Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Ghost signs

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
Black Beaauty.jpg
 
Messages
17,213
Location
New York City
From an over-100-year-old German Bakery in NYC that's still going strong. It's not ghosted, but is such a cool sign (in an incredible tiled floor), that I though everyone would enjoy seeing it (note also, that fantastic wood cabinetry). I've posted full shots of this bakery before, but this sign just caught our eye when we were there Sunday, so super girlfriend snapped the pic.

FullSizeRender-89.jpg
 
From an over-100-year-old German Bakery in NYC that's still going strong.

I love these tiled entry floors. I shared a similar sign (in another thread) from a former men's clothing store that was around for 100 years, but gone for more than 20 -- although the building has been repurposed.

ed_v_williams_north_side_commercial_3-jpg.97093


This one is just down the street (in a building still looking for its new tenant):

Famous.jpg
[/QUOTE]
 
Messages
17,213
Location
New York City
I love these tiled entry floors. I shared a similar sign (in another thread) from a former men's clothing store that was around for 100 years, but gone for more than 20 -- although the building has been repurposed.

ed_v_williams_north_side_commercial_3-jpg.97093


This one is just down the street (in a building still looking for its new tenant):

View attachment 97706
[/QUOTE]

Those are both awesome. Like you, we love these old tiled floors. The city is still chockablock with them - thankfully.

This is the original floor in one of the bathroom in our 1928 apartment:
FullSizeRender-26_zps179azpkp.JPG


And this is the floor we put in the other bathroom (the "divide" is between the bathroom itself and the shower) to capture the period (hopefully):
IMG_2496.JPG
 
Messages
17,213
Location
New York City
Those tiled floors with the Greeky-looking border were very very popular for lunchrooms, restaurants, bakeries, butcher shops and the like during the twenties.

As always, you are spot on as, even today, you don't have to look hard to find them in the city. What's funny is you'll see a place that has been remodeled several times but they'll keep the original tiled floor. In addition to your list, I'd add bars as they are very, very common in bars from the '20s.
 
Messages
17,213
Location
New York City
Antwerp, Belgium
ae8644b516545ebd83069c1f75f34b3c.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

1. Glad I noticed the Antwerp dateline as I thought I might be having a stroke and no longer able to read English.

2. The sign is great, but so is that old, old brick. I love the look and feel of old "uneven" brick with heavy mortar like that. Today, many buildings use pre-fabricated brick facades that are better than some of the ugly things they do, but the pre-fab's "perfect" brick / lines / etc., lacks the soul and the "feel of workmanship" that true old brick has - like in your picture.
 
Messages
15,259
Location
Arlington, Virginia
1. Glad I noticed the Antwerp dateline as I thought I might be having a stroke and no longer able to read English.

2. The sign is great, but so is that old, old brick. I love the look and feel of old "uneven" brick with heavy mortar like that. Today, many buildings use pre-fabricated brick facades that are better than some of the ugly things they do, but the pre-fab's "perfect" brick / lines / etc., lacks the soul and the "feel of workmanship" that true old brick has - like in your picture.
1. Hahahahahaha

2. I completely agree with you FF. That is very well put, couldn't have said it better. I'm glad I am not the only one who picks up on things like that.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 

EstherWeis

Vendor
Messages
2,615
Location
Antwerp
1. Glad I noticed the Antwerp dateline as I thought I might be having a stroke and no longer able to read English.

2. The sign is great, but so is that old, old brick. I love the look and feel of old "uneven" brick with heavy mortar like that. Today, many buildings use pre-fabricated brick facades that are better than some of the ugly things they do, but the pre-fab's "perfect" brick / lines / etc., lacks the soul and the "feel of workmanship" that true old brick has - like in your picture.

For those who are unable to speak English ;)
It’s an old car wash.

Those old buildings are plentiful around here. We still have a lot remaining. Some rebuild after the war with the material they had around.

There’s a great story of my grandmothers house that was hit by a V2. But that’s an awful long way to type. ;)
 
Messages
17,213
Location
New York City
1. Hahahahahaha

2. I completely agree with you FF. That is very well put, couldn't have said it better. I'm glad I am not the only one who picks up on things like that.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
For those who are unable to speak English ;)
It’s an old car wash.

Those old buildings are plentiful around here. We still have a lot remaining. Some rebuild after the war with the material they had around.

There’s a great story of my grandmothers house that was hit by a V2. But that’s an awful long way to type. ;)

Just walked over to the window and snapped these pictures of the brick on our 1928 apartment building (which was just repointed - hence, it looks "cleaned up" versus before). While not as good as the (my guess) even older brick in your "Autowas," it was part of what attracted us to the apartment.

IMG_4684.JPG
IMG_4687.JPG
 
Messages
15,259
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Just walked over to the window and snapped these pictures of the brick on our 1928 apartment building (which was just repointed - hence, it looks "cleaned up" versus before). While not as good as the (my guess) even older brick in your "Autowas," it was part of what attracted us to the apartment.

View attachment 98621 View attachment 98622
That is a cool building, I'm sure! I love old masonry work. There is absolute beauty in imperfection.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,246
Messages
3,077,135
Members
54,183
Latest member
UrbanGraveDave
Top