14 Feb 2024

Holland-America Line, Santander

This Holland-America Line sign in Santander, Spain, was the first ‘Ghost Sign Corner’ feature in my magazine, BLAG. I have reproduced the piece here, and members of the magazine can read the whole issue online—it is sold out in hard copy.

Fading painted sign on a curved wall on the first floor of a corner building. It shows a large steamship sailing on the ocean, surrounded by lettering advertising the services of the Holland-America Line.
The sign before its 2017 retouching. Photo: Federico Barrera Garaña / Santatipo.

This sign dates from the early twentieth century and advertised the Dutch shipping company Holland-America Line, which is still trading today. It promoted the firm’s routes between the Netherlands and the Americas, which also picked up passengers and cargo in various European ports—including Santander, Spain, where the sign is located. The name of the local agent, shipping magnate Francisco Garcia, is also on the sign, which is positioned on a curved wall to take advantage of its corner location.

In 2017, work was carried out to bring back elements of the sign that had decayed significantly. This was done by the Escuela Taller, a local youth training and employment programme. (It looks like the google streetview from 2017 shows the works in progress.)

Touched up fading painted sign on a curved wall on the first floor of a corner building. It shows a large steamship sailing on the ocean, surrounded by lettering advertising the services of the Holland-America Line.
The retouched ghost sign. Photo: Federico Barrera Garaña / Santatipo.

In homage to the sign, Federico Barrera Garaña recreated the design and has made it available as a free download from his santatipo.es website. It’s also features in his book, Santatipo [Spanish], alongside a wider study of Santander’s sign and graphic heritage.

Digital graphic of a sign that shows a large steamship sailing on the ocean, surrounded by lettering advertising the services of the Holland-America Line.
Federico Barrera Garaña’s recreation of the artwork for the Holland-America Line ghost sign.

Photos and research: Federico Barrera Garaña / @santatipo (Instagram)

Translation: Sam Roberts

Holland-America Line

Holland-America Line, Rotterdam

Servicios rapidos de pasaje a Cuba, Mexico, Estados Unidos, America del Sur

Servicios de carga general a todos los puertos del mundo

Agente en Gijon y Santander: Francisco Garcia

Corner of Carrer Hernán Cortés and Carrer las Infantas, Santander, Spain [Streetview, 2018]

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