At the intersection of Rogers and Bedford Avenues sits the Grant Statue. It was commissioned in 1896 by the Union Club of Brooklyn located at 19 Rogers Avenue. They had it placed directly across the building at the new Grant Square.

But what catches my eye is the Pearline ghost sign behind it. Pearline was started by a man named James Pyle in Manhattan around 1862. It was a coarse white powder formulated with sodium carbonate for washing clothes. Their factory was located in what is now TriBeCa at 350 Washington Street, later moving to 414 Washington Street in the 1880s.

I purchased this postcard at the Papermania Plus Antique Paper Show in Hartford, CT about 5 years ago. Produced by the Rotograph Co. of NYC, it dates from between 1904-1911. Here you can see the ad clearly in the background above a business called Zinke & Ringe.

In doing some research I found 2 photos in the NYC 1940s tax archive. They are both for 1375 Bedford Avenue which shows the building and ad space. One photo shows ads for 7Up and Ideal Dog Food, the other is for Treadeasy Shoes/Schindler’s Shoe Shop on Nostrand Ave. (Side note: I have photos of the ghost sign for this very business which I need to share!) What always amazes me is when these older ads survive after being painted over agin and again. It’s think it’s supposed to be the lead in the paint.