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Many were metal sign letters: half–raised, machined, molded, or channel. The machined and molded ones tended to be brass or aluminum, the half–raised were typically tin. The channel letters were usually larger than the others either had holes for neon or sometimes sockets for bulbs, sometimes with glass or plastic faces over the illumination. Plastic type came up occaisionally and carved wooden letters even rarer. |
Today, there are fewer caches of letters overall in the thrift, vintage, antique and salvage shops. Plastic lettering from movie marqees are more readily available but still constrained. The trend of theatres closing or converting to digital signage has been steadily trailing off as venues change or dissappear. Metal letters are harder to come by and like anything scarce genuine vintage letters have gone up in cost.
A driving factor behind the desire for monogramming could stem from increased online communication and a need for personalization. Awareness of vintage type comes from several places. The documentary Helvetica became available on iTunes in 2008 and architectural and industrial antiques using it became collectable. The resurgence of Letterpress printing began drawing our attention to typeface use and design at the same time. Printers and decorators were competing for a dwindling supply of type blocks. In 2010 interior design and jewelry started featuring people and places decorated with their initials. Apple annouced iPhoto '11 would allow its customers to create letterpress Christmas Cards. The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum documentary was released that same year highlighting the hand–made feel and craftsmanship of the form. Type started showing up in home furnishings catalogs and blogs.
In 2012 type went overseas and came back in mainstream chain-stores: a literal voyage with the intention of creating vintage-looking letters for home markets. A salvage buyer confided that he saw his competition at significant swap meets and large shows simply filling containers with samples of letters and other antiques to send to China for reproduction. The average customer doesn't ask if something is truly vintage or a modern replica. Another salvage buyer said they stopped carrying even locally made letters so as not to dilute their store's brand.
The current recommendation from brick-and-morter vintage stores is to buy letters on eBay. The upside is more letters, better font selection and more types of letters in one place. An uppercase “G” is more likely to be found in Georgia than in San Francisco and the cost of shipping and handling is less than the time spent running around to different shops. The downside is collectibles command higher prices and eBay sellers have recent sales history to help set prices.
As the old quote goes “once gone its gone forever.” Vintage lettering may trickle back onto the market via eBay and estate sales, but it won't be quick and there won't be a lot of it. Even if fashion dictates that intitals have jumped the shark people are not likely to casually get rid of items that they have acquired as part of their identity.
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