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Very Rare Late 1800s Burpee’s Seeds tin litho embossed sign: Charles W - $375 (west of Ann Arbor)
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As you can see from the photos, the sign is a bit rough, with six or seven nail holes and surface rust from the weather. Luckily, most of the graphics are not affected.
The sign measures 13 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. On the front is the large cursive “Burpee’s” above a printed phrase “Seeds That Grow.” What also makes this sign so rare is the logo in the upper right hand corner, three letters (W.A.B.) conjoined to represent the company’s founder—W. Alton Burpee.
In the bottom right hand corner reads: “Chas. W. Shonk Co. Litho Chicago. NO 3639. I’m pretty sure the four digits represent the phone number. Since Chicago changed from 4 digits to 5 digits in the late 1800s, the sign has to be from this period.
Luckily, the sign has survived these 130+ years. I’ve collected a lot of a lot of advertising over the years, but I’ve never seen a sign like this. I doubt I ever will.