European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 14, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Byton Nauroth Nuernberg Bureau a country Road wiggles flown ,1 slum of the Kilan Niny mountains in i i Panhandle of West Virginia whore a 5nntl.iv Driver is Apt to go in .1  drive. Rounding the  Bond he fori reaching inc bottomland he meets a scene thai sweeps on him in a wave at nostalgia. The sign on a Gray and weathered barn leaning from years of Strong East winds shouts the Virtues of i product in bold red while and Blue. Beech nut Loba col it is not 3 sign of the times. M s a sign of the r as1, when advertising w.-. Simple and direct. F k Soffle  those Beech nut Sivins scripted in the artery slats of Itie barns of America always look freshly painted even when they re not. And the feeling is always the same like a tickle in the belly jus below the breastbone. Brandenburger Street in Bayreuth Germany does t wiggle Down inv Mountain but the fueling was Loirre april 24 in  of sign shouting screaming wailing Huc stering ind tickling. It was thai by c i a Nul feeling. The Day began with an auction of enamelled signs in the Bolt auction Henise at no. 16 fan Renburger. The folks there specialize in Antiques particularly mud thin when new was used by the common Man. Now such stuff serves to tickle the bellies of collectors. Ant inc Tull Tori .11 this auction Werk wild for enamelled signs. To the my who Bough i it 40 years ago the Sij a was merely to advertise a product and went for a Toupee Bucks. To the collectors bidding in the auction House and prowling the sidewalks where sifts were lined up in fila Market fashion this was Art. Some went Lor $2,000 and one went for More than i 10.0oo. Most were not in the Best of condition but still Wen for sever i Hundred Bucks. Why one seller explained they Cost that much because people Are witling to pay Fiat much but Why answers Irke they re Nii a it was that Beech nut lit Kle belly feeling let s look at some signs an or me Allilee who Tooks like the us i  in j Radiator free for All under a death Valley Sun at High noon holds an Oringe  in his bulging Arm to Sells or. Kloft r Macaroni. Klopfer in German Means Hammer. Remember this is advertising in its less Subtle years. He Wen for $450. The dark leering eyes of a while Robed Arab peer my under his headdress. He looks Doy tired from often a a Lime when Emmr Ltd film a Fri everywhere Eren me Rose la. Leering All these years. He Sells cigarettes too and none too cheap either. The Hamburg owner wanted $700. A Man from Coburg looked like he raided All the breweries in the world. His collection included put zen Brau clean Beer. Thai s encouraging. Another sign bore the name of the Beer in huge letters Kalt Loch Brau. Then in teeny weeny letters it claimed the Beer was from the oldest brewery in Germany. In the land of Beer it probably in t smart to make such a claim too boldly. One sign looks like a Beautiful painting. H advertises Cruner sewing machines. Ritzner is die Only word on the sign. The work shows exo Nisi a detail the kind that makes you want to touch it. A Young woman with a Blush in her Cheek wears a Navy Blue skirt with a Royal Blue Iron Over it. She sits at a sewing machine. A Crimson Scarf covers her head. A pastoral Mountain scene can be seen through he window next to her. Classy. Gorgeous. Exquisite while lady signs Are collector items. One Wen Lor Shioo. 11 was Only in middling shape. She Sells persil soap powder ind wears a White dress flowing in the wind like a frail Carnation. A giant sign maybe 12 feet Tail Sells sets Kaps Cho Kolade chocolate from Norway. It s one delicious looking sign. Collectors tend to specialize. Philipp collects signs with animals on them. He often ends up with doubles or triples of some signs then he comes to the auctions and other collectors buy from him. Some signs Are not in the Best of shape. The Corners go first where nails or screws were used to fasten them to buildings others Are almost obliterated through some kind of abuse. One sign had a wide grooved scar across the Bottom third of in. The collector said somebody probably stuck a handle on it and used it As a Snow shovel a $200 Snow shovel. Some Are restored and Tome restorations Are better than others. Many collectors Don l restore because it disguises the sign s True value. Others hang them in their Homes and want them to look As Good As they once were Philipp Longs for the old Days when ,1 collector could go on country raids peeling treasures off outhouses barns and Rabbit hutches and making off with them like a thief in the night. There Aren t any of Hose left he said sighing. The collectors meandering along Brandenburger s rep fetched into thai sock full of nostalgia guided on their nostalgic trip by the old signs. As each potential buyer stooped to lightly rub fingers Over the raised enamel letters that certain look came Over them. It could t have been More dear if they half rubbed their Umeres. They re not just buying signs. They re investing in thai West Virginia wiggle Road Beech nut tickle belly sensation. Tillman mint t Coll Dor from of Germany off on of hit Prat Tigani to Ifa auction in Baym Fth. Igns to find your Way Back Hripto Magazine May 14, 1987