Posted 12 years ago
youngpicke…
(85 items)
Bought this sign last week but can't find any information about it. I've searched for a while trying to find a sign like it or even a picture of one on the side of a building. I figured it probably came off of a station or something but I don't know. If anybody could find a picture of one mounted on one of the old buildings that would be great. It's blue and white porcelain.
Hello youngpicker96...........This rather large size Western Union sign was no doubt plastered to the front or side of a Western Union telegraph office. I would guess it dates from around 1910, but this could be off by a decade either way. As you might have figured, Western Union was a huge company, with thousands of local offices throughout the world. Likewise, there were thousands of signs needed to help the public locate these offices, and the example you have pictured here was one of them & was made in large quantities. Spend some time on the internet looking at old historical photographs taken in the downtowns of cities in this era. It won't take you too long to spot a similar type sign adorning a building front. I wish I could tell you that you have a big dollar piece. Unfortunately, do to your signs huge size and rather mundane graphics, along with the subject matter, I would guess its an item valued around $300 to $500 considering its condition. None the less, its still a nice historical part of our heritage, and will always carry tons of sentimental value to most americans. Good luck with it, & thanks for sharing......................Mike Bruner