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ID888
NameNovelty Advertising Company: Application for permission to erect service clocks in the International Settlement
TitleElectric clocks (5).Novelty Advertising Company
Year1941
AuthorNovelty Advertising Company; Philipps, G. Godfrey (Shanghai Municipal Council, Secretary & Commissioner General)
CollectionShanghai Municipal Archives (SMA)
Sub collectionShanghai Municipal Council (SMC)
Reference NumberU1-14-3257 (2323-2326)
Repository typeArchive
Description

Electric clocks (5)  - Novelty Advertising Company. 1941. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3257 (2323-2326)

Letter from Novelty Advertising Company to Secretary & Commissioner General (G. Godfrey Phillips) - applying for permission to erect Service Clocks in the International Settlement. Shanghai, January 7, 1941. SMA (SMC), U1-14-3257 (2323).

In the course of the past year, I have erected in the Settlement and French Concession under licence from the respective Councils a number of Service Clocks, notably at 506 Nanking Road, 851 Peking Road, St. Georges and Avenue Joffre. 

The principle on which these clocks are operated is as follows: Three clocks, each three fet four inches square, electrically controlled and internally illuminated at night by electric light are erected on an iron framework; and above and below each clock a similar space is develoted to an artistic advertising designed in celluloid of various colors and internally illuminated by electric light. 

The Council has recently constructed a circular garden plot in the middle of Yu Ya Ching Road at the intersection of Pakhoi and and Race Course Roads. Due east of this circular plot and about four feet distant from it, there is an empty triangular piece of ground, raised to the height of an ordinary street pavement but situated actually in the middle of Yu Yan Ching Road. The purpose of this letter is to request the Council's permission to erect upon this triangular piece of ground, four Service clocks within a square iron frame, eleven feet from the ground, carried by iron supports secured in a concrete foundation. If the Council will kindly accord the desired permission, I will undertake that no garish or meretricious advertisement will be exhibited and I shall furthermore be willing to pay such fee as the Council sees fit to exact for this privilege. 

Acting Deputy Secretary to Novelty Advertising. Shanghai, January 8, 1941. SMA (SMC), U1-14-3822 (0645). 

Commissioner of Police to Secretary & Commissioner General. Shanghai, January 15, 1941. SMA (SMC), U1-14-3822 (0643). 

Negative report from the Commissioner of Public Works to Secretary & Commissioner General   - "Advertisements Clocks on Public Roads. Letter from the Novetly Advertising Co. Dated 7/1//41 - Your Ref. No. 13/11". Shanghai, January 11, 1941. SMA (SMC), U1-14-3257 (2325).  

The Council has consistently refused permission to erect advertisements on the public highway, and I see no reason to alter that policy. 

Negative reply to Novelty Advertising Company from Acting Deputy Secretary. Shanghai, January 17, 1941. SMA (SMC), U1-14-3257 (2326). 

With reference to your letter of January 7, I have to state that compliance with your request for permission to erect a clock with spaces for displaying advertisements at the intersection of Yu Ya Ching and Race Course Roads is precluded since it is contrary to the Council's established policy to permit the erection on public highways of structures for the display of advertisements.  
 

Comment

In its letter of application, the Novelty Advertising company emphasizes the artistic design of the clocks: "(...) internally illuminated at night by electric light (...) ; and above and below each clock a similar space is develoted to an artistic advertising designed in celluloid of various colors and internally illuminated by electric light." 

Keywordsaesthetics ; artistic ; electric clock ; garden ; illuminated ; public road ; color ; materials ; foreign settlement ; French Concession ; International Settlement ; circulation ; connection ; time ; wartime ; WWI ;
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