Skipping Girl Sign

The Skipping Girl Sign or Skipping Girl Vinegar Sign, originally known as Little Audrey, is possibly the first animated neon sign in Australia, located in Victoria Street in the inner Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford. ["The Encyclopedia of Melbourne", eds. Andrew Brown-May and Shurlee Swain, p. 664.]

The sign is a painted metal structure depicting a little girl skipping rope. At night it is outlined in neon, and the rope lights up in four positions in sequence giving the appearance of skipping.

It was erected at the Nycander factory on 627 Victoria Street in 1936 to advertise their "Skipping Girl" brand of vinegar, and was immediately popular, and became a well loved landmark. The sign was removed in 1968 when the factory was demolished, and following a public outcry, a smaller version was built in 1970 and placed on the roof of the 1930s Crusader Plate factory nearby at 651 Victoria Street. [National Trust(Victoria) File No. B6017]

The 1970 version was listed by the National Trust (Victoria) in 2000, about the same time the sign ceased operating.

In May 2008, an appeal was launched for public donations to restore the sign by the National Trust (Victoria). ["Audrey wants to glow up" The Age 6 May 2008]

References

See also

* Nylex Clock
* Pelaco Sign