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Fading painted signs with Sam Roberts

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Signs of Note

Beautiful, unusual, lost and found ghost signs.

Fading painted advertisement on wall advertising Gold Dust Washing Powder

Gold Dust Washing Powder: An Unsettling Reveal

Lurking in my folders of blog post ideas I came across a photo that I’d forgotten about, of a ghostsign advertising Gold Dust Washing Powder. … Read more

Categories Sign Stories, Signs of Note

Ken Jones’ Butte Palimpsests

Dr Ken Jones has been doing an incredible job documenting the ghostsigns of America via his American Ghosts project. Not only does this involve detailed … Read more

Categories Sign Folk, Sign Initiatives, Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Painted sign in English on a Paris wall saying 'Do not loiter in garage, or bother mechanics. Please use facilities of waiting room'

NOTICE: An English Language Ghostsign in Paris

I heard about this ghostsign in Paris via an email from Ralph Adam. It caught my attention for the use of English language on an … Read more

Categories Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Fading painted sign on a wall advertising Daren Bread

When Daren Became Hovis: A Bizarre Ghostsigns ‘Restoration’

‘Ask for Daren Bread’ was once the simple slogan on this ghostsign on Avignon Road, London, SE4. The above image was taken by Lisa Edwards … Read more

Categories Sign Preservation, Sign Stories, Signs of Note

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

Kotanyi Paprika: Stunning Vienna Reveal

Looking barely aged since it was painted in 1963, this fabulous ghostsign for Kotanyi Paprika has just been revealed in Vienna, Austria. The demolition of … Read more

Categories Signs of Note
E.Mono Shop Front

E.Mono in North London

Back in 2011 an old 1920s shop fascia was revealed on Kentish Town High Street. The nature of the E.Mono business remains a mystery but … Read more

Categories Inspired by Signs, Sign Preservation, Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Painting on walls in Pompeii & Herculaneum

Signs & Frescoes in Pompeii & Herculaneum

When I give talks on the history of signs painted on walls I often refer to their ancient history, going back at least as far … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Destinations, Sign Preservation, Signs of Note

Writing on the Whale and Other Novelties

Joe Thompson emailed me these fascinating photos of lettering on unusual objects, namely a dead whale (1919) and a shipwrecked oil tanker (1926). They are … Read more

Categories Signs of Note

Ancient Indonesian Cave Paintings

Here is the latest discovery relating to the ancient history of paint on walls around the world. This time the image above and others depicting … Read more

Categories Signs of Note
Painted sign on a wall covered by a perspex sheet

Perspex Protecting Ghostsigns from Barcelona to Sydney

This ghostsign for Peters Ice Cream in Sydney was photographed and shared by Mike Meyer while in Australia running signwriting workshops with Better Letters. It … Read more

Categories Sign Preservation, Signs of Note
Painted advertisement on a gable end for Puck Matches

Puck Matches: Archival Photo of a Gable End

This fascinating archival image is part of a larger collection of outdoor advertising captured photographically in the early 1930s and donated to the History of … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Signs of Note
Painted sign on wall for Dr Bells

Dr Bells: A Stunning Ghostsign Reveal in Paducah

Rob Estes of Brushstroke Signs took the photograph below which reached me via Cornbread of the Walldogs. It’s of a recent ghostsign revealed in Paducah, … Read more

Categories Sign Stories, Signs of Note
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
Detail of painted sign showing military general pointing and the word 'Wanted'

Cars No Longer Wanted: RIP

This car dealership sign has been recently whitewashed, as discovered while cycling past today. However, was it ever a ghostsign, given that the dealership remains … Read more

Categories Signs of Note

Who You Gonna Call?

This was the scene on Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, on the morning of Monday 28 July. The photo was snapped from the top floor of … Read more

Categories Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Painted sign on a wall advertising 'Hospital for Horses and Dogs'

Skirting the Edges of a Ghostsign in Washington DC

Here is a new (to me at least) approach to respecting ghostsigns while undertaking building renovations/property development. The host wall of this sign in Washington … Read more

Categories Signs of Note
Fading ampersand, painted on brick

London’s Lonely Ampersand

Today I visited D&AD’s New Blood exhibit and got chatting to Craig Palmer who had created a ‘zine’ all about the humble ampersand. It was … Read more

Categories Signs of Note
Reverse painted glass sign advertising W.A.Higgs

W.A.Higgs & Co: A Stoke Newington Beauty

Walking past Tatreez, the Palestinian restaurant, I spotted this beautiful Victorian sign on the inside. It is clearly a shop fascia which got me wondering … Read more

Categories Sign Preservation, Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Fading painted sign on a wall advertising Bisleri Ferro-China and Remy Martin Cognac

Five Amazing Egyptian Ghostsigns from Iman Abdulfattah

If you don’t already follow Frank Jump’s Fading Ad blog then I’d highly recommend you do so. Frank is a long-time friend and author of … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Signs of Note
Hand-painted shop fascia for D.Appell

D. Appell Fascia Revealed by the Valentine’s Day Storm

Ghostsigns are regularly revealed by property development and the updating or removal of billboards. This is the first instance I’ve come across of the weather, … Read more

Categories Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Remains of painted Victorian lettering

History Repeating: A Stunning Reveal on Bethnal Green Road

While creating this beautiful new signage for Casa Blue, Ash Bishop of The Brilliant Sign Co. alerted me to an astonishing discovery inside the premises … Read more

Categories Sign Making, Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Painted sign on a wall in Deal, Kent, for Henry Dunn's furniture shop

Ghostsigns in the Family: Henry Dunn of Deal

This mid-1800s photograph shows a painted sign on the wall in Deal, Kent, advertising Henry Dunn and his various trades of cabinet maker, upholsterer, paper … Read more

Categories Sign Stories, Signs of Note
Paris Hotel & Casino faux ghostsign by John Downer

Défense D’Af: Faux Ghostsign from John Downer

John Downer is a master sign painter and typeface designer. He kindly shared the above faux ghostsign that he produced in 1999 for the Paris … Read more

Categories Sign Making, Signs of Note
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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

  • Signs of Note
  • Sign Stories
  • Sign Collections
  • Sign Initiatives
  • Sign Preservation
  • Sign Destinations
  • Sign Folk
  • Sign Making
  • Signs in Media
  • Inspired by Signs

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