Preservation

The Boyd is Back in Town

Boyd Pianos’ ghost sign on Shaklewell Lane, London E8, revealed again after 13 years’ hibernation.

16 May 2025
Evolution of a Wall at Oneida Market, Hudson, New York

A ghost sign for Oneida Market in Hudson, New York, shows the changes that have had to is fragmented appearance. Photos from Gabriel Nieto.

17 Feb 2024
Chicago Ghost Signs and the Beverly Sign Co.

Fundraising to save two Chicago ghost signs with a connection to the Beverly Sign Co.

6 Aug 2022
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.

7 Jun 2021
Waygoods’ Broken Glass, West Norwood

Waygoods’ Broken Glass, West Norwood, explores the ghost sign for this radio components shop on Chatsworth Way and its unusual form of decay over time.

8 Feb 2021
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.

25 Jan 2021
The Reverse Fade: Repainting, Repointing, or a Legacy of Black & White Photography?

Examining the phenomenon of ghost signs becoming more visible over time, and possible explanations for it, including overpainting, repointing and changing photographic technology.

28 Dec 2020
It’s All Popping Off in Deptford Market Yard

In Deptford, South East London, the processes of development/gentrification are having an impact on the area’s walls, including ghost signs. The following is cribbed from two Twitter threads, here and here, largely focused on the Deptford Market Yard. First up is this shelter sign from WW2. On 16 July the Deptford Society tweeted in a […]

14 Sep 2018
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 […]

6 Jul 2018
Ariel / Writers Revisited

This ghost sign for Ariel motorbikes, and the Writers shop that sold them in Kennington, is one of my London favourites, partly due to the illustrated element, and partly due to the historical connections that emerged after I first wrote about it in 2007. The above photograph shows the sign as it was on my […]

8 Jun 2018
RIP: London Co-Op, Frederic Street

This ghost sign for the London Co-Operative Society on Frederic Street, London E17, has now been partially covered by new signage for the Still Bar and Restaurant. In addition, the last visible portion of the sign, a small strip on the right, has been painted out in white. While most of the sign is likely […]

10 Oct 2017
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 widening project. Martin Garfinkel of Roadside Gallery has captured it beautifully in this fine art print, available to buy here. Martin tells the story as follows. RE Ringer General Merchandise, […]

14 Mar 2014
Perfectly preserved Coca-Cola sign revealed in restaurant renovations

This is an amazing reveal inside a restaurant in Suffolk, Virginia, showing a vintage Coca-Cola almost perfectly preserved as it would have looked when first painted. This article offers some evidence that the sign could date from the 1890s, I wonder if they’ll do something with the top portion which is presumably on the second […]

2 Aug 2012