William Stage and his daughter, Margaret Stage, who have put together “The Painted Ad, A Postcard Book of Vintage Brick Wall Signs,” will hold a booksigning this Sunday, June 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame at 8 W. Second St., Washington.
The book features 25 photographs, both black and white and color, showcasing an advertising form prevalent before the time of billboards. Representing finds in large cities and small towns, “The Painted Ad” captures this period of American history when wall signs, in their heyday, dotted the commercial landscape.
Readers also have a choice: keep the postcards as a book, or gently remove them along the perforated pages to mail as postcards.
About the Authors
William Stage has been a tree trimmer, ambulance driver, public health officer, process server and newspaper columnist. He is a Vietnam-era veteran of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, and in 1991 he was called to active duty with the U.S. Air Force Reserves during Operation Desert Storm. Presently his commentaries may be heard occasionally on KWMU-FM, the NPR affiliate in St. Louis. His other books include “Ghost Signs: Brick Wall Signs in America” (1989); “Mound City Chronicles” (1991); “Litchfield: A Strange and Twisted Saga of Murder in the Midwest” (1998); “Have a Weird Day: Reflections and Ruminations on the St. Louis Experience” (2003); and “Pictures of People” (2006); among others.
Margaret Stage is a sophomore at Webster Groves High School. From 2005 to 2008, under the instruction of her father, she helped write, edit, lay out and distribute “Black, White & Red All Over,” a monthly for-profit publication distributed in Lafayette Square. For “The Painted Ad” she chose and assembled the many images in the book.
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