Antique Hammer Dry Plate Figural Wooden Advertising Sign

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Late 19th to early 20th-century figural wooden advertising sign for the Hammer Dry Plate Company of St. Louis, Missouri, formed … Read more Late 19th to early 20th-century figural wooden advertising sign for the Hammer Dry Plate Company of St. Louis, Missouri, formed in the shape of an oversized carpenter's hammer as a visual play on the company name. The elongated handle bears hand-painted "Hammer Dry Plate" lettering in black with red shadow accents against a warm gold-painted ground, while the attached hanging chain allows the sign to be suspended for display. Hammer Dry Plate Company grew from the photographic business of German-born photographer Ludwig F. Hammer and his son Ludwig Jr., who expanded the operation into the production of gelatin dry plates used in early photography. The unusual figural form and photographic trade provenance make the piece a distinctive example of early American commercial advertising.

24" W x 1.75" D x 8.5" H

MM - 12843 - 031825
LV - 12843 - 092926 See less