Wooden Signkit with Supplies

Wooden signkit has metal front with latch at top and two bolts at either side which hold front in place. Includes a number of metal drawers and an open bottom for various containers and supplies. Right side is also open and holds mahlstick on holders screwed to side of kit s well as other vertical supplies. Kit ispacked tight with tools and materials, including a large supply of brushes arranged in two of the sliding shelves, each shelf of which has an inserted metal tray to create a second tier of brushes.

Object Number : 2016.0001.0003

Type : tools/equipment

Decade : 1940 - 1949

Object Height : 14 in.

Object Width : 15-5/8 in.

Object Depth : 5-5/8 in.

Object Weight : 20 lbs.

Object History :

Signkit was given to donor by Mark Oatis around 2006 when he moved from Denver to Las Vegas.

Notes on Kenny Wiese from Mark Oatos, “I knew Kenny pretty well, albeit for only a short while. I think he worked at the old General Outdoor during his career, as well as for commercial shops. I know he was in the union, and that he also at some point had his own small shop with his own clients. I believe he moved to Colorado from Nebraska: I have an old business card of his…somewhere. He was an accomplished sign painter and fine artist.I became acquainted with Ken about 1990, through my friendship with Earl Stiegelmeyer. He was already retired by then—probably in his 80’s–, and within a few years he and his wife moved into assisted living. They never had children. I used to go and visit him. I wish I had more specifics about his life and history.

He was a super friendly guy and had very wide interests. He was a fan and collector of Norman Rockwell illustrations. I have a BIG stack of Saturday Evening Post covers he saved, as well as a letter he got from Rockwell. Also, I have his meticulously-kept “morgue file” folders, filled with cropped advertising ephemera and marked “sports cars”, “ladies fashions”, etc. An indispensable, pre-digital resource. I’ve been struggling with how to keep storing these things, even as I try to unclutter my own mountain of “indispensable” stuff!

He gave me the small beautiful reverse-glass nameplate, shown. (Sorry about the blurry photo.) It features an unusual effect of black letters with a bright gold drop shade. This definitely belongs in the American Sign Museum; if you would like to display it in your collection, let me know. As to the kits, I am so glad you’ve got them. I suspect that for now you may only be able to catalogue and archive those, as I note that the current (excellent) exhibits already include sign painter’s tools and kits. Perhaps an eventual expansion will permit their display.”

Status : Storage

Location : Offsite

Donor Name : Joe Broxterman

Company : Speedway Graphics

Date of Execution : 1940

Signature : "Kenneth E. Wiee - 521-01-0568-A'

Signature Location : crudely etched into metal front

Condition :

Good: Signkit itself is in good condition but well-used and greasy. Leather handle is broken.

First Contact Date : 1/8/2016

First Contact Description : visit by donor

Object Received Date : 1/8/2016

Object Cataloged Date : 1/10/2016