Forthcoming Philadelphia Ghost Sign book

Yes, it's official: I'll be penning a Philadelphia Ghost Sign book! History Press USA contacted me and asked if I would be interested in writing a book based on the The Philadelphia Ghost Sign Project blog. Of course I agreed. I'll be designing the book myself, as well as helping design the other books in the series.

Working title: Philadelphia Ghost Signs - A visual record of faded advertisements in the City of Brotherly Love The book will serve as a visual record of a few of the ghost signs and faded advertisements in and around the greater Philadelphia area. What is a ghost sign? A faded, painted sign, at least 50 years old, on an exterior building wall heralding an obsolete product, an outdated trademark or a clue to the history of the building's occupancy. This work will be an attempt to document these once prominent but now quickly vanishing features of the urban landscape. Working Table of Contents: 1. Old City 2. Center City 3. Northern Liberties/Callowhill 4. Fishtown/Port/Richmond/Kensington 5. North Philadelphia 6. South Philadelphia 6. Other Neighborhoods - Manayunk - Fairmount - etc

Please let me know if you have any signs you'd like to see, neighborhoods you feel need to be represented, favorite signs from the site, etc. Any help you guys could provide would be much appreciated.

I'll be keeping you posted on progress, shoot dates, and more as the book progresses. I'm also planning some interesting companion projects to coincide with the launch of the book. More details to come on those as well.

This will be my second book in publication. The first, 24687531 (An observation of Olde City Philadelphia), was an experiment in self-publication, and is available via Xlibris.

St. Louis Ghost Signs Video

Nice video about ghost signs throughout St. Louis:

From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Jim Kirchherr finds out the truth behind "Ghost signs," faded advertisements painted on brick walls of rehabbed loft spaces and vacant buildings around St. Louis. Theses signs offer a glimpse into a busier, simpler age when blacksmiths were prominent and specialty shops lined the streets of the Wellington Loop.

New Bohemia Signs - Video

Great video following Damon Styer of New Bohemia Signs as he works on a job in San Francisco:

Living and working in San Francisco, FontShop.com’s hometown, one is immediately aware of hand-painted signs — whether it’s the colorful Spanish-language brushwork of the Mission District or the mid-century marquees, liquor stores, and florists of the East and South Bay. There was a time when every sign was made by hand, and most of them were painted. Now, in an era of computers and vinyl, the craft is sadly rare. Fortunately there are still a few bright spots, like New Bohemia Signs newbohemiasigns.com, where the tradition is carried on to create new markers for the next generation of city dwellers.

We visited proprietor Damon Styer at his shop on 11th in SOMA and followed him to a job up the street. He describes the “muscle memory” that drives such quick and legible, yet beautifully imperfect work.

[via FontShop.com]

Made By Cows: Modern Signage Inspired by Ghost Signs

Interesting take on some modern signage, given a sense of authenticity by aping ghost signage. Via The Creative Review.

Model NYC Storefronts

Check out these classic NY storefronts, built as miniature models, in order to preserve their memory as they start to disappear from the cityscape. Looking at these, and the way they are photographed, it really is hard to believe they're miniatures, especially when compared to photos of the real thing. Amazing. Check out the links below:

[Vanishing New York] [Curbed NY] [Flickr/Randy Hage]

DAVID MANN Meats and Provisions

"DAVID MANN Meats and Provisions"
Small date of June 1886.
Looks to have been embellished recently, but the original sign does date back that far.

In this photo dated 7/29/1930, you can just make out the large hanging sign (reading "MEATS" at the far corner:


PhillyHistory.org. Philadelphia Department of Records. 16 June 2010. http://www.phillyhistory.org.

Most recently Famulus Books.

S 22nd St & Rittenhouse Square [map]

A. L. LEVIS

"A. L. LEVIS
EST. 1896
SODA WATER ICE CREAM & LIGHT
LUNCH"

Established in 1896, this sandwich shop operated continuously for nearly 100 years. Known for their hot dogs, sandwiches, fish cakes, ice cream and signature soda, Champ Cherry®. You can read a little about the history of Levi's here.

Here's a shot of the store at ground level circa 1950 (©2003 Amazing Beverages):


Here's a photo from 1961, with all the signage still intact:


PhillyHistory.org. Philadelphia Department of Records. 10 June 2010. http://www.phillyhistory.org.

The large vertical neon hot dog sign visible on the front of the building in the above photo was restored by the Davidson Neon Museum and in this photo is sitting atop the North Star Bar at the corner of 27th and Poplar Streets:



UPDATE: According to the North Star Bar, the neon sign has been removed from the 27th and Poplar location and is currently in cold storage.


