When I worked for the power company in Kansas, I would research some of the old files from the 1930s and later, and see Reddy on the letterhead of some of the old correspondence.
My Dad retired from Central Illinois Public Service Company "C.I.P.S.", I remember him brining home Reddy Kilowatt stuff 60s through the 80s. I sure wish I had something with Reddy on it now, I would love to display it with my other mementos.
I got my start as a fabricator at a small neon sign shop. One of my early projects was a Reddy Kilowatt. It was originally part of a larger 2 sided sign. Since the two sides were mirrored the owner had us combine the 2 Reddy's into one life sized free standing unit. Wish I still had the pics, but whenever I drive by his place and the curtains are open I can see it in the window and it still holds court as the center piece of his collection.
I could not find my Reddy Kilowatt knife nor any of my pins but I did locate some old Power Co. items. Some from my Dad and a few of mine. The little locks were used on demand meters so the meter reader could reset them each month.
Oooooopsie....oooooopsie.... I've got one....!!!!! My friend Pauls 12 (?) year old son made this and I bought it at the Meltdown Drags Swapmeet
Haven't seen a Reddy in years. They used to be on all of the power bills,and I think on the envelopes too. Cool logo, don't know why they ever retired it.
Love this thread. Think I missed the Reddy bandwagon? I'm 65, live in the south, the home of TVA, and unless I'm getting senile, I've never seen any of this stuff. Was TVA too cool to use Reddy? Have I been living under a rock?
The one I can remember from my Grandparents' house was a free-standing Reddy about six inches high made of translucent red plastic on a base that allowed it to stand securely. I think the plastic was supposed to glow in the dark but did not noticeably perform. It was foisted off on me as an alleged toy, which as far as I could see had no play value whatever. It was just about like Wingnutz's giant one. I just looked on Etsy...which has quite few Reddy objects...and did not see one like it.
Someone gave me a Reddy pin when I was a kid and thought it was the neatest thing. Came across a slightly different pin a couple years ago and picked it up as a keepsake. My kid was on a trip with Marcy somewhere or another and brought back an over-sized Reddy coaster(?) or hot pad(?) or who knows what for me.
Really neat thread.I remember the electric company ads featuring Reddy. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
Cool stuff and all in very good condition. I'm an old REA Co-op hand. We had a character named Willie-Wired Hand. Same era as Reddy. Out here in West Texas there are still a few old porcelain signs hanging with Reddy and his little lightening bolt.
I retired from an electric company after 39 years and have several Reddy Kilowatt items. After a merge in the early 90"s they took down all the old signs and trashed them, I managed to get one and have it as wall art in my garage. I also have a watch, belt buckles and several years of service pins. When I started all the trucks had the same sign on them as the buildings, hated to see them go away.
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