Video

The Boro’ Bill Posting Company and Their Surviving Ghost Signs

Sharing research to date into what was once one of the major outdoor contractors leasing sites to advertisers for painted wall signs.

14 Dec 2020

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 the American Civil Rights movement. (Watch on www.pbs.org here.) Hat tip to Meredith at the Pre-Vinylite Society for spotting this, and to PBS for creating the documentary.

30 Nov 2018

Early Graphic Communications in Cave Paintings

Thanks to Derek for alerting me to this video which explores some of the earliest known forms of graphic communications and symbolism, building on previous posts here on the blog. Here is the TED blurb, and the speaker has a book, The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World’s Oldest Symbols (also available on […]

6 Dec 2016

R.N. Cattle & Son in Harvey Gould’s Soho

This fascinating video about Soho features longtime resident Harvey Gould talking about the people and places that he remembers from the area. At 10:48 he discusses the painted wooden sign for R.N. Cattle & Son in Portland Mews. He then heads up the mews itself to reveal the ghost of cricket stumps once painted onto […]

21 Dec 2014

London Shop Fronts on London Live

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.

6 Aug 2014

Cassannet: A Dubonnet-Inspired Typeface

This film is promoting the typeface Cassannet, inspired by the iconic Dubonnet triptych found on numerous ghost signs across France. The campaign was originally designed for the brand by the artist Cassandre and this typeface has been designed by Atipo in Spain. Thank you to Jess over on the University of Wolverhampton Visual Communication blog for passing this […]

24 Nov 2013