Now more than ever, independent journalism needs the support of readers like you. DONATE to the Hidden City Daily annual fund drive on Generosity to help us raise $30,000 and receive something nifty in return. Do we need to mention these perks make great gifts for the holidays? We’ll ship them within a few days to make sure they get to you in time. All of these items are also available for sale on Hidden City Mercantile.
Click HERE to visit our campaign on Generosity, pick your perk–and give!
2018 Hidden City Calendar–$50 This year’s Hidden City calendar is a little 8×8 cutie with all the images taken from our Instagram feed. The photos from Mike Bixler and Brad Maule are a combo of the pretty and the gritty–just like Philadelphia!
Philly Postcards (Pack of 10)–$50
Not your typical tourist souvenir! Photographed with love by Hidden City’s Project Director, Pete Woodall, each of these ten postcards says “Philly” in a different way. If you don’t want to give them away, these little works of art are perfect for framing. Note: Image is a compilation of all individual postcard designs. Standard postcard size. Printed on matte card stock.
“Ghost signs” are a nickname for old, hand-painted advertisements that have hung around so long, their letters and images have become faded and ghost-like. Hidden City Project Director Pete Woodall has been photographing ghost signs for years, and he’s collected 28 of his favorites here–from beloved signs like the fisherman above Franklin Fountain on Market Street, or the Reedmor Books above Milk Boy on Chestnut, to obscurities like Moore Push Pin on Berkley Street and “Ketchup Kid” on W. Venango. Measures 18×24. Printed on glossy, 100 weight book stock. Addresses for each sign are listed at the bottom.
36 Views of Philadelphia Postcards–$100
We’ll repeat: not your typical tourist souvenir! These hand-drawn portraits of neighborhood gems, architectural oddities, and lesser-known Philadelphia landmarks were created by longtime HC contributor Ben Leech. (The title points back to Japanese artist Hokusai’s iconic “36 Views of Mt. Fuji.”) If you don’t want to give them away, they’re perfect for framing. Standard postcard size. Printed on high-quality uncoated card stock with a natural sheen.
PSFS Building Silkscreen Print–$100
Now the Loews Hotel, the PSFS building was built in 1932 for the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society. The building appealed to a more minimal aesthetic over ornate design, and is considered America’s first “International Style” skyscraper. Measures 11.75 x 17.75. Silkscreen printed on uncoated heavyweight paper.
Skyscrapers of Philadelphia Print–$125
Hidden City’s custom reprint of this late 19th-century lithograph. We love this image for the detailed renderings of some of our favorite Philadelphia buildings, and for the measuring stick running up the right side of the print (which allows you to see each building’s height). It’s also interesting because all of Philly’s tall buildings are classified as “skyscrapers,” even Independence Hall! Measures 18×23. Printed on matte heavyweight paper.
S.S. United States Poster–$125
Before she spent the last two decades rusting across from the Ikea on Delaware Avenue (well, actually Ikea’s only been there since 2003), “The Big U,” as it’s sometimes called, was the fastest ship on the sea. She set the speed record of both east and westbound transatlantic voyages. Measures 15×30. Printed on matte paper.
NEW BOOK! Philadelphia: Finding the Hidden City–$150
Hot off the press! Philadelphia: Finding the Hidden City delves into one of America’s greatest and yet least understood cities. Written by Hidden City Daily co-founders Nathaniel Popkin and Pete Woodall, and photographed by one of America’s most lauded architectural photographers, Joseph E.B. Elliott. Rather than a nostalgic elegy to loss and urban decline, the book marks Philly’s vivid layers and living ruins. Keep it for yourself or gift it! Hardcover, 200 pg. Temple University Press, 2017.