Auto Dealers

New York City has led many lives. In a place that is famous for never resting, sometimes the only history that survives are the buildings that go quietly untouched and the painted signs that are slowly fading from their bricks.

Frank Jump has been documenting this unsung history for the last 20 years. His latest book, Fading Ads of New York City celebrates this rarely recognized piece of history. So we thought his new book would be a good excuse to ask Jump to share some of the automotive related advertisements he’s collected over the years.

He sent us an assortment of everything from carriage builders to tires. Some ads are from the book, and a few others can be found on his blog. Most of these are from the New York City area, but Jump has gone well beyond the five boroughs to find his art. For example, if the ad in the full photo gallery that simply states “Sign and Auto Painting” seems a little too small potatoes for NYC, that’s probably because it is from Evel Knievel’s hometown of Butte, Montana.

Jump’s photos are a worthwhile journey into a world of art and history that are exposed to the masses every day but are appreciated by few. Check out the full photo gallery for more auto pics, go to Jump’s blog for all types of other signs, or get the book to see them all in high-gloss glory.