Via Walking Melbourne, I discovered multi-faceted Adam Dimech‘s website devoted to neon signs of Melbourne, and this spiel and great image of the original Skipping Girl Vinegar sign:
“This is undoubtedly Melbourne’s favourite heritage neon sign. Audrey the Skipping Girl was erected for Nycander & Co. Pty Ltd. (who owned the brand Skipping Girl Vinegar) in 1936. Despite becoming a much loved Melbourne icon, the original sign fell into disrepair and was removed in 1968. A replica sign was re-created for the Crusader Plate Company in 1970, in an attempt to salvage this icon. (The vinegar company had moved to Altona without a desire to keep the sign). Crusader’s new sign was placed in its present location above their factory, which has since been turned into offices and apartments. The sign’s design was somewhat altered from the original.”
You might like to know that my father Jack Benjamin who was the managing director of Crusader Plate Co was instrumental in arranging the replacement of Little Audrey. The old sign was found at the rear of a panel beater’s in Victoria Street, but was too damaged to be used. Neon had the rights to the sign so they built the new one.
I remember the old one as I used to sit in the window of my aunts house in Kew overlooking the Yarra and the vinegar factory and watch her skip and, yes it has been altered