Pyjama Alphabet

These hand painted letters were created for the fairground style alphabets which feature in Joby Carter’s book, All the Fonts of the Fair. This style of lettering known as ‘Pyjama’ was inspired by the work of the famous fairground artist Edwin Hall who worked closely with Fred Fowle in his early career from 1929 until the start of the second world war. This alphabet was painted by Aaron Stephens who completed an apprenticeship with Joby Carter and then worked with Joby for many years as a fairground art specialist, assisting with the artwork at Carters Steam Fair.

Each letter is one of a kind and hand painted by Aaron Stephens using enamel paint, aluminium leaf and yellow flamboyant paint over the top on aluminium composite board. The final letters were varnished and framed in house and will be dispatched flat in a protective cardboard wrap.

The overall size of the framed letter is 311mm x 311mm x 12mm

These letters were originally available to buy with prices ranging from £150-£250 per letter.

Price includes a signed certificate of authenticity and free UK delivery.

Joby Carter says:

“This lettering style is true folk art. Edwin Hall was known for creating eye popping designs that would have been influenced by popular culture in the 1930s and 1940s. There’s lots of flourishes in this style which bring it to life – notice the bars of the E and F are splayed out at the ends, the R doesn’t quite connect in the centre which is typical of his work. Hall often used opaque colours over aluminium leaf for extra standout. The shading is unusual too – it has a highlight at the bottom, this is more akin to railway lettering which often had nonsensical block and shadow with highlights in impossible places. Detailed, eye-catching and fun: fairground style lettering at its best.”