Shakespeare

Shakespeare Company Porcelain Sign

c. 1948

In 1915 the name of the company was changed to the "Shakespeare Company" which remains today. Prior to this period the printed logo reflected the oval sign design shown here but with the Honor Built tag line. A 1923 catalog shows a catalog graphic matching this sign validating the transition both in company name and new advertising logo. Marked 5- 48 U.S.A. only a few examples are known.

Shakespeare Baits that Catch Fish Display

c. 1927-28

Little is known about this counter display. Based on the slogan "baits that catch fish" it seems this piece materialized around 1927-28. The 1927 catalog has one reference in a "Your Lure" write up where the phrase is used. Then in the 1928 catalog we find a lure color chart titled, "Baits that Catch Fish!". Subsequent catalog searches failed to find any reference or use of the tag line. A very rare Shakespeare cardboard counter display with only one other example known.

Wondereel Counter Display

c. 1941

Overall, there were very few early tackle advertisements that included women fishing or using fishing tackle. And even fewer where a woman is the primary character of the advertisement. Here Shakespeare is promoting the Wondereel using the nucleus of the family, mom. Tying the 1941 catalog theme to the display, Shakespeare uses wonderful graphics to convenience the consumer that fishing is fun for everyone in the family and that their reels can be mastered in as little as five minutes.

Swimming Mouse Display

c. 1936

Great early Shakespeare counter display with upleaping bass hooked with a Shakespeare Swimming Mouse. Certainly, an appealing graphic and yet another display by Shakespeare with a different style of leaping bass.

Marhoff Reel Display

c. 1927

Rarely seen, this Shakespeare counter display is advertising Marhoff Reels. Dating from 1927 this display is hand painted and utilizes a very unique mechanism to move man, fish and subsequently pole. The vendor flyer is an ad published in May 1930 that was discovered and shared by John Etchieson. Word is there is one complete example in a private collection. Rare and unique.

Wonderod Display

c. 1947

Designed to set on a counter, this display held a Wonder Rod as an extension of the display itself. Previous owner felt that the sign most likely came from either Bob Kliesers Sport Shop, George DeBays Tackle Shop or the Outdoor Store in Palm Beach County

Fishing's More Fun Counter Display

c. 1946-47

Two-dimensional display with the man, net, and fish being pushed forward once the easel is engaged giving depth and action to the display itself. In addition to promoting family fun, this display also signifies the 50 Years in business mark for Shakespeare the company.

This piece when found was in pretty rough shape at first glance but once in hand we discovered that left side was actually about 90% all there but was in desperate need of stabilization and cleaning. The fish is not original but gives some sense of what the piece might have looked like. I suspect the actual fish insert probably had a lure, perhaps the Shakespeare Mouse, like the one in the pic. Another neat discovery was that a hole near the top was actually for fishing line to be routed from the rod tip to the fish for added action to the two-dimensional effect.

Wondereel Display

c. 1950

Another wonderful display featuring an upleaping bass taking a Shakespeare Swimming Mouse. There are slots in the bottom of the display suggesting that this sign was designed to sit atop what can only presumed to be a base presenting Wondereels. The hand graphic matches the same graphic shown in the 1950 Shakespeare trade catalog.