Ghost signs, ghost ads & other phantoms
The R.J. Gunning Co. (Chicago) – Greatest of… At the Druggist – Cincinnati, OH
R. J. Gunning founded a firm in Chicago in 1873, while Thomas Cusack began competing against Gunning there in 1875 (Presbry 1929, p. 501). 0. J. Gude organized a billposting firm in the New York City borough of Brooklyn in 1878. The latter three companies soon became and remained for many years the leading outdoor advertising firms in the nation. – Donald W. Hendon and William F. Muhs (1985) ,”Origin and Early Development of Outdoor Advertising in the United States”, in SV – Historical Perspective in Consumer Research: National and International Perspectives, eds. Jagdish N. Sheth and Chin Tiong Tan, Singapore : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 309-313. [https://www.acrwebsite.org/search/view-conference-proceedings.aspx?Id=12166]
May, Stern & Co. – Furniture & Carpeting – Cash or Credit – Cincinnati, OH
In 1906 Spiegel’s mail order sales were nearly $1 million, far exceeding anyone’s expectations. To handle the overwhelming success of the mail order operation, a new company—Spiegel, May, Stern and Company—was formed, allowing the Spiegel House Furnishings Company to devote its limited resources to conventional retailing, rather than assume the debts associated with building up the mail order segment. – Wikipedia
Pueblo Auto Parts & Tire Co – Bernstein Bros. – Pueblo, CO – Featured Fade (& Repaint) – Vance Bass
Hi, Frank,
Here are a couple of shots from Pueblo Colo. The first is one I took in 2003 of a gorgeous sign I thought might be destroyed, judging by the construction tape, dumpster, etc. The second photo is from 2005, showing the repaint. I’m not sure it’s an improvement, as the faded version was in quite good condition, but at least they recognized that it’s worth keeping. – Vance Bass
Erected in 1882 and owned by Eugene Diekman, this building housed Pueblo Auto Parts in 1889 then the Bernstein Bros. Auto Parts and Tires in the early 1900s. – Waymarking dot com
N 38° 16.132 W 104° 36.44113S E 534347 N 4235719