Sympathetic restoration of Ghost Signs

17 Westgate St. Gloucester

I was recently invited by BLAG magazine to share insights into the unique perspective and careful considerations that go into restoring ghost signs as a signwriter. In the piece below, I delve into the mindset, challenges, and artistry involved in preserving these historical markers of the past.

Many sign painters have been approached at some point about repainting a ghost sign. Here, Eleanor Harper tells the story of how she responded to one of those requests, concluding with the observation that commissioning contemporary work is one way to ensure we can enjoy ghost signs in the longer term. But new signs can also be rich with heritage.

Reviving a Gloucester ghost sign
Ghost signs, for those that seek them out, serve as markers to a bygone era. Layered painted letters on brick narrate stories of communities past, of beating hearts of commerce long since neglected- or converted to housing. Their importance comes from the connections they provide to our recent history and their subtle presence in the built environment. Where once they boldly shouted in bright reds, yellows, whites and blacks, they now whisper after years of exposure as they fade to nothing. In October 2023, a ghost sign surfaced in Gloucester’s city centre, revealing its past as a textile emporium. I was approached about repainting the fading lettering, which forced me to navigate the complex and lawless world of ghost sign restoration. In this case, the projects various stakeholders had decided to keep it in some form, rather than allowing the lettering to succumb to the elements- a casualty of the to the spirit it was created in. This left two possible directions: painting it again, as if new or attempting a more nuance restoration, employing techniques and materials that cautiously add years to its lifespan while preserving its faded character.

Once repainted even with the gentlest of strokes, a ghost sign is no longer ghost sign. It must be called what it is: a restored ghost sign. Intentions, clues of the original era, the paint’s origin, and the artists touch are all obscured, and some of the signs value is lost. Repainting a ghost sign to mimic brand-new feels wrong and I believe a method of sympathetic restoration can buy us some time in between now and it’s eventual disappearance.

To help me with the project. I contacted the seasoned signwriter Mark Amis and together we set out to revive rather than fully restore the lettering. Our challenge was striking a balance between applying just enough paint to bring the sign back, while avoiding the erasure of its original character. And character it had in abundance, from its beautiful natural patina to the bizarre shadowing applied to the top of the letters rather than underneath. The sign painter had stretched and squeezed the lettering to fit the panels of the building and had angled off some of the main lettering in a style I hadn’t seen before nor since.

Our discussions about protective layers led to differing treatments for the exposed stone and lettering itself. For the stone we applied a lime wash sealer and a tinted varnish, while thinned layers of solvent paint and turpentine were used for the lettering. This allowed us to mirror as best we could the materials used for the original sign (minus the lead of course).

We debated colour choices at length eventually opting for a slightly muted maroon blended with brown for the letters themselves. The dark shadows were painted with a thin layer of grey and a dry brush of black. Despite some areas of the lettering being barely legible, efforts were made to retain as much original information as possible referencing and cross referencing what was still visible elsewhere on the wall. We stayed true to the signs original wobbly lines, odd shadows and patina; our homage to the anonymous sign painter that painted it.

Beyond restorations such as this one, shift in perspective is imperative if we are to truly value ghost signs and their creators. This starts with commissioning contemporary sign painters to paint signs, advertisements and murals which not only breathe new life into the modern streetscape but sow the seeds that will eventually become tomorrow’s ghost signs. It would also counter the ‘dying art narrative’ that is so common among the public at large, serving as a reminder that when something is made with integrity, it’s entire lifespan can, and should be cherished. In this way, we aren’t merely restoring history, but actively shaping the stories for future generations to discern, examine and appreciate; the gift of a time capsule from today’s iteration of the craft we adore.