The Art of Motion
The Paul Stanley Museum
Preserving the Lost Art of Motion Advertising
Discover the rare, whimsical, handcrafted animated displays created by Paul Stanley for some of America’s most recognizable brands.
The Artist Behind the Motion
Long before digital screens transformed retail advertising, Paul Stanley created displays that moved, entertained, and stopped shoppers in their tracks. His handcrafted animated creations brought characters and brands to life inside American stores during the golden age of motion advertising.
“Who Was Paul Stanley?”
Paul Stanley was a creative designer and inventor who transformed ordinary advertising into something people could stop and watch. Known for his imaginative, mechanically animated displays, Stanley brought familiar brand characters to life through a unique combination of illustration, craftsmanship, engineering, and motion. His creations appeared in stores and other commercial spaces, where moving clowns, cowboys, bears, and other characters captured attention in ways traditional signs could not. Today, his surviving works offer a fascinating glimpse into a nearly forgotten era when advertising was handcrafted, mechanical, and full of personality.
Currently on Tap
Created for Coca-Cola during the golden age of animated advertising, the Coca-Cola Clown is a whimsical example of Paul Stanley’s talent for turning an ordinary store display into a miniature performance. Designed to stop shoppers in their tracks, the colorful clown combined playful character design with mechanical motion, bringing the Coca-Cola brand to life in a way a traditional sign never could. Handcrafted, animated, and created for in-store promotion, surviving examples are now rare reminders of a time when advertising was not simply seen—it moved, entertained, and became part of the experience.
Created for Hamm’s Beer in an era when store displays were designed to move, entertain, and capture attention, the Hamm’s Beer Bear Helicopter is a playful example of Paul Stanley’s talent for combining character, motion, and imagination. Featuring the beloved Hamm’s bear piloting his own helicopter, the animated display brought the brand’s fun-loving personality to life and gave shoppers a reason to stop and watch.
Handcrafted for retail promotion, surviving examples are rare reminders of a time when beer advertising was more than something hanging on the wall—it was a show.
Created for Mother’s Cookies in an era when animated store displays brought brands and characters to life, the Mother’s Cookies Cowboy is a playful example of Paul Stanley’s ability to turn a familiar character into a captivating in-store attraction. With his colorful Western styling and mechanical movement, the cowboy was designed to catch the eye of shoppers and bring personality to the Mother’s Cookies brand. Handcrafted for retail display, surviving examples offer a rare glimpse into a time when advertising did more than promote a product—it moved, entertained, and made people stop for a closer look.
More Than Signs — Mechanical Works of Art
Paul Stanley & Co mechanical “Burgie” clown store display
The Take Home Burgie Clown is a rare, life-size mechanical store display created by Paul Stanley & Co. in the 1950s to promote Burgie Beer. Standing approximately 87 inches tall, the colorful clown features playful mechanical motion, with his upper body moving as rotating six-packs balance on his feet above a light-up drum base. Designed to command attention in a busy retail environment, the display transformed a simple beer advertisement into entertainment, combining movement, character, and a touch of showmanship. More than just a store sign, the Burgie Clown is a remarkable surviving example of an era when imaginative mechanical displays made products nearly impossible to ignore.
These were not ordinary advertisements. Each display combined illustration, mechanical movement, character design, and engineering to capture attention in a way static signs could not. Many were produced in extremely limited numbers. Some may be among the last surviving examples of their kind.
The Hunt Continues
Paul Stanley displays were produced in extremely limited quantities, and many have disappeared over the decades.
Do you own one? Have you seen one?
We are actively searching for Paul Stanley displays, signs, sketches, photographs, documents, and related materials.
We buy collections and individual pieces. We arrange pickup and pay shipping.