Sometimes word choice is determined by the space available. I don’t think that’s the case in this situation. I think it’s an inside joke at the sign shop.

This is the logo from my grandfather’s hard hat. It has to be at least 50 years old (the hat at least, a quick search for the company yielded no results). He wasn’t a construction worker by trade, but did surveying for the Ohio turnpike as a summer job when he wasn’t teaching.

I love the typeface for the “hardtop” text. A nice slab serif — a little wide, a little thin, not too bold, but with enough presence. And that “R” is perfection. If I can find some time, I’ll have to re-create the font from this photo.

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NYC

There’s something at firs odd, but then somehow comforting in this sign. The angled background shape and highly italicized “super” sans-serif typeface contrasting with the old school slab serif “P” with the heavy drop shadow. Plus the white shape being corner cut to match the angle of the black background. It’s all a little bit circus and a little bit modern. It’s a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n roll.

Upper West Side, Manhattan.

The coolest punctuation mark in the alphabet as a stencil in black spray paint. With very nice curves too. South Brooklyn.

Back in the day (okay, way way back), all signs were hand painted. This one is surviving (barely). I’m not sure if it’s the deterioration or the painting itself, but the letters seem to have a wobble or tilt to them. It’s like the baseline for each letter wasn’t level.

South Brooklyn, NYC