do you think, perhaps that it was

a.) accidentily put up backwards, or other wise flipped.

or b.) was done on purpose for some sort of mish-mashed effect like with the MEWS.

or c.) The signmaker was drunk. ;^)

I think it’s highly unlikely to be intentional. I think the guy on the ladder with the glue just grabbed what looked like an ’M’ and bunged it on, which meant the ’W’ was always going to be wrong too. At least he got the first ’S’ right.

that’s hilarious!

That is so funny! I’m glad I don’t live there.

We used to have a similar sign for a bank here in Gent which read “GEMEENTEKREDIET”, and about every possible letter was flipped or rotated. Quite a sorry sight. I still regret never having taken a picture.

Your sample is quite similar to Plantin.

Just checked Rookledge’s, but no luck finding it by earmark — none of them have the top serif on both uc A and W.

Hi Yves,

Thanks for your efforts trying to track the typeface down. I carry my camera with me everywhere I go now, because you never know when a sign like that’s going to come up.

Thanks again.

smew
/smyoo/

• noun a small northern diving duck, the male of which is white with black markings.

If only they had the E the other way up :)
Tim