Today, whilst completing the final photography for my next book on Ghost Signs, I stumbled across a lot of type in Wapping – mostly the labelling of Wharves. Is the above a play on King Henry’s Wives? I like to think so. Rather like the old hydraulic sign too.
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In addition to the Pouf ghost sign and the Esso ghost sign I’ve previously posted on this blog here are some other faded signs I’ve found around the Boro. It’s been at least 5 years since their football team has been in the Premier League but I have a feeling that sign dates a bit further back than that.
The other day whilst on the look out for ghost signs I stumbled across this gorgeous example of old signage in Shepherd’s Bush. The building is now a Walk About bar but it was originally Shepherd’s Bush Cinematograph Theatre (later the Shepherd’s Bush Palladium). I particularly like the fact that it says how much tickets are for continuous performances and the classic curves at the edges.
Much more upsetting than the decline of HMV is the shutting of shops such as this one. Its signage still remains just off Wandsworth High Street but its windows are shuttered and withdrawn.
It’s the kind of shop that reminds me of Empire Records, a place where the staff love music and dance around on cue. Unfortunately this shop was never able to fully embrace the ‘Damn the man’ philosophy and is no longer in operation. Here are some photos I took of the frontage.
On my way to a teaching conference near St James’s Park today I happened to spot this beautiful mosaic advertisement down a side-street, Carteret Street to be exact.
After a bit of rooting around on the web it seemed the most likely explanation is that it was an advertisement for the Victor Talking Machine Company, a business in the 1920s that produced phonographs. If so, somehow this striking example of mosaic tiling has been preserved for 90 years or so.
Although my next book is on hand-painted signs around London, I often come across some beautiful mosaic and tile signage on my travels. This one, just across the road from Dalston Junction station, is a fine example. I particularly like the gold trim, it gives the design an almost regal feel. You can read the whole Reeves story here.
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