The Signs of History

I’ve always loved signs. They can tell you so much about the history of a place, an industry, a specific time period, and more. They are fascinating to me, which is why I’ve always collected them. For this column, I’ve picked three signs from my collection that I love and that have a few things in common. They all have at the core of their business, travel, whether through actual movement via train and bicycles or sound traveling over the airwaves. They also share bird iconography which has been used in art for centuries to denote different meanings. In this case, I think they were used to convey that sense of connection that travel provides.

This drumhead sign came from the collection of a dear friend, Brian Maiher. It was “picked” on the show around 4 years ago. The history of The Flying Crow dates back to 1928. The Flying Crow was a passenger train that was part of the Louisiana & Arkansas Railway. It ran from Kansas City, Missouri, to Port Arthur, Texas, to New Orleans, Louisiana. The train service ran from 1928 through 1968. The term “drumhead” refers to a type of removable sign that was mounted on the back of named passenger trains. They were commonplace in the first half of the 20th century in North America.

This sign—reverse painted on glass with original gold leaf—has withstood the test of time. It hangs in my office and will be passed down to my children. The earliest signs found in America were done on wood and glass. The artistry is amazing, almost like a painting. Drumhead signs were round in shape, resembling small drums—hence the name—and it was commonplace for them to have an internal lighting source that illuminated the signs at night.

The Overman Wheel Company was a bicycle manufacturing company in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts from 1882 to 1900. The flagship product of the company was the Victor Bicycle. The very first Victor bicycle was the first American-made three-wheeler. The innovative design of the bike, which had interchangeable parts, made it possible for repair shops to make small repairs without having to dismantle the whole bike. They were the highest quality bikes of their day, although the company eventually went bankrupt.

This Victor Bicycles Porcelain curve sign was found in a very old junkyard in the New York area around 6 years ago. As you know my brother and I collect bicycles and have ever since we were little kids. I’ve owned several of the Victor models over the years, including one I currently have – a 54-inch Victor Highwheel (a type of bike with a large front wheel and a much smaller back wheel).

This sign is one of only a few Victor Bicycles porcelain signs during its limited lifespan (Victor bicycles were made from 1883 to 1900) that survives to this day.

It boasts cobalt blue and white porcelain. The sign, representing the earliest days of transportation in America, would have been sent to a dealer to display on their building as an official Victor Bicycles agent. It could be up for sale.

This Majestic Eagle “sign” is from an authorized Majestic radio dealer display. Painted in bold colors with the eagle resting atop the globe, the piece is more than two feet high with the eagle’s wingspan at 42”. The time period for this piece is the 1920s. It was found in a home in Southern Illinois and was owned by a gentleman who was actually a dealer for Majestic radios. In the late 1920s, Chicago’s Grigsby Grunow Co. began marketing its Majestic Electric radio as the “Mighty Monarch of The Air.” The bald eagle became their mascot and at the time their biggest claim to fame was that they “Fly higher” than any radio waves and could get to anyone. These were typically made of paper mâché material and are very rare to find in any kind of condition, let alone as pristine as this one. The Old King Cole Paper Mache Company of Canton, Ohio, was employed to manufacture these dramatic displays for authorized Majestic dealers.

Collecting anything that was made of PMH that survived almost 100 years is very rare to find. The fact that the eagle is standing on top of the world in any collectors’ field makes this even more rare. These range anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. This one is in my office – and is not for sale.

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Best known for his co-hosting role on The History Channel’s long-running hit, American Pickers, Rob Wolfe is also a seasoned antique dealer. From vintage signs to antique cars and motorcycles, and everything in between, Rob has an extensive knowledge of, and passion for, all things antique. He’s been collecting unique items and learning about their history since early childhood and today that passion can be seen at his showroom in Bettendorf, Iowa where this summer he’ll host the annual Bettendorf Americana Car show and Antique Auction.