2 Jul 2007

Gillette Razors

Gillette Razors Spitalfields Frank Jump
Photo: Frank Jump

Frank Jump just posted this London sign he photographed while visiting in Spring 2001. It’s a classic Gillette ad with the characteristic blue background colour.

The sign below is one I took on Clapham High Street and part of a an ongoing Campaign that Gillette ran in the Brickad format. You can see on the Clapham example that a modern billboard covered this portion of the sign, saving it from successive paint jobs. The billboard was then removed to reveal a very well preserved ‘ghost sign’, albeit incomplete.

Gillette Shave Clapham High Street

In the background of the first sign you can make out a white haired man, probably looking very happy with his ‘British Made’ razor and blades. In fact, just under the final line of text is the blade itself. The missing vertical strip on the left is not typical, unless something that the sign had been painted over was later removed, thereby completely taking away this portion.

Both Frank and I are keen to find out exactly where the first sign is. He recalls climbing up to the top level of a multi-storage car park while on his way to the East End and says he was facing South when he took it, so the sign must be facing North. If you know where it is then please post a comment below or send me an email. I’d be interested to see what state it is in now six years later.

Thanks to Frank Jump for the first photo and to Nigel and many other for tipping me off about the second one.

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