Marshall Field & Company Porcelain Enamel Channel Letters

Object/Artifact

-

American Sign Museum

Name/Title

Marshall Field & Company Porcelain Enamel Channel Letters

Entry/Object ID

2019.0002.0051

Description

Porcelain enamel channel letters originally read, "Marshall Field and Company." Museum chose to install "Marshall  Field" due to space limitations. Circa 1955. Letters originally identified the Marshall Field  flagship store on State Street in Chicago, IL.  Letters were removed when Macy's bought the iconic Chicago department store, and chose to not continue the name.  Because Marshall Field was so beloved by Chicago natives, Macy's decided to have the letters removed in the early morning hours, to escape the possibility of protest. However, an angry crowd gathered around the storefront and as the donor remembers, one protester tried to grab  the "M" and flee the scene.  Fortunately,  the "M" was recovered before it disappeared.

Collection

Permanent Collection

Category

Signs/Displays

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Olympic Signs Inc.

Time Period

1950 - 1959

Place

City

Chicago

State

Illinois

Location

Category

Exhibit