Coney Island Avenue – © Frank H. Jump
Frank Jump takes pictures of faded advertisements that recall an older New York. He’s taken simple pictures for a decade, providing an unparalleled connection to a century of history.
“I worked there,” wrote Tony in April 2009 when he saw the faded ad for Coney Island Rubbish Removal from the corner of Cortelyou Road and Coney Island Avenue (pictured above). “I drove roll from ‘75 to ‘86 with Studdering John, Fat Vinny, Dirty Ronnie. Anyone remember those guys?”
Two years later, as if out of the blue, Fat Vinny’s family found the picture, read Tony’s comment and answered that Vinny had died. Soon, Big Jim’s daughter delivered news of his death a decade ago. She hoped to talk to his own co-workers about his life.
The dead returned to life, even if very briefly, thanks to a Frank Jump’s picture of almost illegible chipped green paint in Ditmas Park.
Frank’s Fading Ad Blog started in 1999 as an all-HTML web site documenting a century’s worth of vintage mural ads on brickfaces in New York City. The vast collection of fading ads add up to a time machine that can bring you into close contact with the people and ideas of 20th century Gotham.
“I’m documenting a sign advertising a product that is no longer produced,” says Frank, “developed by a person no longer alive, painted by an ad company that is no longer in business.”
Beyond the peeling paint, there are layers upon layers of humanity, ideas and evidence to examine in fading ads. – BY PATRICK ON OCTOBER 17, 2012
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE: Layers Upon Layers of New York’s Fading Ads | Ditmas Park Corner.
