Signs of the Times - October 2012 - (Page 46)

SIGN MUSEUM NEWS By Tod Swormstedt Tod Swormstedt is the president/founder of the American Sign Museum (Cincinnati). Of course we’re still acquiring signs! Two post-WWII local icons join the museum’s collection. ur thanks to ST for featuring the museum on the July cover and inside in a six-page spread. I trust we’ve piqued your interest . . . enough so you’ll make the pilgrimage to Cincinnati to experience your industry’s history. I’d love to give you a personal tour. And, if you’re really interested, I’ll take you behind the scenes – or in this case, on the other side of the wall – where we have another 20,000 sq. ft. for expansion. There, you can see the signs not yet on display and lots of room to expand. So if you’re wondering, like so many other visitors, if we’re still looking for signs (and other signrelated items), the answer is a resounding “yes!” We recently acquired two new signs, both of which were icons unto themselves in their original cities. Both were acquired with a local sign company’s help, and, in the case of “Norman Glass,” the original sign manufacturer as well. Norman Glass was founded by its original owners – Loraine and Joseph Norman – in 1948. During this post-World War II era, many new businesses were opening nationwide. With materials once again plentiful, sign companies such as Federal Sign were also rapidly expanding. With a major facility in O Louisville, KY, Federal manufactured the new Norman Glass sign. Norman Glass became a Louisville staple, and, when the Normans were ready to retire in 2000, Helen and Richard Rosenbaum purchased the business. This year, the storefront underwent renovation, and the vintage sign was destined to be removed. The Rosenbaums sought information about the sign, and, having seen the Federal Sign imprint in the sign’s porcelain face, contacted Federal’s Texas office. They learned about the museum and contacted us. We still needed to get the sign down, so we contacted Paul Fisher at ABC Neon, whom we’d dealt with previously. Due to 15-in. lag bolts, the sign removal was difficult. Paul and his son, Paul Jr., carefully removed the sign without damaging the porcelain or glass. They even dabbed some silicone around the glass housings to prevent neon vibration on the trip back to Cincinnati. Now, three months later, the sign (with neon intact) resides at the museum. Our other recent acquisition hails from Music City and, like Norman Glass, was a local icon since the post-WWII era. The Beaman Pontiac sign came to us by way of Bobby Joslin, Joslin and Sons (Nashville). The long-time auto dealer was moving to a new location and needed a new sign, although the owners recognized the original sign’s iconic nature. Joslin’s new sign design honored the original, and he suggested the Beaman family might want to donate the vintage icon to the museum. They agreed. If Norman Glass was difficult, Beaman Pontiac was even more problematic (check out the image). Unfortunately, most of the neon was in disrepair, and the sign’s original porcelain had been painted over. This sign will require a more extensive restoration. The museum continues to seek new acquisitions – not only signs, but catalogs and salesman’s samples, artwork (such as blueprints and sign sketches), photographs, tools and equipment, and any other signrelated items. ■ 46 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / OCTOBER 2012 / www.signweb.com http://www.signweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - October 2012

Sign of theTimes - October 2012
ST Update
Technology Update
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Software Update
Technology Review
Technology Review
Sign Museum News
New Products
2012 Vehicle Graphics Contest
Entry-level Electronic Digital Signage
The Proposed ISA Reorganization Plan
Enter ST's 2013 Intl. Sign Contest
SGIA Expo 2012
The Value of Signs
Advertising Index
Editorially Speaking

Signs of the Times - October 2012