New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23
THE HUMORS OF SIGN PAINTING.

"Snce the days when Spence, over here IN
Pearl-st hung out sign which told his customers that
he would sell calicoes at cents yard less than any
other man In the business and his competitor Jones' be-
gan 10 give away thus forcing Spence 10 plank down
nickel to every yard he gave away-snce those days
said sign painter In Parkplace there has never Decn
livelier time among merchants competing with each
other as who should get up the most attractive sign 10
draw customers than We sign painters are gener-
ally given rough idea Of the kind OF sign that Is wanten
and we are expected and allowed to cover all the details
and our reputation depends upon the singary and at
tractveness of work. We must continually DO de-
signing something new and out of the old ruts.
'sign painting has like everything else, and 1t
continues 10 grow Notwithstanding the cheap advertising
rates In the daily papers There will always he large
proportion OF buyers especially among country people,
who will he drawn to a store much quicker by good sign
the door than by other means OfcourSe signs DO
not always tell exactly truth. Aceraln distinguished
minister in this city put this question to his congre-
CATION Why said he, cant people be honcsti Where
is the man who will dare to paint over his own door
'Drybads' instead Of Dry goods and thereby tell
the TRUTH
"Thore arc some people who extremely particular
about their signs and who prefer to paint their own
and need not tell you that they do not always
wicld the brush with artists skill | know
of many such signs in the city which quite attractive
and which would do credit TO amateur painter But
there others which lean every way for sunday ana
You are bound 10 laugh when Won look at them Ihen
again there very odd signs which arc cuonSy
constructed. Citizens in the ueighbOrhoDd OF thirty
clghhst aud Eighthave ought to congratulate them
selves being the Biggest and Best Bread on the
Avenue aud the inhabitants OF GDavilc arc, no Doubt
Jealous A Wright Original Butter" WHO hangs ont his
sign door A. Just. and practical hair Gutter
Little The Big Painter might do act Of philanthropy
in b Halt OF those who follow sodcntery pursuits by
enlarging the letters of the sign IN BaNer-St which
a,1. 4Danf nd oil in roar an
Maori shouldn't m!d little slugfng now ana then. for in
Cana-st they can have black eyes painted af mo-
mcuts notice. and fiu1 across the street llOnc-mJdc
Dinner ht fora -- lOugshorcmau. The Gee Wah
laundry IS suggestive Of driving the plains and II
reminds OF tho boys 10 read no the youngsters In
country town April night changed the first aud ia"
last letters OF the sign the largest grocery si0o IN
the village which Bell & Null II amused the
town several days. but when the prOprctors discovered
the joke there some tall swearing.
"What the most popular styles az signs ~ present
"Glass and gelatnc letters tho most III dcintnd
Tho latter and beautiful. They cost
from 10 sixty cents letter. and being
separate be wet and stuck 10 anything They are
nearly and highly cOOred aud when glued 10
a glass window present beautiful appearance with the
lights flashing through their many cOOrs. They are
durable Glass signs belng perfected very fast and
there will be revolution In sgn painting II the I'M
prOVemtut goes OIL"