I'm currently writing a magazine article on "sign kits", and I'm kind of on a scavenger hunt. I've always been intrigued with some of the old time sign kits I've seen in days past and that's the basis of my story. This may also eventually work into a chapter in a book on the history of sign painting that I have been turning around in the back of my head.
With this in mind, I'm asking if any of you "heads" out there have any unique sign kits you would like to share with others. If so, I'd like to have pictures of them.
I'm particularly interested in pictures of old time kits that may have been passed down by sign painters of the past, especially old hand made ones. As an example, I recently photographed an old kit from the 30's that had a heavy shoulder strap on it, so the owner would have both hands free to "hop a freight".
I'm also interested in unique present day kits. things like custom made kits for, gilders, pinstripers and airbrush artists.
I have plenty of pictures of tackle boxes and tool boxes that have been adapted and also conventional aluminum sign kits, but they are not really the basis of this story.
I'd really appreciate any pictures you could send for this project. I'd also be interested in the history of the old kits, and I would be sure to give credit to any contributors and previous kit owners. If possible, I'd like to get actual prints, but I can also use digital images if they are good enough quality to reproduce in print.
Anyway, If you have a picture of your grandfather's sign kit, I'd sure like to have a copy of it.
Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs 618 Greenfield Road Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-3521 jmathel@grantspass.com
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Posts: 916 | From: Grants Pass, OR USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Neat idea! Bet you NEVER seen one like MINE!! If you custom make a sign kit for yourself and your prefrances,isn't this also considered unique? The sign kits that were made"by hand"were made from wood that was bought,and leather straps that were already tanned!! That is a very unique way you have of discribing a non-mass produced item. Next thing will be a photo of the brush I was show how to make and demonstrated to me after the squirrel was killed and ate for breakfast with eggs! I would think you would broaden your horizons to the point that each individual painter has his own lettering style to the point of almost trademark.And that the signkit would be also!! weather you call it unique,custom,or personal. I would like to help,but don't think I have ever taken a photo of my sign kit. Maybe someone in Mazeppa did.
------------------ PKing is Pat King of King Sign Design in McCalla,Alabama The Professor of SIGNOLOGY
Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'm in the process of making mine. I bought a large old wooden box from a yard sale, threw caster wheels on it and I'm wheeling it around as I sand it down and paint it back up. The wheels were put on temporarily so I can move it and my stuff around while my shop is under major construction. Maybe if you do a yearly column on this I can get mine to you for that column... ;-) What publication are you writing this article for? I'm interested in seeing the final product! The building (and idea hunting) side of the Moon
------------------ The Moon aka: Stefenie Harris Moonlight Designs Pollock Pines, CA learnin' somethin' new every day!
Posts: 550 | From: Pollock Pines, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Sounds like a cool article Jerry! Why don't you all photograph and scan some photos of your unique kits and post the photos here on the BB? Jerry can then easily copy and save them to his hard drive.
If you don't have web space or a scanner there are many of us here that are willing to help out. Just ask.
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Jerry, I don't have one, but I'd like to share this picture of a nice mailbox I saw in one of the magazines that may be worthy of a mention...(hope I don't detract from your original post...your idea is a good one.)
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Jerry give me a few days I might have one you might be interested in. It was given to me by an old Sign Painter by the name of "Hoot" Gibson. he was an old gold leaf specialist out of the San Pedro, Ca area, He had cancer and knew he was going so he gave me all his brushes, I went with my daughter to say thanks, at the time he lived in Landcaster Ca. As we were leaving he said wait! come here a second?" he went thru his things and pulled out his "old sign kit" with gold leaf stuff, brushes, cookers, gelatin capules, old rolls of goldleaf in small tin round canisters. I was in awe, he said "won't be using it anymore, Cisco, you can have it!" I must have said Thank you 40 times.... give me a few days and I will try and get you some good shots of it, they wrote a story of old Hoot Gibson in Sign Craft back in... damn went to check and can't find it but it was about 12-15 years ago. oh I know, hey Karen "Pisel" on chat I think you told me you came acroos it not to long ago, if you see this let me know what issue you saw it in. But anyway I'll get you a picture.
