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Sam Roberts
Sam Roberts

Scribbling stuff about signs

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  • Articles
  • Productions
  • Editorial
Sam Roberts

Scribbling stuff about signs

Books

The American Sign Museum Book

4 September 202513 October 2025

Celebrating 25 years of the world’s biggest and best sign museum.

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Articles

On the Brush with the New Generation of British Signwriters

1 August 20256 September 2025

Seven signwriters discuss their work and how they got into the trade.

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Articles

Meet the Letterheads: Keith Knecht

20 June 202524 September 2025

Profile of sign painting and pinstriping legend, Keith Knecht.

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Editorial

BLAG 07, the Letterheads Special

20 June 20256 September 2025

A slice through 50 years of the international Letterheads movement.

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Productions

Sign Painting Events

4 May 202524 September 2025

Workshops, film screenings, Letterheads meets, lectures, and other events.

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Articles

Quality Over Quantity: 75 Years of A.S. Handover

1 December 202424 September 2025

The history of these distinguished British brushmakers.

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Editorial

BLAG (Better Letters Magazine)

1 December 20246 September 2025

The world’s only print and online magazine dedicated to sign painting.

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Articles

The Decorated Oxcarts of Sarchí

1 June 202424 September 2025

The story of Costa Rica’s ‘carretas’ (ox carts) and their dazzling decoration.

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Articles

Coming to America: Renewed Acclaim for the Artists of Accra

1 December 202324 September 2025

Profile of Deadly Prey Gallery’s work with traditional Ghanaian poster painters.

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Articles

Dapper Signs

1 October 20236 September 2025

Honouring the life and work of James Cooper, aka Dapper Signs.

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Articles

Downsizing: The Magic in the Minutiae

1 June 202324 September 2025

Zooming in on signs and lettering in miniature.

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Books

Ghost Signs: A London Story

31 October 20216 September 2025

The most comprehensive book ever published about fading painted signs.

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Productions

Ghostsigns Walking Tours

30 June 20216 September 2025

Exploring London’s ghost signs via virtual walking tours.

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Articles

N.E. Signs

30 June 20216 September 2025

Documenting the defunct N.E. postcode that survives on London street signs.

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Books

The Showcards Book

15 June 20216 September 2025

Retrospective of Mike Meyer’s sign painting workshops around the world.

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Books

Sign Painting

9 May 20216 September 2025

The definitive contemporary how-to for the sign painting craft.

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Articles

Letters from Tokyo

20 May 20196 September 2025

Reviewing the experience of participating in Asia’s first Letterheads meet.

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Productions

When Better Letters Met

10 September 20186 September 2025

Short film series about retired sign painters around the world.

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Productions

Mike Meyer’s Morgue Files

1 July 20186 September 2025

Lettering and layout inspiration from vintage signs and advertisements.

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Articles

Forewords and Book Contributions

30 June 20186 September 2025

My writing in other people’s books.

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Editorial

Advertising and Public Memory

17 August 20175 September 2025

The first ever scholarly treatment of the topic of fading painted signs.

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Editorial

Fileteado Porteño – Past and Present

7 July 20166 September 2025

Gustavo Ferrari’s introduction to the vernacular Argentinian artform.

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Articles

What is a Ghost Sign?

30 June 20166 September 2025

Defining ghost signs in a systematic way for an academic book.

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Articles

Restoration Period

30 June 20146 September 2025

Feature on protecting, conserving, and restoring ghost signs.

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Books

Hand-Painted Signs of Kratie

31 October 20126 September 2025

A love letter to the hand-painted signs in this small Cambodian town.

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Articles

Ghost Signs: London’s Fading Spectacle of History

1 September 20076 September 2025

Examining London’s ghost signs within historical and contemporary contexts.

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