Sign Makers Products

What a Smart Sign.... Fit for a Queen

Smart Signs (one of the retail outlets) of Sign Makers Products were commissioned by The Stowmarket Town Council to produce a new town sign. This sign had to be of the highest quality and specifications, for Her Majesty the Queen was to unveil it on Wednesday the 17th July. A brass plaque was mounted on the front to commemorate the same.They were given the basic design and artistic license to produce a traditional sign.

It was decided to use finest English oak machined and manipulated for the post and sign frame. Several processes were used to age the wood work, new oak was used for this project so to keep environmentally friendly, Mike Smart planted 10 new oak saplings to replace the timber used.

The sign panels were from aluminium plate, powdercoat finished to special mixed colours. Superimposed with 5mm thick hand cut aluminium letters finished 22ct gold leaf and stood-off on brass locators. Crowns and the Bishops Mitre were cast in three dimensional aluminium and finished in fine enamel colours.

The sign was delivered and installed by the town councils own team. Assisted by Mike and his team.

Mike Smart was presented to Her Majesty. Mike said we are proud and honoured to have been chosen from all the many companies that were approached to manufacture this sign, it's good to see there is still room in this hi-tech hi-speed sign world of today, for traditional craftsmen to apply all their skills. His message to all the "old school" sign writers is "don't lose heart and certainly don't loose your talents and skills...for what goes around comes around"

Who'da thought it! Hand cut letters, gilding, carpentry, signwriting, enameling, heraldry, engraving, and good old metal castings all coming together to create a work of art.

Halfway through Mike was offered the privilege of being presented to Her Majesty The Queen, when she unveiled it...Mike thought it was a joke the council were playing.....Until it actually Happened!