Description
A pair of pictograph door plates, one a man, the other a woman. The stylized figure symbols are each incised into a substantial brass plate. These are likely a relatively early and high quality example of pictograph locker room or rest room signs. Now commonplace, pictograph rest room signs were innovative in 1967, when graphic designer Paul Arthur (1924-2001) designed symbols for use in the Expo 67 World’s Fair in response to fair organizers’ concerns that international visitors would not understand language-based signs. However, at the time a Canadian newspaper reported some confusion among visitors on how to interpret the male and female symbols on the signs.
Condition: Generally good for utilitarian used signs, with the usual overall light wear, abrasions, oxidation, bending, scratches, handling. An extraneous mathematical calculation is faintly and amateurishly scratched into the right margin of the men’s sign, visible but unobtrusive.
Reference:
Plumptre, Timothy. Toronto Globe and Mail. 30 May 1967. Online at Expo 67: 40th Anniversary Celebrations Edition (part 4). http://expo67.ncf.ca/expo_67_40th_anniversary_edition_p4.html (31 August 2011).
