Mike Meyer is a sign painter based in Mazeppa, Minnesota. I first knew of Mike’s work from the beautiful hand-painted signs he did for a restaurant in St. Paul called Andy’s Garage. (Unfortunately, the original location where I saw them in St. Paul is closed now, but his signs can still be seen at the Minneapolis location in the Midtown Commons.) Last year, Mike discovered my site and we began corresponding by email a bit. Recently, he sent me some photos of cool signs he took on a trip through the south. With his permission, here are a few of them:

Photo by Mike Meyer, sign painter, Mezeppa, Minnesota

Photo by Mike Meyer, sign painter, Mezeppa, Minnesota

Photo by Mike Meyer, sign painter, Mezeppa, Minnesota

Photo by Mike Meyer, sign painter, Mezeppa, Minnesota

Photo by Mike Meyer, sign painter, Mezeppa, Minnesota

Photo by Mike Meyer, sign painter, Mezeppa, Minnesota

Photo by Mike Meyer, sign painter, Mezeppa, Minnesota

A record album from 1949

Ever wondered why albums are called “albums”? At one time, a record album was literally an album that contained records.

A few years ago, I ran across a handful of them in an antique store. They were all from around 1949 or so and contained 45 r.p.m. discs. A lot of the records were missing, but I had to buy them because they had the most amazing cover designs. I wonder who designed them?

Fred Waring Music/Cole Porter Songs

Fred Waring Music/Jerome Kern Songs

Great Operatic Love Duets

The first two are Fred Waring albums on the Decca label and the third is a collection of opera duets on RCA Victor. They remind me of the new wave album covers of the early Eighties used by groups like The Art of Noise. Or maybe it’s the other way around. I love how “45” is put in quotes on the RCA album—as if it’s not really 45 r.p.m.

Benny Goodman Sextet Sessions

This Columbia Records Benny Goodman Sextet album seems to have some Joan Miró influence. Spaced out Bodoni Italic, dotted lines, bee-bop cartouches—what’s not to like? Notice how they advertise that the records are “unbreakable.” This must have been a big marketing issue at the time.

King Cole Trio Volume 4

The last two are Nat “King” Cole albums released by Capitol Records. They both feature bold, lively abstract designs in which Cole is represented by a crown. In the first one, it even looks kind of like him. The piano is reduced to a big red shape (the lid) and a few small white ones (the keys) with emanating sound waves tying it all together. The second one uses sound waves again, but shown more like a stream of air flowing around the musicians. Whatever. It’s cool.

Adam Top Hats

Logo on hat box

Logo on a hat box, seen in an antique store in Oneonta, New York, July 7, 2007. Those are some snappy caps.

A Little Lotto

Vintage Lotto game box.

Vintage Lotto game box.

Vintage Lotto game box.

Vintage Lotto game box.

Vintage Lotto game boxes. Photographed (top to bottom) at Kellogg, Minnesota, August 21, 2004; Hopkins, Minnesota, December 18, 2004; Wisconsin Dells, July 31, 2004; and Kellogg, Minnesota, August 21, 2004.

Vintage Sims cereal box

Seen at the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 28, 2007.

Neon Graveyard

Sassy sign

Outstanding set of photos by Carl Carl from the Neon Graveyard in Las Vegas. (Via Boing Boing.)