The Meaning of Our Logo
Our logo is a stylized version of a Pennsylvania Dutch hex sign, popularized by artist Jacob Zook with his development of the “silk screening” printing process for the signs in the 1940s, bringing hex signs to the masses.
Who are the “Pennsylvania Dutch?”
Pennsylvania Dutch are the descendants of several waves of German-speaking immigrants from central Europe beginning at the end of the seventeenth century, up until the the American Revolution, and shortly after. They came from German-speaking regions of what is now known as Germany, specifically the Rhine, and migrated to Lenapehoking and the Poutaxat (Delaware Bay), now known as occupied southeastern Pennsylvania. These colonizers became known as German Pennsylvanians, or Pennsylvania Deutsch; over time, their English-speaking neighbors shifted the lexicon to the more Anglicized pronunciation of “Pennsylvania Dutch.”
What is a hex sign?
Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs are artistic and cultural vestiges of the Old World continued by the immigrant communities. These ethereal bird, floral, and star designs were used to decorate everything from “welcome home” and “bless this house” signs, to barns and marriage certificates. Each sign showcases a different image, and the images and colors used represent different wishes and legends. Six-pointed stars were commonly painted on barn sides for decoration. The German word for six, “sechs,” sounded like “hex” to English-speaking neighbors. In time, these “hex” patterns became commonly called hex signs.
Which hex sign is your logo?
For our logo at Abblohwa Design, we use a uniquely colorized version of the single distelfink (a stylized goldfinch) hex sign. The distelfink itself signifies luck and happiness, while the heart represents love, and the tulips illustrate faith. Each color is meant to invoke additional sentiments: the blue represents peace, white for purity, yellow for health, red for passion, and black for unity and protection. We strive to incorporate each of these elements in our designs.
