Sharpies Golf House Sign facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sharpies Golf House Sign |
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The sign in its original location in 2006
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| Location | Powerhouse Museum collection |
| Built | 1958–1964 |
| Architect | Ron Ries |
| Official name: Sharpies Golf House Sign (The Golf House); The Golf House | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 1 November 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1655 |
| Type | Advertising Sign |
| Category | Recreation and Entertainment |
| Builders | Consolidated Neon (later Claude Neon) |
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The Sharpies Golf House Sign is a famous neon sign from Sydney, Australia. It's special because it's an animated sign that used to advertise a golf shop. This sign was built between 1958 and 1964. For many years, from 1964 to 2007, it sat on top of a golf business at 216–220 Elizabeth Street in Sydney.
Later, the sign was carefully taken down. It was then given to the Powerhouse Museum so people could still see it. Because it's so important to history, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on November 1, 2002. This means it's protected as a valuable part of the state's heritage.
Contents
The Story of the Sharpies Golf House Sign
How Neon Signs Began
Did you know that Neon gas was first found in 1898? Two scientists, William Ramsay and Morris Travers, discovered it in London. But it was a French engineer named Georges Claude who figured out how to make neon signs.
In 1902, Georges Claude and his company found a way to make neon gas glow brightly inside a sealed glass tube. This created the first neon lamps. By 1923, neon signs became popular in the United States. They were most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Many colorful neon signs advertised all sorts of products back then.
The Golf House Business
The golf shop where the sign was located started in a different way. It grew from a pawn shop run by Harry Landis. He came to Sydney in 1917. In 1918, Harry bought a shop and opened his pawn business.
Later, in 1923, he moved the pawn shop to Elizabeth Street. Harry's two sons, Harry Jr. and Jack, joined the business. The shop was split into two parts. Harry Jr. handled musical instruments, and Jack took care of sporting goods, especially golf equipment. After World War II, Jack Landis started "The Golf House." When Harry Landis Sr. passed away in 1953, his sons divided the shop.
Building the Sign
The Golf House sign was built between 1958 and 1964. A company called Consolidated Neon, which later became Claude Neon, made it. They also owned and took care of the sign, leasing it to the Golf House.
Ron Ries, who worked at Consolidated Neon for over 50 years, helped design the sign. He remembered drawing the design on a blackboard with fluorescent paint. Then, they figured out its size and cost. After getting approval from the Council, Ron supervised its construction. The sign was first laid out full-size on a paper pattern. This pattern was used to create the steel frame. Neon tubes and light bulbs were then attached to this frame. In 1964, the sign even won an award for being the best outdoor advertisement!
Changes to the Business and Sign
In 1977, Harry Landis Jr. moved his music business. This left The Golf House as the only shop there. In 1978, Rob Landis, Jack's son, bought The Golf House. At that time, it was Sydney's top golf store. However, it relied a lot on selling used golf clubs. New equipment was becoming cheaper to make overseas. It became too expensive to buy and fix old clubs.
In 1985, Rob Landis sold the business to a professional golfer named Lindsay Sharp. Lindsay renamed the business "Sharpies Golf House." Because Lindsay didn't own the original name, the sign had to be changed. Claude Neon updated the sign to say "Sharpies Golf House." Lindsay Sharp is famous for being the first professional to win the National Ambrose golf competition in Australia.
The Sign's Journey to the Museum
Lindsay Sharp sold his share of the building in 1996. In 1999, he sold the business to Ray Drummond, who owned other golf stores. By 2002, Claude Neon, who owned the sign, wanted to take it down. They said it had become unsafe.
Many people were upset about this. So, an agreement was made: the sign's ownership was given to Sharpies Golf House. The condition was that it would be donated to the City of Sydney when the lease ended. The sign was also listed on the State Heritage Register in 2002. Even then, it was noted to be in a "perilous condition," meaning it was quite damaged.
Sharpies Golf House closed in 2004. The new owners of the building wanted to donate the sign to the Powerhouse Museum. However, the NSW Heritage Office initially disagreed. In 2007, the City of Sydney ordered the sign's removal because it was unsafe. It was stored in the building for several years. Finally, in 2014, after agreements were made, the sign was moved to the museum. The building where the sign once stood was torn down around 2016–2017.
What the Sign Looks Like
The Sharpies Golf House sign is a "skeleton sign." This means it has a steel frame that holds all the parts. It also has a back to protect the electrical wiring from weather.
The sign shows a golfer hitting a golf ball. The ball flies in an arc over the words "SHARPIES GOLF HOUSE." The letters are about 14 meters long and 1.5 meters high. The sign uses about 80 bent neon tubes. It also has a metal track with about 48 lights that chase each other, making the ball look like it's moving. There's also a golf hole and a flag. The flag shows the number 19. This refers to the "19th hole," which is a fun way to talk about the clubhouse after a game of golf.
In 1985, the sign's name was changed from "The Golf House" to "Sharpies Golf House."
Condition of the Sign
When the sign was listed as heritage in 2002, it still worked. However, its structure was in very poor condition. Parts of the curved top section and the bases of the letters were badly rusted. Some pieces had even broken off. The lightweight metal top with external light bulbs was very rusty at its base. Some parts had already fallen from the sign. The letters themselves were also very rusty at their bases. More pieces had fallen from this part of the sign.
Even though some metal parts were rusty, the sign was still important. It was agreed that if the sign were ever put back on its original site, it would be a copy. The original sign would stay safe in the museum.
Why the Sign is Important
The Sharpies Golf Sign is very special because it's a unique example of advertising from the 20th century. It's historically important because it was one of the last original animated neon signs still in its original place when it was listed. It shows what animated neon signs were like in the 1950s. The sign also looks great and has a lot of social and cultural meaning. It's strongly connected to the business area of Elizabeth Street in Sydney. It also reminds people of professional golfer Lindsay Sharp, who won a big golf competition.
The Sharpies Golf House Sign was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on November 1, 2002, because it met several important rules:
- It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales.
The sign is linked to the growth of businesses around Elizabeth Street. It also shows the popularity of neon signs in Sydney during the 1950s. It's also special as the only animated neon sign on top of one of Australia's longest-running golf shops.
- It has a strong connection to important people in New South Wales history.
The sign is closely linked to professional golfer Lindsay Sharp. That's why the business was renamed "Sharpies Golf House." Lindsay Sharp was the first professional to win the National Ambrose competition in Australia.
- It shows great design and technical skill.
The sign still looks like it belongs to its time. The golfer in his 1950s clothes, swinging his club, shows a dream for many golfers – a hole in one! The sign was made to give commercial information. It was visible in a key spot for 50 years, becoming a landmark. It adds to the unique look of the city.
- It has a strong connection to the community for social or cultural reasons.
Many drivers and train passengers saw the Sharpies Golf House Sign from the late 1950s. People showed how important it was when they reacted negatively to its possible removal in 2002. Both sports fans and others have photographed the sign. It even appeared in advertisements and a video.
- It can help us learn more about the history of New South Wales.
The Sharpies Golf House Sign can help researchers understand Sydney's neon sign era in the 1950s and 1960s.
- It is rare or endangered in New South Wales.
The Sharpies Golf sign is very rare as a unique example of 20th-century advertising. It's also rare nationally as one of the first animated neon signs to be listed on a heritage register. When it was listed, it was the only documented original animated neon sign still working in Australia.
- It shows the main features of its type of historical place.
The Sharpies Golf Sign is a great example of the animated neon sign trend. This trend started in the 1920s and was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