Original location, 6th Street between South and Lombard [map]

Pat Steaks

Former Little Fish restaurant, closed due to structural problems. After removing aluminum siding on second and third stories, "PAT STEAK" signage appears. Wonder if it had any connection to the other famous steak joint by that name?

6th and Catherine Streets [map]

Hot Dip Galvanizing

"CATTIE GALVANIZING CORPORATION" horizontally along XXX Street.
"HOT DIP GALVANIZING" vertically at each corner of the building.
Possibly older signage appears beneath.
Still in operation.

Gaul and Letterly Streets [map]

107

Address numerals "107" faintly visible at the top of this rowhouse. More signage, now illegible, running vertically along the edges and between the windows.

Part of the group of buildings that are/once were part of the Trenton China Pottery Co. (other signage covered previously).

107 N 2nd Street [map]

Uncovered in Point Breeze

Large letters - "... H (O or U?) E ..."
Below - "...(PA)SSYUNK Av. ABO(VE?)..."

Had this forwarded to me by a fan of the site.

Recently uncovered in a friend-of-friend's South Philly rowhome during major renovation. The owner's house was built next to a (corner?) rowhome that obviously had an advertisement on it's exterior, and it was remarkably well preserved when the walls went up next to it (much like the covered portions of this sign). The sign runs up the wall through both stories of the owner's house...

Looking at the map, it appears that at some point Wilder Street may have run through this triangular-shaped block to Point Breeze Avenue, or at least there might have been a driveway to the large space behind the houses.

UPDATE - Commenter Mike sent us this interactive map overlay website by the Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network, according to which, as far back as 1895 in the Philadelphia Atlas by G. W. Bromley, the area clearly shows a driveway, or at least a space, between the rowhouses opposite Wilder Street. Traffic on 21st street travels south, which would explain the desirability for a sign against this north-facing wall. Correction: Traffic at one time travelled NORTH (see comments), which makes sense as this sign faces SOUTH. See here:





I've contacted the owners to see if I can dig up anything. More information soon!

21st and Dickinson at Wilder Street (no longer visible from the outside) [map]

1950s Posters Uncovered in Tube Station

Not Philadelphian, but very cool. Renovations at the Notting Hill Gate tube station uncovered these midcentury posters in an abandoned hallway. The hallway used to lead to elevators, which were replaced with escalators from 1956 to 1959. These signs have been hidden away from sight for fifty years!

See more photos in this Flickr set.

Notting Hill Gate, Kensington, London [map]

"The Sign Painter" Documentary

Previously, I covered a film which covered my obsession with old hand-painted signage. So you can imagine my delight when I learned that production has begun on another similar film on the subject, entitled The Sign Painter.

This documentary on smaller-scale commercial sign painting will include interviews with several of the artists that still practice this age-old craft. Can't wait to see some footage!

Find more about the film at the website, Facebook page and Twitter feed.

This blog has moved

This blog is now located at http://signs.lawrenceotoole.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://signs.lawrenceotoole.com/feeds/posts/default.

"UP THERE" Film

"UP THERE" is a short film which follows walldogs as they paint various Stella Artois wall advertisements in SoHo.

Shot high above the streets of New York City, "UP THERE" reveals the dying craft of large-scale hand painted advertising and the untold story of the painters struggling to keep it alive.

Capturing a trade that is equal parts artistic precision and greuling labor, the filmpresents a painting tradition pre-dating modern advertising. A craft that today finds itself dangling precariously on the brink of extinction.

A great look into this lost art, and a really well done flick.

"Looking Into the Past" Photograph Series

Inspired by Michael Hughes’ "Souvenir" photograph series, Jason Powell started "Looking Into the Past", a Flickr pool devoted to overlaying archive photos of buildings and people with photographs of the same location in the present day. While the locations are spread over the Virginia and Washington, D.C. area, it's a very interesting take on the same ideas behind this website. Definitely worth a look.

"Looking Into the Past" Photograph Series on Flickr

A Love Letter For You

A Love Letter For You is a project by the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and is sponsored by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative. Painted on the rooftops and walls of Market Street from 63rd to 45th by Overbrook native Stephen Powers and the youth of West Philadelphia.

In 1984 Steve Powers started climbing rooftops in his neighborhood and painting his alias ESPO as a dues paying member of the ICY graffiti club. 25 years later he returned home to Philadelphia in the summer of 2009 to write a love letter across the same rooftops facing the Market-Frankford line. The letter, meant for one, with meaning for all, encompasses 50 walls on a 20 block stretch of market street. Drawing input, inspiration, and work from the community, Powers created a letter to and from west Philly. This unprecedented public art project was a collaboration of Powers, The Mural Arts Program, and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. It required 1200 cans of spray paint, 800 gallons of bucket paint, and the skilled hands of 20 of the finest spray painters in America, who Powers put into the legendary ICY club.

