Fading painted signs

Shop Fronts

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 della-Porta who came from a retailing family and had the foresight to document these images which convey so much of […]

Shropshire Shop Fronts of the 1880s

This entry was posted in Sign Collections Signs in Media and tagged 1880s Fascias Joseph Lewis della-Porta Photography Retail Shop Fronts Shrewsbury Shropshire Shropshire Archives UK on August 31, 2018 by Sam Roberts

After publishing the wonderful photos of one-time Paris sign business E. Gautier, I was alerted to this project and the above video where the sign makes a brief cameo. Five of my favourites below, but make sure you check out the full collection, including background […]

The Shopfronts of ‘Paris Re-Tale’

This entry was posted in Inspired by Signs Sign Collections and tagged France Paris Pixartprinting Sebastian Erras Shop Fronts on May 4, 2018 by Sam Roberts

This beautiful glass fascia was captured by Brian Heppell after being revealed briefly in 2014 during the fitting of new signage at 192 Brick Lane, London E1. I have looked for S. Sadler by name in the trades section of a number of Victorian and […]

S. Sadler, Brick Lane

This entry was posted in Signs of Note and tagged Brian Heppell Brick Lane E1 Fading Fascia Fascia Gilding Glasswork London London Shop Fronts Reveal S. Sadler Sadler Shop Fronts Shopfrontelegy Shoreditch Spitalfields Tower Hamlets UK on November 17, 2017 by Sam Roberts

Guests on my Stoke Newington Ghostsigns Walk in early 2015 were lucky to see a bonus fading fascia en route, advertising The Vacuum Shop. This was revealed by works to the Anglo Asian restaurant, which now straddles numbers 60 and 62 Stoke Newington Church Street. […]

The Vacuum Shop and George Braun

This entry was posted in Sign Making Sign Stories and tagged Ben Selig Catherine Shields Conservation Fading Fascias Fascia Fascias Geo Braun George Braun Ghost Signs Ghostsigns Hackney London N16 Protection Shop Fronts Signwriter Stoke Newington Stoke Newington Church Street The Vacuum Shop UK on April 15, 2017 by Sam Roberts

Mary Roberts recently visited Harwich and captured these photos of the Harwich Old Bookshop, with it’s distinctive glass fascia, tiled panel in the entrance-way, and mosaic threshold sign. Her friend Christine then did some digging via the wonderful site, Harwich & Dovercourt, and discovered an […]

Harwich’s Shops: Now & Then

This entry was posted in Sign Stories and tagged Ceramic Dovercourt Essex Fascia Greengrocer Harwich Harwich Old Books Mary Roberts Mosaic Shop Fronts Smith Threshold UK on April 8, 2017 by Sam Roberts

Spitalfields Life has published a series of pieces documenting East End shop fronts, in support of the campaign against the forthcoming rise in business rates across the area. I have picked one photo from each piece and would encourage a proper browse of all of […]

East End Shops from Spitalfields Life

This entry was posted in Sign Collections and tagged Alan Dein Archival Photos Bread Brick Lane CH N. Katz East End Fading Fascias Fascias John Claridge London Shop Fronts Shop Signs Spitalfields Spitalfields Life T.S. Cowell Tony Hall Turog UK on March 4, 2017 by Sam Roberts

Part of shop fascia lettering showing through blackwash — I’d always noticed number 77 Shacklewell Lane because of the ghostsign below. Although very faint, it appears to advertise a business called/run by Grime. Below this was a blacked out shop fascia, overlooking the bus stop. Back in January I was cycling past and had […]

J.R.Brewer, the Butcher

This entry was posted in Sign Preservation Sign Stories and tagged Brewer Butcher Dalston E8 Fading Fascias Fascia George Sly Hackney J.R.Brewer London Peter Hardwicke Restoration Reveal Ron Barnes Shacklewell Lane Shop Fronts UK William Hazlewood on March 8, 2015 by Sam Roberts

Shop front for Fish & Cook — 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 work of Emily Webber who writes the London Shop Fronts blog.

London Shop Fronts on London Live

This entry was posted in Sign Collections Signs in Media and tagged Emily Webber Fascias Film London London Live London Shop Fronts Secret London Shop Fronts TV UK Video on August 6, 2014 by Sam Roberts

I’ve recently subscribed to Shopfrontelegy, a post-per-day blog from Vici MacDonald, the photographer and publisher behind Formerly. Given my recent interest in ‘fading fascias‘ the blog has been compulsive reading/viewing, with a collection of shopfront photography going back many years. It should probably come with […]

The Fantastic World of Shopfrontelegy

This entry was posted in Sign Collections Sign Initiatives and tagged Blog Fading Fascias Fascia Ghostsigns Shop Fronts Shop Signs Shopfrontelegy Vici MacDonald on July 30, 2014 by Sam Roberts