Individual Signs
Blog posts about particular ghostsigns, including those which have been lost (RIPs), repainted or where some general research has been done about the sign.
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The Boyd is Back in Town
Boyd Pianos’ ghost sign on Shaklewell Lane, London E8, revealed again after 13 years’ hibernation.
16 May 2025
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Pawned for Good: The Partial Palimpsest in St James
The ghost sign for the J.A. & G.E. Smith pawnbrokers in east London has been painted over and now lost. RIP.
5 Sep 2024
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X Doesn’t Mark the Spot: Revisiting an Islington Ghost Sign
Correcting the record for the Popham Street ghost sign previously thought to advertise X-Zalia, but now known to be for Nazalia. Photo: Roy Reed.
16 Jul 2024
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W.E. Baxter: A Beautiful Palimpsest in Lewes, Sussex
Layers of lettering in Lewes, advertising the W.E. Baxter printers, bookbinders, and stationers. Photo: David Quay.
5 Jun 2024
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A Halesworth Ghost Sign with a Celebrity Connection
A surviving ghost sign for William Frost, the ironmonger grandfather of the late television star Sir David Frost. Photo: Wayne Tanswell.
22 Apr 2024
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Handel in Aardappelen (Potato Dealer) in Delft
A 1920s potato dealer sign from Delft in The Netherlands, photographed by David Quay, Type Tourist.
31 Mar 2024
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Ghost Signs from Colombia and Bolivia
Pictorials and palimpsests on ghost signs for Ridomil, Lupano, and Gladymar photographed by Sarah Jupp in Colombia and Bolivia in 2015.
9 Mar 2024
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An Eye Test at Bateman’s Bournemouth Opticians
A ghost sign for the former Bournemouth optician, Bateman’s, is a contemporary test for the eyes in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Photo: Paul Godier.
6 Mar 2024
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RIP: The Chronicle, High Street, Crewe
A noteworthy letter ‘r’ on a now-lost ghost signs advertising The Chronicle newspaper in Crewe, Cheshire. Photographed by Alex Hoggarth.
28 Feb 2024
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The Shifting Sands of London’s Ghost Signs Landscape
Ghost signs lost, partially destroyed, and ‘brought back’ from the dead in the shifting sands of London’s ghost signs landscape.
15 Jan 2024
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I Love It: Marmite Ghostsign Revealed
John Hunter, one of Australia’s prolific prolific collectors of ghostsigns, sent me these images of a recent reveal in Caulfield, Victoria. They were captured by Tony Mead, local signwriter, and are for a brand that I’ve never seen advertised in this form before. Tony and Stefan have added some research to the discovery which dates […]
28 May 2014
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Palimpsest Revealed in Yelvertoft
This palimpsest has recently been revealed by the removal of the butcher’s sign that once covered it. However, the fate of this ghostsign is yet to be determined. Perhaps it will be covered again, and inadvertently protected, by a new sign. Or maybe the new residents will take a liking to the old sign and […]
15 Dec 2013
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S Errington and some other South London Ghostsigns
This is a detail from one of my all-time favourite ghostsigns. It’s on Dulwich Road in South London and already features in the History of Advertising Trust Ghostsigns Archive. I had never actually seen it ‘in the flesh’ so it was a great surprise addition to a trip down south to meet Mari Boman and […]
22 Sep 2013
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Bile Beans, York: Correction and update
This Bile Beans ghostsign from Lord Mayor’s Walk in York has become something of a ‘poster boy’ for the medium. It was repainted for the second time last November, sparking a mixed reaction from locals, as is often the case with ghostsigns restoration projects. The knowledgeable and inquisitive Lisa from the excellent York Stories website […]
23 Jun 2013
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Hand-painted Asahi beer sign at the Earl of Portobello
Regular correspondent Ross Corben sent me this newly painted sign for Asahi beer on the side of the Earl of Portobello pub in West London (close up below). It’s an unusual brand for a piece of hand-painted advertising in my opinion, at least in light of the synergy between other users of the medium such as Jack […]
24 Nov 2012
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Is this Lipton’s tea sign genuine, repainted, or something else?
This Lipton’s Tea sign on Frank Jump’s blog has led him to ask if it is repainted or even a modern recreation? It is in Denver Colorado and to me the borders look very unusual which might lend some support to the recreation thesis. The sign painting company (The Curran Co.) named in the bottom […]
27 Oct 2012
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Brymay Reveal from West Norwood
You win some, you lose some and Caroline has definitely found a winner with this fantastic Brymay matches reveal in West Norwood. It is part of a wider campaign by the Bryant & May company, as can be seen by the other examples of their advertising in the History of Advertising Trust Ghostsigns Archive. In […]
24 Oct 2012
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Anthony Quinn and the Victor Clothing Company
This huge advertising mural in Los Angeles was painted to coincide with with the Olympics in 1984. Named “The Pope of Broadway”, the mural features a local hero, the actor Anthony Quinn, and was painted by the artist Eloy Torrez. It advertises the Victor Clothing Company which moved to these premises in 1923 after being founded in […]
13 Oct 2012
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RIP: A.E. Piggott & Sons, Leicester
This large canal-side ghostsign has fallen victim to the demolition of its host building in Leicester. More details of the location can be seen on Amy’s photo of the sign on Flickr where it is also noted that it made a cameo in the first Walkers crisps commercial featuring Gary Lineker (0:36 and 0:55 below). […]
19 Sep 2012
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Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet in Paris, 1983
I had to share this as it is a brilliant example of the classic ‘Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet’ campaign with illustrations in the hand painted form. It was captured by Scott Phillips in Paris in 1983 and, on his blog, he describes how he was able to create this wonderful image. The original artwork for the 1932 campaign was produced by French artist A. M. […]
25 Aug 2012
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Joseph’s Hat Shop sign threatened in Austin, Texas
This great hand painted sign for Joseph’s Hat Shop in Austin Texas is set for demolition ahead of the construction of a new Marriott hotel. Another photo showing the entire sign can be found here on the Glyn Lowe Photoworks website.
27 Jun 2012
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Childrens Hairdressers revealed in Greenwich Village
This sign was discovered here on the Greenwich Village Daily Photo blog. It is a recent reveal soon to be covered up again, fittingly described by Ken Mac as “reverting to its time capsule status”. This development has also been picked up on Frank Jump’s Fading Ad blog and Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York blog.
23 Jun 2012
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RIP Mr. Burbujas (via @ihazrabies)
Photo: Kasey Smith This post on the Perception Filter blog tells a sorry tale of the (partial) loss of this character-filled sign in San Francisco, and some conjecture about hidden meanings within the scene depicted. It appears that persistant grafitti has led the laundry owners to finally give up on repairing the sign, a very […]
30 May 2012
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Noor and Noor 2’s new hand painted sign in Bow
An interesting array of lettering types used in this newly painted sign. Anyone know who did it and when it was done? (Thanks Ross for the photos.)
27 May 2012
