Peg Stewart Harvey of Hatfield recently was going through some of her mother's photo albums and was kind enough to share a photo that she found there.


Although she's not sure of the date, she says, "I believe this is a photo of a sign that my grandfather painted. His name was Albert Rue Bailey, he lived on East Fifth Street in Lansdale, where he worked out of my grandparents' garage.

"He was a local artist who mostly made his living as a sign painter. In his lifetime he was contracted to paint various company signage, for example, Pep Boys (Manny, Mo and Jack): Bonami ('Hasn't scratched yet'); and was contracted to do the RCA emblem with Nipper, but never got any recognition for that emblem.

"He was one of the founders of the Art League, also.

"I am told that during the war my mother started an art club while she was employed at Interstate Hosiery Mill. She ran the club for $1 a week and once a painting was paid for, then my grandfather would finish the painting. This art club helped my grandparents keep food on the table during the Depression.

"As a side note, I have been going to house sales and auctions in the hopes of securing any of my grandfather's paintings and luckily have purchased eight to date."

This photo truly is a snapshot of history, as it captures the Lansdale Theatre "pick o' the pictures"!