Old Sign Companies

[DAVE SMITH]

I came across some names relating to sign artists and companies.
Just wondered if any of you guy's here are familier with the them.?

Rodier & Fitzgerald Embossed Glass Signs, 296 Pearl Street, New York

Gillco Glass Signs. Philadelphia PA

Herrlein and Co,122 Liberty Street ,New York

Charles F. Hellinger 1902 Congress Avenue, New Haven

George Rutledge Co Signs and Calenders. Montclair. NJ


Would be great to find any info on these companies.
Thanks
Dave

[Brian the Brush UK]

Hi Dave,
Non from Yorkshire then ? ha ha !!

Brian.
http://www.brianthebrushuk.com

[Wayne Osborne]

Dave- there was a Glass embossers in Brighton- i have found several pieces, but the neame for the moment escapes me.

[Tod Swormstedt]

I know a little about Gilco since the museum has three of their signs in the collection. They were production-based, meaning they mfged. quantities numbers of point-of-purchase style signs as opposed to being custom. They were high-end, doing some of the nicer pop glass signs in the 1930s-40s (and maybe even 20s . . . I can substantiate that). They did a lot of reverse screen printing as befits mass-produced signs, but they also did some nice reverse sandblasting and etching. Hope this helps some . . .

[Dave Dubé]

I have not looked on the Sign Museum site, but I was talking to a friend of mine this AM about an unrelated topic, and he told me his grandfather ran a neon sign company in the Bowery in the Thirties. His name was Korn, and the name of the sign company was Crescent Neon.

[Dave Dubé]

I found old paper on Monday from several companies:

Bentham Sign Company, 110 Winston St., Los Angeles, CA. Two pieces of letterhead, one dated 1917, the other 1918.

Scioto Sign Company, Kenton, Ohio. No address listed on a nice letterhead. Must have been a one sign shop town.

W.E. Blair, 171-173 E. Madison St., Chicago, IL. A billhead, 8 1/2" x 4". "Sole Manufacturer PATENT WIRE SIGNS". Under the title it reads "SIGNS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION and Sole Manufacturer for the Northwest of the Patent OPEN WORK WIRE SIGNS". The descriptive 'sign' in the billhead itself appears to be chainlink fencing with letters attached.

Also, a 4 page lettering plate for ROUND FULL BLOCK, published in 1910 by the Detroit School of Lettering, 11" X 17" in a horizontal booklet style, listing this plate as Lettering Plate no. IV.

[Larry White]

There's a couple of old glass signs up on ebay by the Giesse Glass Sign Works of New York.
I hadn't heard of them, but maybe some can find something out and post it here. (Check out the actual auction for more pictures.)

Braun Bros. German Brew auction



and

Heart of Marland Rye auction



-WB

[Joe Rutledge]

Dave,

The Geo. Rutledge Co. was first located in NYC (USA) around the early to mid 1880's, and moved to the Montclair loc after 1900. The company existed in one shape or form until about 1954 or so. It was principally a reverse glass, etched brass, etched aluminum sign making shop, making signs for multiple industries such as insurance, liquor, shoes, hats, etc. Insurance signs are well represented in the book "Signs of Insurance" by Tufts. Signs for the Goodman Co of the era were also made. There was an arts brass side of the company which produced framed etched brass plaques similar to but more ornate than the Wharff-Eaton co in USA and Walker's Art tablets in the UK. GR was born in Leighton Buzzard, UK in the mid 1800's.

[Robare M. Novou]

So Joe...are you a living decendant of G.R.?

RMN

[Joe Rutledge]

Robare,
Yes, GR was my grandfather. Sorry for the delay in answering, I have been busy and away from computers for awhile.
Joe

[DAVE SMITH]

Thanks for that info Jon. Very interesting that he was your Grandfather. Do you have any old photos Jon that he passed on to the family?
I have fitted signs in Leighton Buzzard.

Thanks again
Dave