Milwaukee, WI
The Allison Sign Company Inc. was established in the 1930s era located in Milwaukee, WI. Allison Sign Company began as a sign manufacturer specializing in large outdoor porcelain enamel signs and smaller neon-lighted desktop and bar back signs. Allison Sign Co. manufactured signs for various industries and companies across the country including Stanley Tools, Automotive, Gas, Oil, Textile, Distilleries, and Breweries just to name a few examples.
Two of their sign styles that stood out the most were smaller bar back signs that were lettered in neon mounted on a backlit reverse-painted glass and metal box and a slip wide sign with a neon outline around etched or reverse painted glass. These signs were primarily used by breweries, taverns, and distributors and would have been displayed behind a bar or countertop. All of their signs were stamped and labeled as Allison Milwaukee and Allison Sign Co. Inc.
Allison Sign Co. Inc. had a few regional signs manufacturing competitors of their smaller neon lighted signs; companies like Lumin-Art Display Corp. located in Brooklyn, NY, and Colonial Neon Co. Inc. located in North Bergen, NJ. There were also other sign manufacturers of larger porcelain enamel signs across the country as well.
Various breweries from across the county took a liking to the signs that Allison Sign Company Inc. was producing and hired them to produce signs to advertise both the brewery as well as the products that they made. Allison Sign Co. Inc. made advertising beer signs for breweries like Iron City, Lebanon Valley, Blatz, Pabst, Drewry’s, Miller, Leinenkugel, Largay, Red Fox, and Hacker just to name a few.
Below are a few examples of Allison signs:
