Dr. Pepper survey marker

[Wintertime]

This is unusual:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=330353875298

 

Anyone know anything about the Dr. Pepper folks creating survey marks? Or at least survey mark-looking thingies. I could imagine them being put in sidewalks (outside corner stores?) for advertising, even if they weren't actually surveyed.

 

BTW, the notes about the stamping on the back appear to be slightly inaccurate. I read it as "NATIONAL SAFETY ENG.," not "EXC." So perhaps "National Safety Engineering Company" or some such? I just Googled and didn't find anything by that name in Birmingham, but of course, these things were undoubtedly made many decades ago.

 

Patty

[AZcachemeister]

Judging by the 'Safety First' motto, I would surmise these were meant to be embedded in a line along a concrete stair tread as slip-prevention devices. Probably provided free of charge in exchange for the obvious advertising benefit.

[+KoosKoos]

Found a note about similar ones for Coke...cant' vouch for the authenticity as this is another sales listing (and hence not listing the URL)b

 

This heavy bronze casting is 3 ¾ inches in diameter. It has a 2 inch long hook sprag on the back to set it into wet concrete when the sidewalk is poured. Coke supplied these to areas near schools and high pedestrian traffic for sidewalk safety markers in the 1930's. It would sit flush with the top of the sidewalk, and provide a permanent marker for separating pedestrians from motorized traffic, and at bus and streetcar stops. Schools would use them as cue up points to form a line for the bus.

 

Most of the surviving markers like these were removed during WWII for the metal. Any that made it into collections are usually substantially worn on the top. We found a small box of them along with some Dr. Pepper markers at the old foundry in Pontiac Michigan before it was demolished. The back (underside) says, Pat'd 4-11-33 National Safety Marker Co. Pontiac Mich. The top has the traditional Drink Coca-Cola Logo, and says, Safety First.

[Wintertime]

Thanks for the pointer to some similar Coke markers. I found this article on the L.A. Times site that mentions "a 1903 brass crosswalk marker reading 'Coca-Cola, Safety First.'" That makes sense; I can't see how a marker on a sidewalk would separate people from motorized traffic! ("Please do not drive on the sidewalks. Thank you." :-)) But I could see them being used for other purposes on sidewalks.

 

I wonder whether this was a national "Safety First" campaign in which both Dr. Pepper and Coke participated. Interesting that both of their disks have that wording on them, and that both types of items were made by safety companies.

 

Anyway, it's clearly not a survey marker, despite the resemblance.

 

Patty

[+Ernmark]

Apparantly most of the 'major' brands did this - I have a 7up & Coke marker myself & see Grapette markers on Ebay all the time. Interestingly I've never heard of or seen an example in my part of the country..