Read a PDF of an Inquirer article about the project here and a PDF map of all the mural locations here.

UPDATE: A Love Letter For You - Brick Valentines On The Philly Skyline documents the art and the neighborhood that inspired this ambitious public art project.
9.25" x 6.25"
96 pages
Over 100 full color images
Order here

The above example at 5215 Market Street [map]

Vintage Sign Shop

Somewhat related, just got passed this info about Kidimo, a new shop in Paris that sells vintage shop signs.

James and Karla Murray - STORE FRONT

Just came across photographers James and Karla Murray’s portfolio. Much attention has been focused on their recent collaboration in MOM & POPISM (an installation of their photos (almost lifesize) embellished by street artists on the rooftop of Gawker Media, which opened this weekend - photos here). But I am (of course) more intrigued by the straightforward documentary approach of the storefront photos themselves, as well as the snippets of history that accompany each image.These images have been collected and published in "STORE FRONT - The Disappearing Face of New York":

StoreFront scours the city and provides an indispensable guide to the city's timeworn shops. From humble neighborhood stores tucked away on narrow side streets to well-known institutions on historic avenues, anyone with a love of New York City will cherish being given a visual walking tour far beyond the scope of even the most thorough visitor or observant resident.

Via LIKES & LIKES.

Asheville, NC Signs

"fresh up with 7up"


"NuGrap"

Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC [map]




NOT Philadelphian... Sent in by Brian, who spied these in Asheville, North Carolina.

Thanks!

Philly Suburban Ghosts

Here are a few ghost signs found just outside the Philadelphia city limits:


"WM. C. WILCUTTS HUDSON"
Older signage (in white) peeks through from underneath.. perhaps a "C"?
Photo submitted by Max Buten of the Lower Merion Historical Society - thanks!
Taken in 2001; building was torn down in 2009 to rationalize the intersection.
Ardmore Ave at Lancaster Ave, Ardmore PA [map]



"RUFE BROS."
"Plumbing"
"Steam ... Hot Water Heating"
"Engines, Boilers, Pumps"
Main and Ashland Sts, Doylestown, PA [map]


"ABRAM COX STOVE(?) CO."
"NOVELTY STOVES FURNACES ... BOILERS"
"MAIN OFFICE ... AND DAUPHIN STS. Philadelphia"
Submitted by Jeremey Ricci - thanks!
Cannon Ave and 5th St, Lansdale, PA [map]

Pencoyd Restaurant

"Pencoyd Restaurant"
None of the old paint remains, just the imprint of the letters on the metal backing.

Sent in by Max Buten of the Lower Merion Historical Society. Thanks!

3741 Main Street, Manayunk [map]

ARCHIVE - Home of Ortlieb's

"HOME OF - Ortlieb's (logo) - SINCE 1869 - (illegible) JOE'S BEER"
Sign has since been stucco-ed over.

Taken 18 August 1995. From Xnedski's Flickr NoLibs Archive.

3rd Street between Brown and Poplar [map]

ARCHIVE - TACO (Trans-Atlantic Company)

"TACO" on water tower. "Trans-Atlantic Company Quality Builders Hardware 420-442 Fairmount Ave. WA 5 ??45".
Older signage is visible beneath: "Manufacturing Pharmacists".
Sign has since been painted over.

Taken 18 August 1995. From Xnedski's Flickr NoLibs Archive.

Fairmount between 4th and 5th [map]

ARCHIVE - Herold's Sauerkraut Buildings

Visible just past the lot which has become Liberty Lands Park.
Building has been demolished.


Another related building.
"P. Herold and Sons - Packers of Food Products".
This building has also been demolished.

Taken 18 August 1995. From Xnedski's Flickr NoLibs Archive.

Wildey at 3rd Street [map]

...SY CORNER

"... CANVAS GOODS CO"
Older, barely visible signage appears beneath.

UPDATE: Since painted over...

Belgrade and Lehigh [map]

Clarke and Cohen

"Clarke and Cohen"
"Expert Adjusters and Appraisers of Fire Losses for the Assured"
Older version of this signage appears beneath.

Here is the sign in a photo dated 11/18/1959:


PhillyHistory.org. Philadelphia Department of Records. 26 June 2009. <http://www.phillyhistory.org>.

Corner, Chestnut and Bank Streets [map]

Acme Piano Co.

"...PIANO"


You can see the building with signage intact at the far left corner in this archive photo from 1963.

PhillyHistory.org. Philadelphia Department of Records. 9 June 2009. <http://www.phillyhistory.org>.

2nd and Queen Streets [map]