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Ghost Signs
in Texas Page 2
Page
1
MOVIE ARTIFACTS
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A
ghost sign of a product that never was - but is. Smithville, Texas
Photo by John Troesser, October 2003 |
Beware
of cheap imitations!
Texas abounds with scores of ghost sign impersonators. These are movie
artifacts and they should be included in their own category. They
deserve recognition for the sign painter's skill if nothing else.
Recognizing a "fake"
Lettering on movie signs isn't as meticulous as legitimate signs since
they only appear on camera for a few seconds, if at all. The artists
could certainly match the sign painter's skill if they had time. We're
sure some of the older set painters are former wall dogs. Some set
artists for the movie Hope Floats (filmed in Smithville)
have even painted faux ghost signs - creating false layers of faded
paint bleeding through the "real" ghost sign which may be for a product
that did or didn't exist. Confused? Just watch the movie until the
sign appears (if you can manage to stay awake).
Another way of telling a false ghost is the peeling and flaking of
the paint. The current "safe" paints used by Hollywood degrade and
flake off in a few years. Smithville's
once outstanding Bright and Early Coffee ad has in 3 short years become
almost invisible.
© John Troesser
Anyone
who wishes to share their ghost sign images from their towns or from
their travels with our readers, please contact
us .
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Recommended
Books on Ghost Signs
Ghost Signs
of Arkansas by Cynthia Haas, Photos by Jeff Holder, U of A Press,
1997
Ghost Signs:
Brick Wall Signs in America by Wm Stage, ST Publications, 1989
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