I've been offered free space downtown in a portion of an artist's workspace/gallery. Very high-end. I want to set up a display area in the carriage house where antique furniture is on sale that looks sort of like an old world sign carver/artist just left his workspace with drafting table, paint, brushes, etc. I want to display old-timey sign samples with antique signs and advertisements for sale as well. I'm thinking of calling it "Carriage House Signs".
What I don't have are sign or letter samples to display. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to loan, rent, donate, barter, etc. some until I can get some signs made up. Are there companies that will give you samples for display purposes?
I also need old tools and paraphenalia to lay around for effect. Any suggestions or sources would be apppreciated.
Posted by Curt Stenz (Member # 82) on :
Penny,
You should really display your own work. If you do not have any existing samples, possibly mount some enlargements of photos of existing signs that you have done. Also some layouts, pounce patterns and such would look appropriate.
As for old wood working tools, those are hard to come by and usually expensive as there are collectors of this stuff. Start looking at garage sales, farm auctions or antique shops.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
It sounds like a real neat idea. I don't know if it'll fly, but you ought to approach it with some gusto, just to find out. It seems like one nice thing about it is that the customers will do their own "sales". You know how it is, you put alot of time into meeting with people, etc. This would bypass alot of that.
I've got some woodworking tools I might be able to help with. And remember, since they'll only be looking at the displayed stuff, some of it can be "faked", that is made of HDU, plaster, whatever. That suggestion might not apply so much to your situation, but I've thoght of blacksmithing displays that had a plaster anvil, 'cause real ones aren't cheap.
Sounds like fun! Maybe I can think of some ideas. Must have: pounce pattern and perferating wheel. Gold leaf bits on the floor. A recently striped carriage wheel. Signs with ancient prices on them (gasoline $1.50 Gal!) Just kidding.
What era are you thinking? Sounds like no plywood here!
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
will you claim the donated, bartered, loaned demo signs.....as work you can do? but dont have any of your own......you can display other signs done by other sign people WITH THEIR COMPANY NAME in a good visable area. that would be ok, and then when these people need a sign that is done like what they saw they will call that company.
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
Curt has a good idea penny!
Take some black and white pics of your work and have them sepia-toned and enlarged, then frame with weathered barn wood or go to yard sales and flea-markets and buy old picture or mirror frames you like. Paint or gold-leaf some of them for variety.
Then you can do actual peices to add to it later, always changing the display . .
This is a great idea for developing your niche and drawing the clientel your after!! Let us know how it works out and post pics of the displays you create!!!
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
To clarify - this is a display area in a retail store that would have some antique-themed signs for sale? (Signs I presume you made?). Is it also sort of an unmanned "booth" to advertise your custom commercial sign capabilities?
It's an idea with a lot of visual potential. I can really imagine having fun with that old carver's workbench theme.
I would start that project with research of old carving shops and tools, and use the findings to create a thorough scaled plan working out where/how the merchandise would be displayed and all the surrounding details. Then set about finding or making the items to fit my plan. Barrel? Mallets? Lots of old chisels? Old bench vises? Even a section of fake wall, maybe even an old window in it. Yep, fun stuff.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
Bump.
Aromatherapy, as in TURPENTINE!
I suppose the shop address above is a good enough place to ship to?
For a way to overcome the originality issue, what matters most is that you designed the signs. Most folks that have learned how to design a nice layout also have figured out how to render it. So my proposal is this: you design a somewhat simple old-time sign, e-mail it to me, and I'll paint it for you.
Then later, when you're over your time crunch, you can make one for my shop that says: "Signs, your silent salesman!". (I always wanted one of those).
