concepts over the past ten years to meet
modern day needs. Beginning with relatively simple time and temperature
displays, utilized extensively by financial institutions for public
service purposes in conjunction with their business identification,
the sign industry now supplies a variety of electronic and solid
state signage.
Some electronic signs enable a customer to display changing messages
of varying lengths prepared at his choice on a typewriter-sized
computer at his location. Some users arrange for press service news
and bulletins to be automatically fed into the sign selected schedules.
Others provide current weather information, pollen count and similar
public service data.
Several larger sign companies provide complex electronic displays
such as the scoreboards at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Houston Astrodome,
and the Rose Bowl. One company furnished a computer-controlled multi-display
traffic advisory system for the Santa Monica Freeway in Los Angeles.
The centuries old sign industry is continuing to prove its ability
to design and manufacture signage and displays of all kinds incorporating
the latest materials and skills available in order to satisfy the
desires and needs of those who serve the general population.
Over the centuries, signs have taken their place in man's culture,
recognized as symbols reflecting the business and environmental
needs of each era. Today, the creative design capability of the
sign industry enables it to respond to the will and desires of its
customers and those responsible for signage planning in our cities
and towns.
Signs from earlier days are now recognized and valued as antique
artifacts reflecting the American scene, just as many of today's
signs will one day be important to those who cherish the symbols
of our 20th century culture.
As the sign industry has adapted to change over the centuries,
so will it continue to respond to the desires of today's and tomorrow's
environment.
Bibliography
Claus, R. J. and Claus K.E., A Brief History of the Sign Industry.
In Claus, R. J. and Claus, K.E., Handbook of Signage and Sign
Legislation. Palo Alto: Signage Research International, 1975.
Chapter 2.
Commonwealth Edison Company. Electric Signs. Chicago, Illinois:
Commonwealth Edison Co. no date (circa 1905).
Delderfield, E.R., British Inn Signs and Their Stories.
Devon, England: David & Charles, 1972.
Gilchrist, J.M., The First Fifty Years. Chicago: Federal
Enterprises Inc. (now Federal Sign), 1951.
Simpson, T.W. The "Reason Why" of Electrical Advertising.
San Francisco: Federal Electric, May 25, 1920.
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