------------------ FranCisco Vargas aka: Cisco aka:Traveling Millennium Sign Artist http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935
"to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98
Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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My Ol' Mop Kit has been with me fur 20 Years and she's ready to go on a job in a moments notice! I'll photograph it for ya and send it to ya! The person Steve was refering to is Jeff Hobgood out of Evansville Indiana. You should see the 1960 Cadillac Kit he made for Jeff Williams! Sweet! When I go to the big pounce table in the sky, I want my kit their on display and ready to work!
------------------ Mike Meyer Box 3 Mazeppa, Mn 55956 Info:mikmeyer@means.net Thank You for making the Muster a GREAT SUCCESS!!
Posts: 3617 | From: Mazeppa, Mn usa | Registered: Feb 1999
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My sign kit was made by me 10 yrs ago. An old fashioned wood "tool box" type. I'll get a pic of it but the best that I have seen were made by St. John Morton PO Box 1839, Aptos, Ca. 95001 (831) 684-2026. My next box is comming from him!!!
------------------ "Fast, you can get anywhere. Quality takes time"
Posts: 505 | From: Clearwater Florida USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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No unique sign boxes here but I have, what I believe to be the only signature series triple handled striper and braided striper brushes. With some finesse and practice both brushes prove to be quite useless.
elli woodward welderchickartfag@yahoo.com state college pa.
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Posts: 59 | From: state college, pa. usa | Registered: Feb 1999
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I checked here cause the name Jack Lindenberger seemed familiar... It was here I saw it http://www.letterhead.com/meets/campmeet/index.html Did the guy who posted the story have more good pics of the boxes?
------------------ "Fast, you can get anywhere. Quality takes time"
Posts: 505 | From: Clearwater Florida USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Have you seen Marlon Ross' sign kit? It's a Hot Rod replica. He sits on the roof of it while painting or air brushing, it wheels around like a Radio Flyer, and he made it himself! It is really cool. Being a Hot Rod Builder (the big life size ones) I noticed this kit from across the meet and had to go check it out. He used sign foam to make the fenders! That sounds so much easier than bondo or fiberglass to do those things! LOL It's way too cool to miss out on this article! He was at Rat Fink's last weekend, and since I brought the hubby, cheif Hot Rod builder here, I got to show him the kit while Marlon was painting flies on a Rat Fink auction item. He was impressed... with both, the kit and the tiny little flies! ;-) The Hot Rod Sign kit even has wood siding like the old "Woodies". Oh this kit is way too cool to miss! I asked him if he was interested in building any others, and he said "no". Darn, I think a little red '55 Chevy Cameo Pick-up sign kit would like way cool in the back of my life size '55 I'm working on to become my "sign truck".
------------------ The Moon aka: Stefenie Harris Moonlight Designs Pollock Pines, CA learnin' somethin' new every day!
Posts: 550 | From: Pollock Pines, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I meant to get in on this thread earler, but it took longer to get this photo scanned than I planned.
David Butler of Syracuse, Indiana has one of the nicest kits I've ever seen. This was taken a few years back, but I imagine he still has it. Maybe we can intice him or Suzie to tell us more about it.
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Jerry,I have 2 old kits,one acts as a Shrine of sorts,it belonged to one of the journeymen I apprenticed under.His name was Gene Niblo,now deceased.It is one of 2 kits that were hand made for he and another signpainter named Louie Petrifesso,I have it setting on a shelf over the paint bench in my shop.It is full of old brushes and interesting tools,even some old paints.
The other is an old kit we have determined to be from around the turn of the century, I got it from another journeyman (gold leaf man) I also apprenticed under,His name is George Woodward and he's now in his 80's. I use it as my everyday kit,it to is hand made of oak or ash and when I got it it was full of brushes that the catalogues take back to the 20's at least.Old paints even a couple of pouncebags made from "Bull Durham"bags,but the biggest treassure was a 6" square pattern of a hand with a pointing finger.
If you are interested in any of this e-mail me and we will work out some pictures.I have a digital and can get the pics to you as a jpeg e-mail.
------------------ Monte Jumper SIGNLanguage/Norman.Okla.
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