Montréal Signs Project

Other signs

There are several other signs in the MSP’s current collection which are not yet on display. These include: one side of the 1950s vertical marquee from the New Navarino Café in Mile End; an interior window sign for Buywell; one side of the vertical neon marquee for Dumoulin Bicyclettes; Jean-Guy Parenteau (a children’s clothing wholesaler on Blvd St. Laurent); and, an incomplete collection of Québec car registration plates. We also continue to make inquiries whenever we hear about signs that appear to be in need. That said, our work is severely hampered by our very limited storage space and a general lack of funds for salvaging, transport, repair, and display. (UPDATE: The signs for New Navarino Cafe, Buywell, and Dumoulin Bicyclettes have since been installed at Loyola.)

OUT AND ABOUT IN MONTREAL

As this 1973 image of Rue St. Catherine (courtesy Michel Proulx) shows, much of Montréal’s remarkable sign heritage has gone forever. Still, there are some signs that, although under threat of extinction, might be saved or even imaginatively recycled. A great example is the Farine Five Roses sign – hence our related project, which seeks to engage the public in imagining a bright future for this 1940s landmark.

There are exceptions to the rule; signs we’ve all perhaps heard about that have been lovingly restored. Thanks to the efforts of Heritage Montreal, for instance, the Guaranteed Milk Bottle was recently cleaned up and repainted. Other signs have been removed from public view but are relatively safe, at least for now, eg. the St. James United Church sign. Funds allowing, we would very much like to see this sign on display with functional neon. Still other signs have surfaced briefly only to disappear again, their futures uncertain (Elsie and Elmer, the old Elmhurst Dairy cows, come to mind here).

In Fall 2010 we got permission to visit the site of the former Motel Raphael to see if their rooftop sign was salvageable. The motel was for years a Montréal landmark – with a chequered history. As the photos show, it immediately became apparent that, even aside from all the graffiti, the sign is in an advanced state of decrepitude. It’s also a vast structure by today’s standards: a massive, rusting box designed to house the lighting, with raised Art Deco style letters across its front side.

We are always interested in hearing about other initiatives, sign tips and signs in danger, sign stories, and offers of help. If the Montréal Signs Project achieves only one goal, it will hopefully be to remind us all that signs are an important part of our shared cultural heritage.