The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio

The American Sign Museum

is housed in a 20,000 square

foot warehouse 

The Museum is

 dedicated to the art

 history of

commercial signs

& sign making.

The earliest  commercial signs

were designed for non-readers.

The Watch, Horseshoe & Hat

tell the passerby the specialties

provided by shop owners.

Letters got fancier over time.

Lighting was added to make

the letters stand out

day & night.

Hand-painted glass signs

are works of art.

Light bulbs were added

The letters in this sign are

made up of individual clear 

glass "caps" screwed into 

pre-drilled holes.

Commercial sign lighting took a giant "step" forward with the addition of Neon Lighting in the early 20th Century.

The first Neon used in signs

was red.

Additional colors have expanded throughout the years, allowing for greater customization of commercial signs.

This is a rare find...

a neon church sign.

The Greyhound Bus Station

sign is a plastic case with

lighting.

A Golfer "plays through"

atop a plastic Golf Ball.

The Satellite Sign was made

by the owner because he

couldn't get a signmaker 

to do the work for him.

McDonald's Hamburgers cost

15 cents when this sign was

made.

Speedee is McDonald's first Mascot.

Years later...

Over 99 Billion Served

Neon is everywhere...

Storefronts are 

illuminated.

The windows are display

spaces for sign making

books & materials.

The Howard Johnson's 

sign

Neon lights & Gas Stations

are a natural fit.

The contents of a

Cocktail Glass spill

in the Habig's Home

Cooking Cocktails

sign.

General Electric lit up

the world & provided

thousands of jobs in

the Capital Region

for many years.

It's also our favorite

sign.

Happy Anniversary,

Eric!