London Roman Lettering: Traditional Signs of NGS London

Faithfully restored and perfectly replicated Classical London Roman Lettering

Nodding to the work of late Signmaster Richard Apps, Condensed Roman ‘NGS Cornelissen Typeface/Font’, Capitals by NGS.

Order your Romans here

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PAINTERS OF THE FINEST ROMAN LETTERING IN THE WORLD

LONDON’S TRADITIONAL ROMAN LETTERING MASTERS

NGS RESEARCH

A NEW LEVEL OF LETTERING DESIGN

The making of the Trajan Catich ‘Truecut’ Typeface Font.

A restoration typeface inspired by lettering masters and the original Trajan Column carvers of Rome 75AD.

In the past century great artisans have contributed their own versions of these timeless masterpieces including: Francis and Hugh Baker (Bakers of Fulham), Edward Catich (Rome/USA), David Kynaston (Wales), Richard Apps (London) William Sharpington (London) and NGS (London).

Above: Painted at the Plough Mews | Clapham, London 2024.

NGS Clarendon Typeface

A typeface that has become further inspired by the Venetian lettering master Nicolas Jensen. This version painted in 2024 was crafted by NGS – I like to think under the gaze of these masters…

TO ROME,

POMPEII & PALL MALL

Researching letter forms from the original Roman monumental letters.

FINDING ORIGINAL CARVINGS

NGS have constantly noted and researched letter styles all over London and the world. Nothing was more impressive than these letters cut into the hardest granite, 2000 years ago. Many modern day letter carvers refuse to work on this incredibly tough stone.

We travelled to Rome and Pompeii since 2017 and researched, restored, and developed 5 rich variations of this classic Roman ‘Trajan’ font.

There’s nothing quite like working from the originals and feeling the effort made 20 centuries ago.

THE IMPERIAL CONTEXT OF NGS ‘TRUECUT’

2000 YEARS OF ROMAN TYPEFACE DEVELOPMENT

TITLES AND THE GRANDEUR OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

THE FLAMINO OBELISC

Located right in the center of the famous Piazza del Popolo, the Flaminian Obelisk below, is one of the most significant obelisks in the city and the first to be brought from Egypt to Rome. The operation was so grand that, for years, the public could admire the ship used to transport it as it remained stationed nearby.

The sheer might of clubbing out these sublime, sophisticated letters really impressed me, aside from their inspiring timeless grace. My grandfather’s words and chisel echoed.

BY HAMMER AND HAND

In the ancient Roman heat, these powerful ‘all gender’ slave teams chopped the Grecian stone. They made all of these wonderful wide spaced letterforms come to life… and shape our world today.

”Grandad I want you to teach me to carve these letters” ”No Nick you carry on with the brush, stone is so hard..”

Conversation 1976: Between Nick and grandfather Richard Baker.

Today in London, we still recreate these same Letterforms faithfully. With or without subtle variations, NGS renowned Roman Letters are hand made Romans, rain or shine.

OUR CLASSIC

MEMORIAL TYPEFACES

Top and Above:

Inspired by the renowned Sign writer, Richard Apps’ Condensed Roman Capitals | Font by NGS | Strap lines in Trajan Hispanic. NGS sign writing Journal of Roman Letters.

AN ENDURING Love OF classical ‘ROMAN’ type

This page biographises our most special NGS journaled insights, into the making of London’s most unique signs.

Often hidden moments of creative reflection, recollections of far off studies and travels, imagining and finally investing hours of crafting, honing these iconic design versions.

Purely for our Client Use, and often gifts of gratitude and friendship.

30 YEARS OF CRAFTING THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROMAN LETTERING.

Other really nice things…

THE WARTSKI WINDOWS

LONDON’S St. JAMES.

MARGATE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL

‘NGS’ BASKERVILLE TRUE-CUT

ROMANS

Masterstroke Video:

Rolling Italic Roman numbers – on a very cold morning.

I was in conversation with a new client the other day and we were talking about Roman lettering and something came to mind:

I was painting ‘copperplate’ font up in town 2014 and I always had my refinements on the go with it – Jack Hollands my apprentice and I went into a pub called ‘The Sceptre’ in Kensington and there was a lovely gold glass sign behind the bar with a beautiful original example of the font/typeface.

I used those refinements on this layout for Sheen Pottery this morning.

A couple of hours of extra detailing but it was born from an idea 10 years ago.

The design incorporated numerous refinements… here it is below… now becoming our ‘NGS Copperplate Kensington’.

Our Restoration font foundry’s newest member.

RESTORATION SIGN WRITTEN FONTS

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THE WOMEN WHO HAND MADE ROME: BY BRICKS AND LETTERS

I was gazing at the Column and saw an exhibition centre with a show depicting the work of the (unacclaimed) women of the Roman era… their work and dedication to the construction of the cities.

75% of the bricks in the Roman Empire were hand made and stamped by women owned factories.

SIGN WRITING LONDON’S ROMANS TODAY

I’m still fascinated of course by beauty of these truly timeless letters.

The earliest examples of the Roman serif letter still exist in our fonts today.

“Heritage? It’s at the very heart of our traditional signwriting at NGS”.

Building the New NGS Roman Trajan Fonts

These gorgeous ‘Trajan’ inspired serif letters above spring out of an era 75Bc when the world spun on a very different axis.

2000 years ago daily life was characterised by hard labour, war and strife. And yet out of these challenging times these letters emerged and survived.

They oozed sophistication back then and continue to do so today.

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Next up:

If you enjoy a bit of research…

…some 2000 years on and the Trajan ‘font’ is the most widely used digital letter in the world.

NGS now create new versions of classical Fonts for our special project use.

TRAJAN ROMAN LETTERS

Below: NGS Bespoke Fonts recreate faithfull Truecut Romans to the absolute and finest detail.

Above NGS Trajan Capitalis Font.

@THE V&A

Our inspirational reference points: The incredible plaster cast of the original ‘Trajan’ letters. Inspired by these treasures and painting letters all over London – NGS.

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Beneath the massive Trajan Column plaster cast in the V&A London. Such a coincidence that Signwriting Jack and his family walked into the gallery at the same moment!