A collection of 340 1950s/1960s and Modern London Street are being sold off by Westminster Council.
There are two different types of distinctive London Street signs being auctioned by Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuerson Thursday 18th May in Chislehurst, South London. The first examples all from the Crown Estate date from the 1960s and are cast iron with relief lettering and all feature the gilt painted crown to the top right. There are 50 of these earlier signs which include Regent Street W1, Great Castle Street W1 and Cavendish Place W1.
The later enamelled steel signs (of which 280 are being auctioned) were first created by Sir Misha Black in 1967 who was Professor of Industrial Design at the Royal College of Art and are synonymous to Westminster City Council. They range from Chelsea Bridge Road , Duchess Street to Soho Square.
As Catherine Southon explains: “We are privileged to be selling a vast collection of iconic London Street signs on behalf of Westminster City Council who are upgrading their signs. This is a chance for buyers to own a unique piece of London’s history. As a South Londoner myself these street signs have great memories of places with so much history in one of the most famous capitals cities in the world. Madox Street in particular is a special one for me as I often frequented the local bars and restaurants there when I started my career many moons ago!”
“The signs are a key part of our London heritage and guide us around the capital. There are a wide range of names that should appeal to individuals such as Margaret Street W1and Hugh Street W1 both estimated at £80-120. We believe that with the focus being very much on the capital with the upcoming Coronation of King Charles in May, the London Street signs will prove very popular particularly those with a Royal connection such Duchess Street W1 and Princes Street W1.
“The familiar black and red sans serif lettering, are under copyright law, forbidden to be copied anywhere else in the world without permission from the council. Each of the signs offered for auction will be sold with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.”
The auction will feature on their website at www.catherinesouthon.co.uk and on the bidding platform www.the-saleroom.com. Catherine Southon is one of the celebrity antiques experts on the BBC show Bargain Hunt.
(Picture from Catherine Southon Auctions)
