What are Rollsigns Anyway? (part 1)

Vintage New York Subway Rollsigns have been used for a few years now as jaw-droppingly bold pieces of art in the home, office, retail space, just about everywhere.

Tall Vintage New York Subway Destination Roll Signs Framed as Art in a Home Office

They even appear in television shows and movies.  Remember Monster-in-Law?

Sadly, most of the vintage NY roll signs are gone. What are they, where did they come from, and where did they all go?

Tall Vintage New York Subway Route Letter Roll Sign Framed as Art in a Home Office

All will be explained fully in an upcoming post.  

Please stay away from the platform edge, your next train will be arriving shortly.

Custom Subway Sign featuring meaningful locales

Subway style signs can easily be customized to contain meaningful landmarks, thus making a 

one-of-a-kind custom piece that is both bold and eye-catching. 

This piece contains landmarks such as "Wall Street", "Yankee Stadium", "Harlem", "Central Park" and "White Plains Road". 

 Pieces such as this can be found at http://subwaysigns.com/movie__tv_signs/brothers_and_sisters_tv_show

Floor to Ceiling VIntage Subway Signs - Monster-In-Law

For areas that require a huge visual impact, like loft areas with tall ceilings, floor to ceiling framed artwork makes a statement.  These framed NY Subway Signs from the film Monster-in-Law fill that need easily.

Here are a few more.

 

And a few similar vintage subway signs framed and leaning against a wall in a loft apartment.

The Brooklyn Bridge "B'''s

Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall is an express station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line which is located on Park Row at the Manhattan end of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Artwork includes a 1996 work by Mark Gibian titled Cable Crossing.

 This is the south terminal for the 6 train, which turns via the City Hall Loop to head back uptown.  After Worth Street station closed, the Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall station was known as Brooklyn Bridge – Worth Street. The name was reverted to Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall in 1995.

Some of the unique tile work that is displayed at this station complex is displayed here.

A hi-def photo of the Reverse "B" / "B" station logo mosaic makes a beautiful framed piece for anyone with the initial "B".  It is available here: http://subwaysigns.com/related_items/subway_tiles

Subways signs can fill a tall but narrow space.

Subways signs can fill a tall but narrow space.  

Above is a canvas specially designed to fit this space in an upscale kitchen.  It is of the same style used in Brother's and Sisters Television show on ABC tv and contains New York Subway Station locations like Chinatown, SOHO, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and Central Park.  More like it can be found here: http://subwaysigns.com/movie__tv_signs/brothers_and_sisters_tv_show

 

The Mystery of the Graham Ave "G".

The Graham Avenue Station in Brooklyn, New York residing on the L line has a uniqueness about one of the many station name mosaics.   Notice the "G" in this image.

Here's a close up shot.

Well, all the other mosaics in the station, including the Letter Mosaics atop the walls, look like this.

Grave error or artistic license?  We may never know.

The "B" of Bleecker Street

The "B" of Bleecker Street Manhattan Subway Station.

Bleecker Street / Broadway – Lafayette Street is a New York City Subway station complex in the NoHo district of Manhattan on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line and the IND Sixth Avenue Line. It is served by the 6, D, and F trains at all times, B and M trains on weekdays, <6> train during rush hours in the peak direction, 4 train during late nights

The complex comprises two stations, Bleecker Street (IRT) and Broadway – Lafayette Street (IND).

The station features two styles of "Bleecker Street" station identifiers made by the Grueby Faience Company in 1904. The large "Bleecker Street" plaques were assembled from 27 pieces of faience ceramic. They depict poppies. The smaller blue "B" cartouches show tulips, probably a reminder of the Dutch origins of the city. Later Vickers' mosaic tablets were installed when the station was extended, and five different colors were used for the mosaics. These mosaics were removed in the 2012 renovation of the station, and replicas of the "B" cartouches were installed throughout the station.

 

For more see here: http://subwaysigns.com/related_items/tile_mosaic_photographs