Sign-In
Cart
Lettres Décoratives: A Century of French Sign Painters' Alphabets
Hardcover
French HistoryTypography & Calligraphy
Publisher Price: $65.00
Publisher: Letterform Archive Books
Published: Feb 3 2026
Pages: 216
Weight: 4.00
Height: 1.70 Width: 10.10 Depth: 13.50
Language: English
An immersive look inside 12 colorful alphabet albums used by 19th- and early 20th-century French sign painters
Beginning in the 19th century, sign painters adorned the streets and storefronts of French cities with eye-catching letters in styles ranging from the elegant to the eccentric. Large chromolithographic portfolios supplied these artisans with an array of dazzling model alphabets for use as inspiration, teaching aids and shows of technical skill. Lettres Décoratives offers a definitive collection of plates from these portfolios originally published from the mid-1800s through the 1930s.
Also in
Typography & Calligraphy
Thinking with Type, 2nd Revised Ed.: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students
Lupton, Ellen
Paperback
Type and Color: How to Design and Use Multicolored Typefaces (Step-By-Step Guide to Designing Typefaces with Multiple Colors, Essentia
Van Wageningen, Mark
Hardcover
The Ransom Note Sticker Book: Thousands of Letters for Your Anonymous Messages
Herriott, Luke
Paperback
The Magic of Minalima: Celebrating the Graphic Design Studio Behind the Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts Films
Minalima
Denton, Nell
Hardcover
Lettered in Thread: Creative Techniques for Designing and Embroidering Meaningful Messages
Leroy, Ciara
Paperback
Libro de caligrafía para adultos: Explorando la belleza de las letras - Mi primer cuaderno de caligrafía creativa
Style, Life Daily
Paperback
Calligraphy Book for Beginners: Practice Workbook with Guide - Basic Techniques, Hand Lettering and Projects for Learning to Letter
Memoirs, Quillscribe
Paperback
Shodo: The Quiet Art of Japanese Zen Calligraphy, Learn the Wisdom of Zen Through Traditional Brush Painting
Sato, Shozo
Hardcover
Grid Systems in Graphic Design: A Visual Communication Manual for Graphic Designers, Typographers and Three Dimensional Designers
Müller-Brockmann, Josef
Hardcover
Calligraphy Workbook (Beginner Practice Book): Beginner Practice Workbook 4 Paper Type Line Lettering, Angle Lines, Tian Zi Ge Paper, DUAL BRUSH PENS
Creative Calligraphy Prac
Paperback
Caps Lock: How Capitalism Took Hold of Graphic Design, and How to Escape from It
Pater, Ruben
Paperback
The Lettering Workbook for Absolute Beginners: A Simple Guide to Hand Lettering & Modern Calligraphy
Garden, Ricca's
Paperback
The Complete Guide to Modern Calligraphy & Hand Lettering for Beginners: A Step by Step Guide and Workbook with Theory, Techniques, Practice Pages and
Entertainment, Special Art
Paperback
Spencerian Handwriting: The Complete Collection of Theory and Practical Workbooks for Perfect Cursive and Hand Lettering
Spencer, Platt Rogers
Paperback
The Sign Painting: A Practical Guide to Tools, Materials, and Techniques
Roberts, Sam
Meyer, Mike
Hardcover
Fake Love Letters, Forged Telegrams, and Prison Escape Maps: Designing Graphic Props for Filmmaking
Atkins, Annie
Paperback
Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta: A Sixteenth-Century Calligraphic Manuscript Inscribed by Georg Bocskay and Illuminated by Joris Hoefnagel
Vignau-Wilberg, Thea
Hendrix, Lee
Hardcover
Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Nonbinary Field Guide for Graphic Designers
Lupton, Ellen
Tobias, Jennifer
Paperback
The Complete Commercial Artist: Making Modern Design in Japan, 1928-1930
Weisenfeld, Gennifer
Paperback
Making and Breaking the Grid, Third Edition: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop
Samara, Timothy
Paperback
Hand Lettering for Relaxation: An Inspirational Workbook for Creating Beautiful Lettered Art
Latta, Amy
Paperback
The Sign Painter and Lettering Artist's Reference Book of Alphabets and Ornaments
James, Kale
Paperback
Graphic Art of Tattoo Lettering: A Visual Guide to Contemporary Styles and Designs
Betts, Bj
Schonberger, Nicholas
Hardcover
Calligraphy Practice Workbook: Handwriting for Beginners - Learn Modern Script and Brush Lettering with our English Book on Handlettering
Memoirs, Quillscribe
Paperback
Graphic Design Play Book Second Edition: An Exploration of Visual Thinking
Cure, Sophie
Farina, Aurélien
Paperback
Sull's Manual of Advanced Penmanship: An Instructional Guide to American Cursive, Ornamental Penmanship, and Flourishing
Sull, Michael R.
