Historic Shanghai

This photo, recently discovered in a private collection, shows a billboard that was part of Shanghai-based ad-man Carl Crow’s extensive outdoor advertising network in eastern China in the 1930s. Writes Crow biographer and China business pundit Paul French, “Carl made good money erecting these specially designed stands and selling the space. Much better than annoying neon signs, elevator TV screens and those stupid advertising screens in taxi seat headrests. These [billboards were] things of beauty in and of themselves.” We wholeheartedly agree!

One of Carl Crow Inc.’s billboards, on Avenue Haig (today’s Huashan Road)