These pictures of the Old Charter billboard atop the Paramount Liquor Company building came out of the box of General Sign Company sign photos loaned to me by Terry Hopkins.
Terry said the huge billboards were made up of individually hand-painted panels that were assembled on frames when they got on site. You can see the seams of the panels in the closeup photos.
Old Charter photo gallery
This same sign was seen on the old General Sign shop on Kings highway on the north side on the lot facing north south. The butler with tux and bow tie were seen my millions over the years. He also sat on top the Paramount Liquor place different sign but same sign work. My Dad usually did the Pictorial work on the signs. We did faces pretty well and Elston Hite did most of the lettering when they painted a sign on sight. This one was usually disassembled painted indoors at the shop and re-assembled on site. Now they print them for photo or photoshop and hang them with bungee straps in a hour or two maximum.
Your Dad and Mr. Hite were very talented people. Very nice work.
That really is some great art work and as an aside Old Charter is some tasty whiskey or so I have heard. They say to try two fingers neat with a water back.
Terry, around here (Charlotte NC) we are starting to see bunch pf the electronic type. Not sure what type of illumination, guessing LED.
Every once in a while you get to see a windows BSOD, but there are still enough of the older ones around to keep a few guys busy.