ghost signs of cleveland

Buckeye Ribbon & Carbon Co.

Inked Ribbons

Carbon Papers

Est. 1896

building near intersection of E. 72nd and St. Clair

Really this is a handsome sign. It is functionally elegant sign. The products manufactured were black tint to clearly, and sharply print letters on office and business stationery. The products are extinct. Cheap photocopies killed carbon paper. Typewriters worked great, and many were built well, and looked good. Typewriter ribbons were knocked off before computers killed off typewriters. There were ink cartridges in between. 

This is a ghost sign. The company was established in 1896, there is no extinguished date. Some other entity may have bought the trademark, but this one is gone. These pre-WWII advertising signs were painted on brick walls, and on barns. Sign painters nicknamed 'wall dogs' had work for a generation. A lot of signs advertised businesses that did not make it through Hoover's Depression. Some buildings remain, and new owners did not bother with the sign. Note how well the paint held up.

 Packard

on Prospect near E. 51st

 This is a very simple sign, just the company's name. Many young people, well now even middle-aged people are not familiar with Packard. Was it a beer? or a pickle? Before Cadillac was Cadillac, Packard was Cadillac. The last Packard was made in 1956, Studebaker used its name until 1958.

 Uneeda Biscuit, National Biscuit Company's extinct first cracker 1899-2009

W. 32n near Fulton and Bridge

Uneeda Biscuit replaced the cracker barrel. They were packaged for shipping, and had the first advertising campaign for such a food.
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postscriptum 30 January 2013:  Drove by to-day, some insignificant street jerk had 'tagged' the biscuit sign with graceless scrawl.