Rising Sun Stove Polish

A recently discovered gem in remarkably good condition, Rising Sun was exposed by demolition of an adjacent building as late as 2009.  Amazingly, some of the original color is still apparent, as seen in the rosy hues of the letters in “Rising.”  The building is in North St. Louis, on N. Broadway at E. Prairie, alongside of Interstate 70. Although the wooden fence obscures the bottom half of the sign, the slogan reads “The Best Polish In The World.”  Additional text near the bottom indicates the product is available through the Samuel Cupples Wooden Ware Company; a 19th Century St. Louis Merchant of note, Cupples had several enterprises, Wooden Ware being one of them.  A plethora of  Rising Sun Stove Polish artifacts and memorabilia — Victorian trading cards, posters, brass engravings — are available for purchase on the Internet.