Wall clock with FHWA Highway Gothic Series D numbers

[Android]

Not sure where would be correct to post this....

I wasn't part of this forum til recently so I could not give anyone a heads up a year ago when I found this.  But did anyone else besides myself notice this battery-powered Equity brand clock with FHWA Highway Gothic Series D numbers on the face, (face covered, with glass, I should add) for sale at Big Lots in the winter on 2008-2009?   I noticed the Series D numbers immediately, and had to get one. (10 dollars I think) I do not think they are available any more though.  I looked it up online and don't see any Equity clocks like this for sale.   I cannot recall ever seeing any other clocks for sale with Highway Gothic typeface numerals on it before. 



 

[Alps]

The font WAS designed with legibility in mind, so no terrific surprise.

[Android]

Actually I was surprised, I'm more used to clock companies selecting more decorative typefaces on some clocks and something more like Helvetica/Arial for plain numbers.    But in posting this, I was wondering if I was the only roadgeek here that spotted that clock ( I saw them at 3 different Big Lots in the Colorado/Wyoming area, not sure how widespread they were outside of my region)  other than myself.  I was quite happy to get it, myself though. 

-Andy

[ctsignguy]

Hmmm, guess i'll have to check the Odd Lots in Columbus to see if any are still in stores....

[Brandon]

Beautiful clock, IMHO.  Now I'll have to check out the local Big Lots.

[Android]

Well, here's a little bit of an update.  I never did see any more of those Equity brand clocks like the one I posted the photo of above.   However, was at Walmart last night... and saw a bunch of clocks down one aisle and thought I'd take a glance.    There was this one - now I know it's not quite Highway Gothic, but it's close.  It's like Series C with the 9/6 and 8 modified a little bit - probably one of those "looks like" road sign typefaces you see in/on a lot of magazines.  And actually, I'd likely have bought it if i didn't already have that Equity clock.   It's not a light up clock, I don't think so at least, not at 15 dollars, but I didn't look at the back of the box.  The numbers are like, raised plastic too, not just printed on the face like that true Series D Equity closk above.  I just happened to have a decent real camera in my pocket and snapped this photo off. 

[agentsteel53]

that is Series E compressed horizontally to C width.

[Android]

Well, it's close to that, but it is not the series E typeface compressed horizontally.  It's very easy with my photo editing software to compress or expand fonts any which way I want - and I played around with them before I posted this today.  The 8, 6/9 are not series E or EM or any other FHWA.  The top of the 8 is too narrow and the angle at the peak of the 6/9 is not correct either.   I mean, its similar, which is why I posted, but not exact.   

Here's a little comparison I did between the clock and Series E compressed horizontally, it should be pretty obvious

[Quillz]

It could be the Interstate typeface, which is modeled very much after the FHWA fonts.

[agentsteel53]

you're right, there is some enlargement of main loops and diminishment of secondary ones.  It might also be a Blue Highway variant.  In any case, it looks to be compressed, based on the difference between horizontal and vertical strokes.

[Android]

Anyway, it does have a definite "road sign feel" to it - so if anyone else is interested in having such, head on down to Wallyworld...

[ctsignguy]

Well, i wrote to the people who produce Equity clocks about that style shown up top of this thread and if they still had any floating about their warehouse...

got a reply today.....

"EQUITY BY LA CROSSE TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Dear John K.......,


This clock does not look familiar.  Earlier this year Equity by La Crosse formed a joint venture with Equity Industries to sell, distribute and support the Equity line of products.  We excel in all of these tasks at one location, centrally located in the U.S. in La Crosse , WI .  This location is the home to our in-house, company trained technical support team who you likely have spoken with on the phone or emailed.

Unfortunately as we made that transition there were some items that were deemed no longer needed and discontinued.

You can go to our website www.equitybylacrosse.com and view our product line. 

Regards,

The Customer Support Team"


In other words, a big fat 'ZILCH"....so chances of us seeing (or buying) a clock like that again (short of making our own) are slim and none...and slim left town....

[Android]

In other words, a big fat 'ZILCH"....so chances of us seeing (or buying) a clock like that again (short of making our own) are slim and none...and slim left town....

Well, I DID happen to buy two of those Equity Series D clocks when I got the one pictured above.  The other one I gave to my parents... and they used it for a while but then recently I noticed it was no longer in their living room - they said they didn't need it and it's in a closet somewhere I guess.  So... I guess I know of a used one available...

[ctsignguy]

Hmmmmmm........*ears perk up*

[Android]

Hmmmmmm........*ears perk up*

I know it's been a few weeks, but I finally got to see my parents the other day and they gave me that clock back.  So I have it in my grubby little hands now!   If anyone wants it, I paid 10 bucks in the first place, that's all I want now, PLUS shipping, of course.   I just took another photo of it (the face has got some yellow/brownish "faux weathered" spots on it, by the way) 

The back says - MADE IN CHINA  MODEL 51515. 

[ctsignguy]

i'll take it!!!!

[Android]

I spotted another clock that is "similar" to that Equity clock I mentioned above.  It is NOT real FHWA like that previous example was though. Only some of the numerals (6,8,9,0) are really close to FHWA glyphs, the rest are definitely stylized variations.  But this time it was a bigger name brand, Westclox - and again it was at Big Lots.  They had this same design as a small alarm clock and as a wall clock very close in size and design to that Equity one from a few years ago. 

[agentsteel53]

I love how most "industrial design" fonts of the 30s-50s could be wonderful substitutes for the FHWA series.

in fact, a lot of states basically tried it during the conversion to round fonts era.  hell, MA has had their own custom round font since 1930, if not earlier.

[JoePCool14]

If you want a clock (Cheaply) tape over the numbers/numerals with your choice of FHWA font. Or be "creative" and use a form of clearview! 

[Scott5114]

You would probably get better results by disassembling the clock and replacing or covering the entire plate with the numbers on it with one you designed in Inkscape and printed off on cardstock.

[DaBigE]

Saw a couple at Target that are close to FHWA fonts:


http://www.target.com/p/retro-metal-wall-clock-black/-/A-546841#prodSlot=large_1_28&term=wall+clock


http://www.target.com/p/threshold-modern-dog-bowl-clock-black/-/A-14906493#prodSlot=_5_4&term=wall+clock

[Android]

Those are... uh, interesting I guess.  The 2nd one I don't know if I'd even give it a second glance - I guess the 1s and 2s aren't bad.  The first clock, at least that one as a fairly decent 6/9 and the 2 is HG-ish.  The rest though, probably as bad as that last example I posted above.