| Super Signage |
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| PLUMBING SIGNS |
| The signs on this page were pulled in from various sections of my website to accompany the Society for Commercial Archeology article. |
| Red's Plumbing Supply Co. Sacramento, CA |
R&R Plumbing Worcester, MA |
Roderick Plumbing & Heating Fall River, MA |
Penguin Plumbing & Electric Yakima, WA |
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The Red's Plumbing Supply Co. sign looks like it's long been missing its neon. I'm not sure if this was always Red's.
The R&R Plumbing sign is encased in plastic to protect the neon which creates an animated drip and splash. R&R has been around since 1905. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. The Roderick Plumbing & Heating neon sign apparently had a dripping faucet at one time. This sign has since been replaced with a plain, plastic one. Penguin Plumbing & Electric opened in 1965 and closed in 2007. This sign was built in 1957 for another company located in Richland, WA. It originally read "Plumbing & Electrical Supplies". The faucet and "dripping" bulbs were part of this original design. In 1959, the top band was added to the sign with the text "Richland". The poles were added to the sign at that time. In 1972, the sign was brought to Yakima and adapted for Penguin Plumbing. It's not clear what will become of this sign but there's a strong possibility that it will go to the Yakima Valley Museum. For more, see this website. |
| Moyer Plumbing & Heating Kutztown, PA |
Ellyson Plumbing & Heating Salem, PA |
Jack Stephan Plumbing Los Angeles, CA |
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The Moyer Plumbing & Heating sign had all three neon drips back in 2004. This photo is from 2009. For more, see this website.
Ellyson Plumbing & Heating features a small neon-outlined faucet on the side of their sign. The bulbs on the side probably flash/flashed sequentially to suggest dripping water. I don't know if this sign is lit at night. Jack Stephan Plumbing opened in 1946. Their two giant signs were created at that time by Chief Neon. Both of the well-maintained signs are animated: one faucet drips, the other pours. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| England Plumbing Supply Salt Lake City, UT |
Morlan Plumbing Portland, OR |
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The England Plumbing Supply sign was built in the 1950s. When the company moved in 1967, they brought the sign with them. The neon was removed in 1969 but the paint has been nicely maintained.
Morlan Plumbing was founded in 1927. This sign was installed in 1946 when the showroom was expanded. In the mid-1990s, it was completely restored. The Water Heater King's neon feet dance at night. Morlan Plumbing now has seven locations. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [night photo thanks Jeff at Vintage Roadside] |
| Industrial Plumbing & Heating Oklahoma City, OK |
Rupert Plumbing Albuquerque, NM |
Western Plumbing Bozeman, MT |
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The Industrial Plumbing & Heating sign features an enormous pipe wrench.
The Rupert Plumbing sign was built in the early 1950s. The wrench is approximately 15' tall. In 2001, the company moved to another location and left this sign behind. Due to zoning restrictions, the sign could not be installed at their new building. The sign was maintained and lit until their move. The text alternated between red, green and yellow neon while the wrench was blue. Unfortunately, the neon on the Western Plumbing sign appears to be broken. Depictions of tools in signs are very rare. Hardware stores sometimes featured signs with hammers and saws but I don't know of any other wrench signs than these three. |
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More Plumbing Signs:
Chandler Plumbing & Heating (Fairbanks, AK) Colusa Plumbing Co. (Gridley, CA) Adee Plumbing & Heating (Inglewood, CA) Clayton Plumbers: 1, 2, 3 (Los Angeles, CA) [in storage] American Plumbing Supply: 1, 2 (Des Moines, IA) Georgia Plumbing Co. (Griffin, GA) Standard Plumbing Co. (Shreveport, LA) Sherman Plumbing (Clinton, MO) Crowder Plumbing & Supply (Lebanon, MO) Murdon Concrete Products (St. James, MO) James Crowley Plumbing & Heating (Rochester, NY) Ellyson Plumbing (Salem, OH) Faucet Parts Center (Oklahoma City, OK) Herb Towers Plumbing (Murray, UT) Cambie Plumbing: 1, 2 (Vancouver, BC) unidentified business (Volda, Norway) |
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