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Fading painted signs with Sam Roberts

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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

Categories Sign Stories, Signs in Media

Brilliant at Las Vegas’ Neon Museum

[This is a reposting of the original blog post on Better Letters.] Since 1996 Las Vegas’ Neon Museum has put the city’s decommissioned signage on … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Destinations, Sign Initiatives, Sign Preservation

Los Angeles’ Reverse Palimpsest

This ‘reverse’ ghost sign was recently revealed in Los Angeles and provides a third example of concrete setting and holding back the paint that once … Read more

Categories Signs of Note

King Size Viceroy Reversal in Rockford IL

This ghost sign in Rockford, Illinois advertises Viceroy cigarettes, and that they are ‘Now King Size’. It was shared on Twitter by BarbarianDiva and is … Read more

Categories Signs of Note

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

Categories Sign Preservation, Signs in Media

Photo Album of Painted Coca-Cola Signs (1914)

Earlier this year I came across this project to restore a photo album of painted Coca-Cola signs, dating from 1913-14. The album is a fascinating … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Initiatives

More Minnesota Ghostsigns…

Earlier this month I was back in Mazeppa, Minnesota for more workshops with Mike Meyer and Better Letters. This gave me an opportunity to see … Read more

Categories Sign Collections

Hidden Coca-Cola Ghostsign in Portland’s Witherspoon Building

Peter Vogel runs the Nutmegger Workshop in Texas, and specialises in vintage and faux aged signs. Back in 2014 he sent me this collection of … Read more

Categories Signs of Note
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

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

Categories Signs in Media

Cars and Ghost Signs by Tom Pawlesh

Tom Pawlesh got in touch and shared his cool collection of images composed by juxtaposing ghostsigns with a variety of classic cars. He has currently … Read more

Categories Inspired by Signs, Sign Folk

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

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

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
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
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
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
RE Ringer General Merchandise store front

Moving Walls to Save a Ghost Sign

In an effort to save this fading and rusting shop front, Beth and Tony Walls moved the entire building 150ft to allow for a highway … Read more

Categories Inspired by Signs, Sign Initiatives, Sign Preservation
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
Fading painted advertisement on wall alongside piece of street art

Anarchy on the Walls: Ghostsigns, Street Art & Graffiti

Kasey Smith’s ‘Perception Filter‘ blog is well worth a follow for all ghostsigns enthusiasts. Her dispatches from San Francisco have been a big influence on … Read more

Categories Inspired by Signs, Sign Preservation
Cover of Fading Ads of Birmingham book by Charles Buchanan and Jonathan Purvis

Fading Ads of Birmingham by Charles Buchanan and Jonathan Purvis

Birmingham, Alabama, is the location for this addition to the ghostsigns literature from resident advertising expert and artist Charles Buchanan. For a city founded as … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Signs in Media
Hand-painted sign saying 'Sign painters do it in 1 shot'

Sign Painters: The movie, the book and the resurgence

The Sign Painter Movie is now on tour with dates booked in until November, including Scotland and New Zealand for those outside the film’s USA … Read more

Categories Sign Folk, Sign Initiatives, Sign Making, Signs in Media
Faux ghostsign for Cinquecento cafe

Faux ghostsigns, authenticity and the passage of time: Guest post from Best Dressed Signs

‘Faux’ ghostsigns are a relatively new phenomenon but are appearing with increasing frequency around the world. I invited Meredith Kasabian, of Boston’s Best Dressed Signs … Read more

Categories Inspired by Signs, Sign Folk, Sign Making
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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
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  • Sign Initiatives
  • Sign Preservation
  • Sign Destinations
  • Sign Folk
  • Sign Making
  • Signs in Media
  • Inspired by Signs

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