Mail Pouch Barns

[coachgrd]

Whenever I have questions that puzzle me, I know just where to come...TBN. I know there has to be someone here who can shed some light on this...

I have always wondered about the way Mail Pouch worked their barn painting program. Did the barn owner get his barn painted in exchange for the advertising on the side OR did the barn owner pay Mail Pouch to have it painted?

There really is a wealth of information on the 'net regarding these great old barns but nothing about how the program actually worked. Was wondring if any of you know how the system worked.

Incidentally, I just finished a summer project that now is on the side of my shed. I posted a pic of it here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/127/sort/1/cat/562/page/1 Keep in mind I am no professional sign maker, I just thought it would look neat on the shed. I must say I like the way it turned out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DiskDoctr]

Coachgrd,

I read about this some time ago in a marketing booklet that praised this type of marketing.

From what I recall, the roving salesman offered to paint the barn in exchange for putting their image on the side. They paid for a little paint and the labor, farmer got his barn painted, everybody wins.

I don't recall whether the farmer was paid or not... guess I'm getting old /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

-JC

 

[MossRoad]

Mail Pouch barns are gettting fewer and farther between these days. I always thought it would be nice to paint up a yard barn with that and See Ruby Falls and See Rock City, too. Then, I'd put a culvert pipe on end to make it look like a silo and paint the Milk sign on it. You know, the one with the baby and something about America's best selling beverage?

 

[BubbaJr]

I remember seeing a show about the Mail Pouch painter a couple of years ago. Apparently there is only one painter left and he was about to retire at that point. The way I remember it, is that the painter went around the countryside looking for appropriate barns to paint or ones that needed the Mail Pouch sign re-painted. He then painted the one side of the barn with the logo. The rest of the barn was not painted by him. At least that's the way I remember the conversation with him.

I always enjoyed those signs and the Burma Shave signs. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[dummy]

Don't know about mail pouch per se. My grandfather was a commercial artist/sign painter. The sales guy would tell him which barn to paint the ad on. The company paid for the ad plus cover for the "showy side of the road". Granddad would then make a pitch to the owner to finish the job. Amazing what that old guy could do with a paint brush in one hand and a pint bottle of a "little something extra" /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif in the pocket of his overalls. We think he was part cat cause he fell off his share of roofs and ladders relatively unharmed.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Moss, that sounds like a great project. The silo made out of appropriate scale culvert pipe is an excellet idea. How would you cap it off?

Last year I wanted to build a round barn (until the lovey Mrs_Bob put the kabash on that). But now she is talking about getting a horse, so there may be a real need for a barn. I've always loved the old Mail Pouch barns and am thinking that I might be resurecting the idea of the round barn with the wife again, and maybe Mail Pouch or some similar thing painted on part of it.

 

[Golfgar4]

Bob,

If I were ever going to build a barn, it would be a round one. I think they are so cool! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Here's a link Round Barns to a web site devoted to round barns. Lots of pictures and links to other information related to round barns. Hope you find something that's useful, and helps to keep Mrs. Bob convinced to do a round barn! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MossRoad]

The only problem I had with using a culvert is that it is corrugated. A smooth pipe might look nicer. As for capping it off, I was thinking of one of those dog igloos or making something out of fiberglass, or maybe the top to one of those children's turtle sandboxes. Also, maybe one of those veal calf enclosures would work. Lots of possibilities. If all else failed, I could actually make one out of wood, I suppose.

Another idea my dad had was if he ever built a barn, he would install a small silo and put an observatory in the top with a spiral staircase. A silo top can be converted to a rotating dome pretty easily(in theory, not labor) and would be cool.

Does anyone know where there is an old silo with a Milk logo on it anymore. There use to be one on US20 just east of michigan city near a poulty farm on the south side of the road, just east of where I 94 crosses US20. It was yellow with a picture of a baby on it and a bottle of milk.

I also like old Coke ads and old bread company ads. All that stuff was found on barns at one time or another. Neat stuff.

 

[Molerj]

Here's a little story about Harley Warrick, the mail pouch barn painter. click here

 

[johnday]

Moss; How about the silos painted to look like a New Era potatochip can. Round barns, and barns in general really are cool. I just can't understand why so many are in such disrepair. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif