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Fading painted signs with Sam Roberts

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Signs in Media

Books, articles and video relating to ghost signs.

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

Categories Sign Initiatives, Signs in Media

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

Categories Signs in Media, Signs of Note

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

Categories Sign Collections, Signs in Media

Ghostsigns & Ghostletters of Vienna

One month ago I attended the launch of Ghostletters Vienna at the Wien Museum in Austria’s capital city. The book was conceived, written and produced … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Destinations, Signs in Media

Ghostsigns with the Gentle Author on Spitalfields Life

I’ve recently had the pleasure of meeting the Gentle Author, creator and driver of the incredible daily posts on Spitalfields Life. We explored the routes … Read more

Categories Sign Destinations, Signs in Media

Fading Ads of Cincinnati

Fading Ads of Cincinnati by Ronny Salerno is the latest in the series of books from The History Press. Documenting the ghostsigns of his hometown, … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Signs in Media

Ghost Letters of Vienna

Ghost Letters of Vienna is a project to photographically document the wide range of fading fascias, and other forms of redundant lettering, on buildings in … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Initiatives, Signs in Media
Cover of Ghost Signs of Dublin by Antonia Hart and Lynn Nalty

Ghost Signs of Dublin by Antonia Hart

Last year saw the publication of Ghost Signs of Dublin, to my knowledge the first book covering the subject in Ireland. It is the latest … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Folk, Signs in Media
Restoration Period spread from Monotype Recorder

Restoration Period in the Monotype Recorder

Last year I was invited to contribute an article on ghostsigns to the reincarnation of the Monotype Recorder periodical. It focused on issues of protection … Read more

Categories Sign Preservation, Signs in Media

R.N. Cattle & Son in Harvey Gould’s Soho

This fascinating video about Soho features longtime resident Harvey Gould talking about the people and places that he remembers from the area. At 10:48 he … Read more

Categories Signs in Media
Painted sign fading on a wall advertising Teinturerie des Penitents

Ghostsigns in the Typographic Universe

A new book from Steven Heller and Gail Anderson features a handful of my ghostsigns photos from around the world (London, Cambodia, France and Australia). … Read more

Categories Signs in Media

Fading Ads of Philadelphia by Lawrence O’Toole

This ghostsign advertising Roxy’s Hunting Goods did for Lawrence O’Toole what the Stoke Newington Fount Pens sign did for me. It sensitised him to the … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Signs in Media
Fading sign painted on a wall advertising Dr King

Dr King: The Story of a Melbourne Ghostsign by Nick Gadd

This Melbourne ghostsign is a recent reveal and was captured by Nick Gadd, the writer behind Melbourne Circle. Nick’s research into the sign was recently … Read more

Categories Inspired by Signs, Sign Stories, Signs in Media, Signs of Note
Shop front for Fish & Cook

London Shop Fronts on London Live

Following last week’s post about Shopfrontelegy, here’s a short film from the Secret London section of new TV station London Live. It’s based on the … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Signs in Media
Londonist Out Loud Logo

Ghostsigns on Londonist Out Loud

I took N Quentin Woolf of Londonist Out Loud on a portion of my Ghostsigns Walking Tour in Stoke Newington. The result is this podcast … Read more

Categories Signs in Media

Sign Painters’ Online Release

After touring the world, including the London run hosted by Ghostsigns, Sign Painters is now available to watch online and as an HD download. You … Read more

Categories Sign Folk, Sign Initiatives, Signs in Media

A Book About Ghost Signs

I am on the editorial panel for a book due for publication next year. Although it will be too late to find a place on … Read more

Categories Signs in Media
Cover of the book Fading Ads of St. Louis by Wm. Stage

Fading Ads of St. Louis by Wm. Stage

This stunning photograph is from the cover of Wm. Stage‘s latest addition to the ghostsigns literature, ‘Fading Ads of St. Louis‘. Stage’s first book, ‘Ghost … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Folk, Signs in Media
Sign board advertising London screenings of Sign Painters and Horn Please

Photos and Reactions from the Sign Painters & Horn Please Double Bill

Click the picture below for a review of the London screenings of Sign Painters and Horn Please, February 2014.

Categories Sign Folk, Signs in Media
Restored painted sign advertising Knis & Gunnink coffee and tea house in Kampen

Tekens Aan De Wand: Ghostsign Restoration in the Netherlands

Tekens Aan De Wand (Writing on the Wall) is a book documenting the collective efforts of local historical societies across the Netherlands to restore ghostsigns. … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Initiatives, Sign Preservation, Signs in Media
Sign board advertising London screenings of Sign Painters and Horn Please

Sign Painter Movie / Horn Please Double Bill

[Update: Read a review of the screenings here] I’m very excited to announce that The Sign Painter Movie is coming to London and will be … Read more

Categories Sign Folk, Signs in Media
Clipping from Letterheads magazine showing Coca-Cola ghostsign in negative

Mirrored Ghostsign from Portland, Oregon

Following the talk at St Bride, a chain of events led to Ash at Brilliant Signs, via Stewart at McLaren Signs, sending me a copy … Read more

Categories Sign Preservation, Signs in Media, Signs of Note

Global Ghostsigns for the 2014 Calendar

The 2014 Ghostsigns Calendar has had some amazing material submitted, all of which is now available to view and like (i.e. vote for) on the … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Initiatives, Signs in Media
Painted walls in Mexico advertising music events

Bardas de Baile: Mexican Wall Painting

Bardas de Baile (‘Mexican Wall Painting’) is a fascinating documentation of the ubiquitous painted walls found in Mexico. At first glance the images appear to … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Signs in Media
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Welcome

Hi, I'm Sam. I hope you enjoy learning about fading painted signs on this site. Please get in touch (sam@ghostsigns.co.uk) with discoveries and questions.

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Blog Topics

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