F.W. Woolworth Co. and the Winston-Salem Sit-Ins
Absolutely fascinating investigation uncovering the historical connections between two glass signs for F.W. Woolworth Co. and the Winston-Salem sit-ins that played a major role in … Read more
Signs in Media
Books, articles and video relating to ghost signs.
Introducing the Pre-Vinylite Society Journal
There is one week left to back the printing of a brand new publication that will be of interest to all those interested in hand-painted … Read more
Shropshire Shop Fronts of the 1880s
My father-in-law discovered this astonishing collection of high quality photography showing the high street in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, in 1888. They were photographed by Joseph Lewis … Read more
64,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Cave Paintings
Continuing the occassional exploration of ‘ancient’ signs, I was thrilled to hear of this evidence that Neanderthals were busy painting the walls of caves across … Read more
Karl Blaschke: The Sign Man of Munich
[This book review is reposted from the original on the Better Letters blog.] “Signwriters are entitled to their immortality just as are other artists and … Read more
Painted Advertisements in Islington: Part 4
The list below of painted advertisements in Islington was compiled in the hope that some of those reading it might write in with additional locations … Read more
Painted Advertisements in Islington: Part 3
The list below of painted advertisements in Islington was compiled in the hope that some of those reading it might write in with additional locations … Read more
Painted Advertisements in Islington: Part 2
The list below of painted advertisements in Islington was compiled in the hope that some of those reading it might write in with additional locations … Read more
Chasing Ghosts for the Coca-Cola Company
I was recently invited by the Coca-Cola Company to write a piece about ghost signs for their website. It turned into something of a summary … Read more
On Tour with Albani Calusin and RMIT
Back in March last year I had the pleasure of taking two groups from Melbourne’s RMIT on my Stoke Newington Ghostsigns Walk. This was the … Read more
Restoration & Regeneration
The restoration of ghostsigns is a topic that causes much debate among enthusiasts and members of the public alike. I have covered many projects on … Read more
Cookie Cutter Shops on Walthamstow High Street
Simon Memel sent me a link to this article on Dezeen by Owen Hatherley about an odd thing that has just happened on Walthamstow High … Read more
Five of the Best: Books about Ghost Signs
Over the years I’ve tried to seek out and review books about ghost signs here on the blog. Here is a set of recommendations drawn … Read more
RIP: London Co-Op, Frederic Street
This ghost sign for the London Co-Operative Society on Frederic Street, London E17, has now been partially covered by new signage for the Still Bar … Read more
‘London Sign by Sign’ by Marco Bazelmans
Back in May, Marco Bazelmans contacted me about a project he was working on as part of his communication design studies in Aachen, Germany. The … Read more
When Better Letters Met Cliff Headford
This is a reposting of the article that originally appeared here on the Better Letters blog. On 4th July 2016 I received the following email … Read more
Fading Ads of Gloucester by Chris West
Fading Ads of Gloucester extends the current series from the History Press in the UK, USA, and Ireland. The material has been researched and gathered … Read more
Dingo Flour Restoration in Fremantle Australia
On one of my recent Bankside Ghostsigns Walks an Australian guest tipped me off about the recent restoration of a famous Dingo Flour ghost sign … Read more
What is a Ghost Sign?
‘What is a Ghost Sign?‘ is the title of the second chapter of our book, Advertising and Public Memory. It is an attempt to provide … Read more
Painted Advertisements in Islington: Part 1
I am conducting a small investigation into the ghostsigns of Islington and am appealing for help from readers of this blog. The map below (view … Read more
Tracing the Origins of ‘Ghost’ Signs
When did old painted signs on walls become known as ‘ghost’ signs, and who coined the phrase? These questions crop up often in my discussions … Read more
Advertising & Public Memory: Social, Cultural and Historical Perspectives on Ghost Signs
Advertising & Public Memory is the first scholarly book focused on ghostsigns. It was a labour of love across much of 2015, work that included … Read more
Early Graphic Communications in Cave Paintings
Thanks to Derek for alerting me to this video which explores some of the earliest known forms of graphic communications and symbolism, building on previous … Read more
New Book: Ghost Signs of Bath
Ghost Signs of Bath has been a book waiting to happen for many years, and I have written about the city on a number of … Read more