Pinterest, Planning Permission, and a Prime Advertising Wall
The rapid removal of a Pinterest advertising banner that covered a community mural in Stoke Newington, and the wider ethical issues it raises.
Protection
Save Our Signs: Bath’s Rapid Response Unit
A palimpsest of fading fascias saved by a keen-eyed signwriter in Bath.
A Tale of Two Murals
A Tale of Two Murals is a documentary that raises important questions about the conflicts that arise between public and private ownership of walls in Atlanta.
22 Hovis Ghost Signs Across the Capital
Documentation of Hovis ghost signs across London, including archival photos and contextual research.
Restoration Period: My Monotype Recorder Article Now Available to Read Online
Extended article examining what to do about ghost signs in terms of conservation, restoration, and protection.
N.E. Signs Appreciation Society Wins Appreciation from Hackney Council
Update on work to document and protect Hackney’s surviving street signs with the now-defunct N.E. postal district, including successful Hackney Society lobbying.
Two Paris Beauties Under Wraps
A couple of years ago these two well-preserved ghost signs were revealed in Paris (see Streetview), presumably by the removal of billboards that covered and protected them. [Update via Caroline’s Miscelleny: The uncovering was in 2012, and the works can be seen underway in the legacy Streetview.] The first adverises Ripolin, a paint brand, which …
The Enduring Legacy of the Joshua Brothers Distillery
Pickles Street in Melbourne was once home to the Joshua Brothers Distillery, and later United Distillers. The latter adorned the building with a series of painted bottles depicting the products that they distributed in Australia. The pieces were painted in the 1960s by signwriter Keith Martin and are wonderfully detailed pieces, reminiscent of Colossal Media’s …
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Ancient Lights in English Law
This blog post highlights an entire category of fading painted signs that I have never come across. They are for ‘ancient lights’ and reference an English law protecting the right of property owners to receive natural light through their windows. The assertion of this right has taken the form of signs beneath qualifying windows as …
Venos & Veglio Reveals on Oxford Street
The above ghost sign was revealed a couple of years ago by the redevelopment of a site on the North side of the Eastern end of Oxford Street in London. It is a palimpsest, and advertises ‘Venos Lightning Cough/Cold Cure’. It wasn’t their only painted wall sign in the area as, a little further West …