The Letterville BullBoard: Original Letterheads?

This is topic Original Letterheads? in forum Old Archives at The Letterville BullBoard.

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Posted by David Wright (Member # 111) on :

Where are the original Letterheads now?
I have seen Mark Oatis' writings and doings in Sign Business, but where are the others.
I know Noel Weber did the Boise event, but thats it.
Another thing, why no posts here from any of them. Sarah Clark, before she slammed the door, mentioned something of their absence from here. Was there a purge,insurrection?
Curious.

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Wright Signs
Wyandotte, Michigan
Since 1978
http://www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com

Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :

Hi Dave,

Well, I don't know where the "original 7" are exactly at this minute, but I can tell you from years of being associated with this web site, a lot of Letterheads won't come here or very rarely come here. Why is that?
hmmmmmmm............

Well, you should know there are some hard feelings out there that this site calls itself "The Letterhead Web Site", instead of
"Steve Shortreed's Web Site For Leterheads" or something like that. The problem goes even deeper.

Also, you should know the Letterhead movement is growing and taking on different "hats" so to speak, and really skewing off course from the original intentions, which also causes hard feelings.

Everything grows and changes, and some have a difficult time with that concept.

I'm glad we have a great group of "Letterheads" that do come here and share and are happy we have a place to shop talk.

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Draper The Signmaker
Bloomington Illinois USA
Be Sure to Check Out My Next Article On "Sign Shop Photography" in the March Issue of Sign Builder Illustrated!
309-828-7110
drapersigns@hotmail.com Draper_Dave on mIRC chat

Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :

Who cares, it their loss............

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HotLines Joey Madden
Pinstriper and designer of the Inflite'
See it go to work http://www.killerkoncepts.com
learning capabilities http://www.members.tripod.com/Inflite

Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :

David..The "other Dave" is pretty much correct in his statements.

A lot of folks are of the opinion/assumtion that by visiting/supporting this site they are "letterheads". Being a "letterhead" is a state of mind rather than being someone who regularly visits this BB.

Mike Jackson has an excellent site that addresses the whole topic of "The Letterhead Movement".
http://www.theletterheads.com/

My thoughts about the non-activity by the "original 7" Letterheads on the internet is that they are probably more inclined towards the "traditional" ways of producing signs and have no real interest in the internet world. Unbelievably, there are still a lot of folks who don't! That is just my thought and I could be wrong.

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Dave Grundy
AKA "applicator" on mIRC
"stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!"
in Granton, Ontario, Canada
1-519-225-2634
dave.grundy@quadro.net
www.quadro.net/~shirley

Posted by TBUK (Member # 443) on :

Good Q"". good A"".,,,there you have it from the House of ""David"" Twain,TBuk

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Ted Bukovscak
BUKOVSCAK SIGNS
S/California
tbuk@nethere.com

Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :

Hang in there Ted..We haven't heard from the "other" David. David Fisher, where are you?????

Posted by PKing (Member # 337) on :

From what I can tell they are behind the scenes helping in yet Bigger ways of setting up letterhead meets,creating awsome work with step by steps for all to use,writing for the trade mags,ALSO for all of our benifits.Running thier own sign shops,raising families,and living life!
I belive the reason we don't see them here,is that with the group knowledge we have here.Questions are answered by each other.I certainly understand why they would not want to get into all the controversy created here by ones that have nothing better to do.
Just my opinion!

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PKing is
Pat King of
King Sign Design in
McCalla,Alabama
The Professor of
SIGNOLOGY

Posted by Kent Smith (Member # 251) on :

The original 7 as current as I know:

Bob Mitchell, still living in Escondido, CA and is out of the business changing careers to engineering...not much into the web.
Mark Oatis, still in Denver and active in the Colorado Letterheads group, designing and writing mostly with a pencil, not a web junkie either.
John Fraiser, has been missing since 1985, presumably out of the business entirely.
Mike Reilley, still in Denver and active in Colorado Letterheads group and runs the sign shop at Elitch Gardens Amusement Part, very much into hand lettering, not computers.
Noel Weber, in Boise, also mostly deisgns with a pencil, the rest you know.
Earl Vehill, pretty much retired in Denver, reclusive and has rarely participated in meets since the early days.
Rick Flores, still in southern CA running Denver Sign Co., haven't seen him much since 1995 and hasn't been very active since he left Denver.

There you are, the originals then basically are not into computers like this group of Letterheads is. Each person knows if he is a Letterhead, no one else can pass judgement. There are many diverse groups who get together one way or another and they all are legitimate Letterheads.

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Kent Smith
Smith Sign Studio
Greeley, Colorado, USA
kent@smithsignstudio.com

Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :

If there were a "second tier" of original Letterheads, Kent Smith would surely top the list. Not just talented and knowledgable, Kent has probably inspired more people than he'll ever realize with his gentle encouragement. Thanks for your update on the originals, Kent, and for continuing the Letterhead Spirit.

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Sonny Franks
Atlanta

"Well done beats well said every time"

Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :

Update Kent: Flores is working at Disneyland now. So is Pat Smith,Lande Weissmann and Languein.

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The SignShop
Mendocino, California
"Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"

Oh, for the faith of a spider! He begins his web without any thread.

Posted by david drane (Member # 507) on :

I believe Brendon Brandon was a fairly early letterhead as well. I started my apprenticeship in Brisbane Qld. Aus. in 1965 and Brenny was still working at the same shop there as I was before he went to the states. I believe he still runs "Signs & Designs" in Edgewater, Maryland. I was able to find his nick through this website but unfortunately he has changed his ISP and consequently I have lost touch with him. If anyone could let me know his new email I would greatly appreciate it.

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Drane Signs
Sunshine Coast
Nambour, Qld.
dranesig@dingoblue.net.au
Downunder
"If we did all things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

Posted by David Wright (Member # 111) on :

Anymore Daves want to jump in?

If you were to extend the list of important ones that were there 20 years or so ago, who contributed talent and teaching to the movement, I would add Raymond Chapman, Mike Jackson and....?

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Wright Signs
Wyandotte, Michigan
Since 1978
http://www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com

Posted by Kent Smith (Member # 251) on :

Another second tier who should be given credit is Tod Swormstedt who as editor of Signs of the Time mag. popularized Letterheads in the early days and continues to archive at the sign museum which is now a totally seperate entity. www.signmuseum.org

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Kent Smith
Smith Sign Studio
Greeley, Colorado, USA
kent@smithsignstudio.com

Posted by Jerry Mathel (Member # 526) on :

Bill Williams who goes back as far as Mike Jackson's Moore, Oklahoma meet is living in Grants Pass, Oregon, and mostly retired although he has been teaching a couple of youngsters how to make sheet metal sign cabinets at "Lamplighter Signs" in Central Point, Oregon.

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Jerry Mathel
Jerry Mathel Signs
Grants Pass, Oregon
signs@grantspass.com

Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :

Languein works at Disneyland now? Cool! I loved all the "Lenny" stories, maybe now we'll get some "Mickeys" too!

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"A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Raoul Duke (Hunter S. Thompson)

Cam
Finest Kind Signs
256 S. Broad St.
Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379
"Award winning Signs since 1988"

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