single-sided old american general hardware store original enameled steel countertop advertising sign fabricated by or for the westinghouse electric & mfg. co., pittsburgh, pa. the pressed metal sign features a westinghouse light bulb box graphic, along with with the phrase "help yourself to see-ability. dates to the 1940's. measures 11 x 7 3/4 inches. vibrant enameled finish largely intact. the westinghouse lighting corporation was founded by george westinghouse, who was a renowned inventor long before his name became a brand. he is the most productive inventor on record, credited with over 400 patents, many of them "firsts" that changed the way the world lived. one of westinghouse's primary contributions to modern life was his championing of alternating current (ac) rather than the direct current (dc) systems favored by thomas edison. because ac was dramatically safer, westinghouse's victory over edison led to the electrification of american homes. to demonstrate the advantages of ac, westinghouse staged grand displays like the illumination of the 1893 world's fair. measures approximately 11 x 8 inches.