A few days ago, Bob ( @bobhuegel ) included a shot of an attractive and ornate wooden indian ( http://365project.org/bobhuegel/365/2013-03-07), and that reminded me of a wooden indian figure here in York, mounted on the wall above the main display window of the shop shown on the right. The shop is situated in Low Petergate, close to the junction with Goodramgate.
This is a rather less ornate example than the one that Bob captured, but it is not without it's charm. I remember it being on the pavement beside the shop entrance some years ago, when I believe the shop was a tobacconist and newsagent. At that time it was subject to some vandalism. As in the USA, the indian was an advertisement for the tobacconist.
The spikes on the flat surface on which he stands are designed to deter birds from perching there.
Ian, thanks for your posting and reference. I went to Wikipedia and excerpted an answer to Malc's question:
Because of the general illiteracy of the populace, early store owners used descriptive emblems or figures to advertise their shops' wares; for example, barber poles advertise barber shops. American Indians and tobacco had always been associated because American Indians introduced tobacco to Europeans and the depiction of native people on smoke-shop signs was almost inevitable. As early as the seventeenth century, European tobacconists used figures of American Indians to advertise their shops. (from Wikipedia)
A wonderful statue and a nice capture of the shop.
In the old day`s our chemist store did have a head with an open mouth on the facade ( Every shop a different one ) . We call them : Gapers ( Yawn`s )
Thank you Malc and Bob - it's fascinating how a symbol like this has survived so long. One thing I haven't yet managed to resolve is what this Indian once carried, although he almost certainly had cigars in one hand.
@fishers Ian, I went into Google Images and see most were only carrying cigars. A few had a spear or a rifle in the other hand, but were the exception.
Thank you Bob. What does surprise me is that there is so little documented about the York example. I'll have to add it to my list of things that need further research!
Ian
March 16th, 2013
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Because of the general illiteracy of the populace, early store owners used descriptive emblems or figures to advertise their shops' wares; for example, barber poles advertise barber shops. American Indians and tobacco had always been associated because American Indians introduced tobacco to Europeans and the depiction of native people on smoke-shop signs was almost inevitable. As early as the seventeenth century, European tobacconists used figures of American Indians to advertise their shops. (from Wikipedia)
@malc
In the old day`s our chemist store did have a head with an open mouth on the facade ( Every shop a different one ) . We call them : Gapers ( Yawn`s )
Thank you Malc and Bob - it's fascinating how a symbol like this has survived so long. One thing I haven't yet managed to resolve is what this Indian once carried, although he almost certainly had cigars in one hand.
Ian
Thank you Padlock -it looks like it must be an effective deterrent, since I can't remember ever seeing a bird perched there!
Thank you Hazel, glad you like it.
Ian
Thank you Graham - it's one of those features I would probably have walked past without much thought before I caught the 365 bug!
Ian
Thank you Pyrrhula, it's fascinating that so many interesting symbols were, and still are, used on our shops.
Ian
Thank you Brian, these old signs are quite fascinating.
Ian
Thank you Ann, glad you like it.
Ian
Thank you Bob. What does surprise me is that there is so little documented about the York example. I'll have to add it to my list of things that need further research!
Ian