All About Nostalgia!

Sep 18, 2023

Laura Jackson collects advertising signs, in particular those hawking soda, bread and tobacco. | photo by Ursula Ruhl

When Laura Jackson hits the Cracker Barrel, she’s less interested in her blueberry pancakes or her sampler plate special, and much more concerned about the antique paraphernalia hanging on the walls.

“Cracker Barrel is so much fun,” said Jackson of Shrewsbury. “I love the old advertising signs displayed there. Just don’t let me in there with a screwdriver, or they might lose a few of those antiques.

“I like collecting signs. Much of my collecting involves soda, bread and tobacco signs — with brands that used to be in the old general stores,” Jackson explained. “I’m always looking for Orange Crush, Dr. Pepper or vintage Coke soda signs.”

Jackson is a transplant from Texas, where she worked in law enforcement and focused on animal protection issues. She also works as an artist/illustrator and continues to do that now in the Webster Groves and Kirkwood areas.

“Many of the soda and tobacco companies used various fonts and bright colors for their sign creations and logos,” said Jackson. “That is part of what attracts me as an artist, but collecting is also about nostalgia.

“Coke changed its font numerous times in the beginning,” added Jackson. “I date my signs by researching a company’s logo. Coke used a green-yellow signage until about 1940. They started using the fishtail logo about 1958 and into the 1960s.”

Of course, Coke eventually went all Santa Claus-suit red. The soft drink company enlisted Santa for Christmas sales and to show that Coke is not just a summer drink, but can be the “pause that refreshes” during winter months, too.

“My Uncle owned a Chevy dealership in Fort Branch, Indiana, when my sis and I were growing up,” recalled Jackson. “It was the highlight of the day when our Uncle Paul gave us a silver dime for a Coke.

“We both raced to the vending machine in his shop,” added Jackson. “We beelined to the red soda machine, and fought over who would buy the first ice-cold bottle. My signs help bring back sweet memories.”

According to Jackson, signs were major advertising when radio and newspapers dominated. True craftsmen were hired to create porcelain signs. Designers, artists, furnace and iron workers were enlisted in the creations. Now signs are less important because of all the other media outlets available for advertising.

Laura Jackson next to a display of vintage “door push” signs. The signs appeared on screen doors as customers entered grocery stores. | photo by Ursula Ruhl

Door Push Advertising

Pinterest and Collectors Weekly have hundreds of photos of “door push advertising” imagery on the internet. Collectors like Jackson relish the signage that graced screen doors at grocers and general stores.

“I’d love to have a few more iron-bracketed door pushes, or the stairstep art deco door pushes,” said Jackson. “I don’t have any Hires or 7 Up, but I would love to find some of those that were used locally.”

Jackson is especially proud of her “door push advertising,” which includes callouts for beverages, bread, flour, yeast, cleansers, soap and more. She is always ready to add more old specimens to the mix.

Estate sales used to be prime targets for picking up pieces of the past, but now Jackson said she finds a lot of signs online, which she said takes some of the fun out of collecting.

“If I buy online, I always talk to the seller to get the history of the sign I’m buying,” explained Jackson. “I like dealing with people who sell old items directly, or with collectors who are thinning their own collection.

“Sign vultures have been created now because signs have become valuable,” added Jackson. “But there are still nice collectors who appreciate the history and culture of what sign collecting is all about.”

According to Jackson, there is money to be made with smart buying and selling of valued pieces of nostalgia.

“Gas station signs may be the most valued pieces of advertising now,” said Jackson. “It’s all about nostalgia — and history. A lot of car collectors also collect signs. A mint condition porcelain gas/oil sign found in a Michigan attic was recently auctioned off for $1.5 million. I, however, did not buy it.”

Jackson’s budget requires her to be a bit more circumspect with her buying. These days she has an eye out for illuminated advertising clocks that won’t bust the budget.

“The early Pam and Telechron clocks that graced general stores are my favorites,” said Jackson. “I don’t buy anything that I can’t use, so when I buy a clock, I anticipate having to clean, oil or fix it.

“Gears in a clock mechanism wear out and motors freeze,” Jackson added. “Parts are hard to find, but they’re out there. Clocks have taught me perseverance. They also require attention to detail — something I’ve learned as an artist. The old clocks totally light up my house, so it’s like Christmas every evening!”

Ice cream, breads, soaps and more are part of Laura Jackson’s sign collection.

Rescuing Signs … Animals

“A big part of the fun of my hobby is the ‘search and find.’ And I meet interesting people,” said Jackson. “I’ve met eclectic collectors, hoarders, historians and average folks who found an interesting sign in a box.”

Jackson has no trouble reconciling her animal protection avocation with her collecting hobby. She even insists the two can be related.

“Every unwanted animal I’ve ever rescued has a hidden story,” said Jackson. “They often carry physical scars that document their history. Believe it or not, signs are similar. They’ve been saved from a building, a burn pile or a basement. They’ve been chipped, bent or broken.

“One man’s refuse can be another’s treasure,” added Jackson. “I have an old 1936 Dr. Pepper sign, bought from a man in Texarkana, that has ‘E&P Stand’ carved into it. Was it used at a market by that name? I see a value in both abandoned animals and old signs that have survived a long journey. I like to imagine what that journey was all about.”

For collectors with questions or those interested in trading or buying old signs or clocks, email Jackson at [email protected].