Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Public Lettering. A walk through London in the search of public lettering is a fabulous website - especially since one of my favourite London shops is mentioned, James Smith & Sons, the largest umbrella shop in Europe. And probably the oldest. This is a very well done website, stations include St Pancras Station, Parson's Library, British Museum, ..., all the texts are downloadable as PDFs and the pictures are almost High Resolution. Fab. "This walk (originally prepared for the 1997 ATypI conference) concentrates on larger examples of public lettering and doesn't mention incidentals - stop-cocks, manholes, dates on buildings, builders marks, &c - of which there is much en route. Much of the pleasure of this kind of walk, is finding things yourself. Although also 'public', it entirely ignores advertising hoardings, store signs and most corporate identities as these are usually approached as pieces of graphic design rather than opportunities for specialist, site-specific lettering." 7:33:18 PM     |

James Gillray. Large exhibit at Bucknell University of Gillray's (1756-1815) famous caricatures. Fantastic. "James Gillray was the most renowned and prolific British caricaturist of his age, the grand master of visual satire. Amidst London's world of gossip and cliques, in a social context made more acute by national crises and economic upheaval, caricatures quickly became the most influential and popular form of political commentary. The caricaturist was at once the journalist, the moralist and entertainer of his time. The printshops of St. James's and Bond Street competed with coffee houses and gaming clubs as the centers of scandal, intrigue, and conversation. It was in these printshops that Gillray engraved, etched and printed his works. After and initial period of trying to make his living as an independent engraver, in 1791 he formed a lifelong relationship with the publisher Mrs. Hannah Humphrey, who from that time forward issued all of his work. He earned more than most of his colleagues: two guineas per print instead of one. The prints cost more if they were handcolored than if sold as black and white images. 7:15:41 PM     |

Kiosk Korner. The History of British Public Telephone Boxes: pictures, models, links, everything. 6:28:36 PM     |

The English Gentleman. To qualify as a proper English Gentleman, you will need a Bowler hat. Get them at Bates Hats - 90 years of elegance. Next must-have is an umbrella. Not any umbrella, of course. You will need the sword umbrella. While you're there, check out their canes as well - they come with all sorts of built in gadgets. 6:15:53 PM     |

More Windmills. Ted found a website dealing with windmills exclusively in Holland. Text is in German, but the pictures should be understood even by someone whose first language is Suaheli. 5:55:41 PM     |