There was a period in time when advertisements (vintage mural ads) were painted on brick buildings and barns. The peak period for this form of advertising was 1920’s to 1940’s. The signs that you may come across today are most likely faded and I love that look. The sign painters were called “wall dogs”.

A gem of a ghost sign is located right in our own back yard on the east wall of Coopersmith’s Pub in downtown Fort Collins. The Coca-Cola/Angell’s Delicatessen sign was painted in 1958 by local sign painter Dan Brown. He received $400 for the fabulous work.

Preservation conservator, Deborah Uhl from Ethereality, was selected to restore the painting in 2011. The finished work keeps the integrity of the faded piece, yet protects it from further fading and chipping. In 2013 the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) awarded The City of Fort Collins the Award of Merit for the preservation and interpretation of the Coca-Cola/Angell’s Delicatessen sign.

I find the restored ghost signs, that keep their faded appearance, to be quite enchanting. I am equally thrilled to see a revival in ads painted on buildings in these modern times. Colossal Media has brought this form back into vogue and has been credited by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times for solely bringing a resurgence to this form.

As I travel around the country, I will be taking photos of painted building signs to share on this blog.