The faded vestiges of painted signs on the sides of buildings hold a curious fascination for many. Dotted across ultra-modern, urban metropolises they serve as a reminder of a simpler age, where advertising was splendidly direct ("Nightly Bile Beans keep you healthy, bright-eyed and slim") and marketers were less concerned about their Facebook friend numbers.

From London to New York - via Vicksburg, Mississippi - you’ll find beautiful examples of the sign painter's craft. Indeed (as noted by Jonathan Glancey) there are efforts to preserve and archive these design remnants, courtesy of the History of Advertising Trust's online archive. Through their Ghost Signs website you can see beautiful examples and add your own.

It's reassuring to know that this dying art still has a faint heartbeat. Stella Artois commissioned Mother to make 'Up There', a film on the teams of painters who still hoist themselves up and create beautiful, statement adverts one brushstroke at a time. Long may it last.