Paperback
The Hand Lettering Workbook: Step-By-Step Instructions, Practice Pages, and DIY Projects
Kammarada, Amanda
Paperback
A Beginner's Guide to Sumi-E: Learn Japanese Ink Painting from a Modern Master (Online Video Tutorials)
Koike, Shozo
Paperback
Contemporary Illumination for the Calligrapher and Artist: Traditional Techniques Reinterpreted
Watts, Toni
Hardcover
In Progress (Revised Edition): See Inside a Renowned Lettering Artist's Creative Process
Hische, Jessica
Hardcover
The Language of Graphic Design Revised and Updated: An Illustrated Handbook for Understanding Fundamental Design Principles
Poulin, Richard
Paperback
A Beginner's Guide to Chinese Brush Painting: 35 Painting Activities from Calligraphy to Animals to Landscapes
Self, Caroline
Self, Susan
Hardcover
Wm. H. Page's Specimens of Chromatic Wood Type, Borders, Etc.: A Stunning Sourcebook of Decorative Designs & Colour Typography
Page, William H.
Paperback
Brush Pen Lettering: A Step-By-Step Workbook for Learning Decorative Scripts and Creating Inspired Styles
Song, Grace
Paperback
Designing with Type, 5th Edition: The Essential Guide to Typography
Korol Scala, Irene
Craig, James
Paperback
Golden Secrets of Lettering: Letter Design from First Sketch to Final Artwork
Flor, Martina
Hardcover
Layout Essentials Revised and Updated: 100 Design Principles for Using Grids
Tondreau, Beth
Paperback
Journal with Purpose: Over 1000 Motifs, Alphabets and Icons to Personalize Your Bullet or Dot Journal
Colebrook, Helen
Paperback
Spencerian Penmanship Practice Book: The Declaration of Independence: Example Sentences with Workbook Pages
Loong, Schin
Paperback
Cursive Handwriting Workbook: The Declaration of Independence: Learn How to Write Like the Founding Fathers
Loong, Schin
Paperback
A Grammar of Typography: Classical Design in the Digital Age: New Edition
Argetsinger, Mark
Paperback
Calligraphy for Swifties: Hand-Lettering Practice with Taylor Swift's Favorite Words
Ivy, Sophia
Paperback
Brush Lettering: Create Beautiful Calligraphy with Brushes and Brush Pens
Cahill Roots, Rebecca
Hardcover
Calligraphy Writing Paper: Enhance Your Calligraphy Skills with Premium Writing Paper for Practice
Style, Life Daily
Paperback
Nature Illuminated: Flora and Fauna from the Court of Emperor Rudolf II
Hendrix, Lee
Vignau-Wilberg, Thea
Hardcover
Creative Woodburning: Projects, Patterns and Instruction to Get Crafty with Pyrography
Locke, Bee
Paperback
Shaping Visual Structures: The Art of Composition, Movement, and Space in Graphic Design
Cordova, Carla Viviana
Paperback
Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts: A Guide to Technical Terms, Revised Edition
Brown, Michelle
Paperback
Vintage Graphic Design: Type, Typography, Monograms & Decorative Design from the Late 19th & Early 20th Centuries
Fili, Louise
Heller, Steven
Paperback
Arabic Alphabet: Arabic writing practice book Arabic for beginners Learn to write Arabic calligraphy
Writing Specialists, Designers &. Cursive
Paperback
The Ch'i of the Brush: Capturing the Spirit of Nature with Chinese Brush Painting Techniques
Rae, Nan
Paperback
Calligraphic Drawing: A How-To Guide and Gallery Exploring the Art of the Flourish
Loong, Schin
Paperback
Italic Calligraphy: From Learning the Fundamentals to Dancing with Your Pen
McIlvride, Kathie
Paperback
Calligraphy Basics from Left Handed Calligraphers: Easy and Best Calligraphy Samples for Lefties
Moore, Emma
Paperback
The Art of the Pen: Calligraphy from the Court of the Emperor Rudolf II
Hendrix, Lee
Vignau-Wilberg, Thea
Hardcover