 |
Images of ‘lost’ or forgotten signs from the past are on a number of sites all over the web.
One in particular partially revealed a vintage sign for “J. Yormark Shoes" behind a barbershop sign at 15 – 8th Avenue in New York City. The sign remained until 2014.
The stencil effect made by the formation of the stained glass letters inspired On Your Mark JNL, which is available in both regular and oblique versions. The font’s name is a play on the shoe vendor’s name… “Yormark”.
 |
Built in 1928 in Wichita, Kansas, the Uptown Theater started out as a movie house, but today still exists as a dinner theater.
Online images of this vintage venue’s perpendicular wall sign show the theater’s name in an Art Nouveau influenced angular style with rounded terminals – similar to that of pen drawn sign lettering of the era.
Adapted as a digital type font, Silent Film JNL is available in both regular and oblique versions.
 |
LaFarge is a typeface primarily inspired by the historic mosaic titling capitals found in the New York City Subway, designed by architect Squire J. Vickers and his staff between 1915-1927. These elegant but industrial signs are characteristic of early-20th century American architectural lettering, and show an evolution of the classical Roman capitals to lower contrast, bolder serifs, and more regular character widths. The majority of this lettering still remains in subway stations today, and though elements of the style vary from sign to sign, many carry the unique features that are reflected in LaFarge: high-waisted crossbars with angled serifs, elegantly curved “R” leg, and distinctive trapezoidal serifs. LaFarge expands this style into a lower case, taking cues from contemporary typefaces like Bookman, Cheltenham, and Della Robbia.
A number of typographic features are included, such as small caps, ordinal indicators / superscript letters, arrows, and a set of borders inspired by early subway tile. The result is a fashionable, architecturally-minded typeface that is just as at home on the façade of a grand public building as it is on packaging, magazines, or the web. LaFarge works well in both text and display settings, remaining readable at small sizes but showing off its elegant details in larger uses.
LaFarge has received the Communication Arts Typography Award, the ADC Annual Merit Award, is included in the 2020 STA 100, and was part of designer Greg Shutters’ winning portfolio in the 2019 Type Directors Club Ascender Awards. You can download a PDF specimen of LaFarge, and also view a video of LaFarge in action.
 |
Lettering Lesson JNL is a bold serif alphabet found within the pages of the 1922 instructional booklet from the St. Louis Show Card School, and is available in both regular and oblique versions.
 |
In the 1920 edition of “How to Paint Signs and Sho’ Cards” by E. C. Matthews is an example of what is termed “poster lettering” that is so free form and unusual it borders on the eccentric.
Resembling lettering more commonly found in 1960s “underground comics” of the Hippie generation rather than of the Art Nouveau period, it oddly enough works well in both styles.
This novelty typeface is now available as Hippie Comics JNL in both regular and oblique versions.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |