Vintage 1970's Frye Boot Light Up Sales Sign
By Neon Products
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A vintage light up Frye Boot advertising sign from the 1970's with aluminum frame surrounding a dark plastic face. Stating "Boots by Frye Bootmakers Since 1863" with a pull chain for...
Aluminum
'Donuts Cafe' Neon Sign, 1990s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A lovely vintage neon sign that reads Donuts Cafe, perfect for adding a nostalgic touch to your space. Taken down from a Los Angeles restaurant on Hollywood Blvd. This little sign fe...
Glass, Acrylic
Vintage "Cabins" Single Sided Porcelain Neon Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Vintage neon sign advertising cabins for rent. This piece features a bold Bauhaus-style font in white set against a dark background. The lettering has been traced in a turquoise neon...
Metal, Enamel
Vintage "Johnson's Jeweler-Watch Repairing" Double-Sided Neon Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Double-sided projecting neon trade sign reading "Johnson's Jeweler - Watch Repairing" with secondary "Loyalty" diamond motif. Hand-painted steel construction with layered cabinet and...
Steel
Early 20th Century Royal Loans Single Sided Porcelain Neon Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
A large double-element neon sign advertising Royal Loans, built with both neon tubing and a surrounding field of incandescent marquee bulbs.
Steel
Vintage Weather-Bird Shoes SSP Neon
Located in Dekalb, IL
This piece features the brand's logo, a black weathervane rooster, outlined in orange, white, and yellow neon.
Porcelain, Glass
Vintage Neon "BSA" Sign with Red Neon Front
By Gods Own Junkyard
Located in London, GB
God's Own Junkyard designed Neon Artwork. Built up "BSA" Vintage Sign with Red Neon Front. Lights of Soho present... God's Own Junkyard. New & used neon fantasie...
1930's Neon Open/Closed Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Great 1930's neon sign "Open-Closed ." The sign works. It has a switch on the side.
Metal
1930's Original Neon Sign " Optometrist "
Located in Chicago, IL
1930's original enamel sign with new neon sign " Optometrist ". New wiring.
Enamel, Metal
Gulf Oil Gasoline Animated Neon Sign, 1960s
Located in Orange, CA
Amazing early 1960s Gulf Oil single sided service station sign with animated neon. Neon lights sequentially to spell out Gulf then flashes.
Metal
1950's Original Neon Sign " Optical House "
Located in Chicago, IL
1950's original neon sign " Optical House " with pink and blue neon. New wiring.
Enamel, Metal
Antique Paint and Wallpaper Neon Can Sign
Located in Dallas, TX
Very early Art Deco era neon sign, most likely from a mercantile or hardware store.
Metal
The Cavern Club Neon, Replica of Original Sign
By Gods Own Junkyard
Located in London, GB
God's Own Junkyard designed Neon Artwork Replica of "The Cavern Club" in Liverpool's famous sign. Lights of Soho present... God's Own Junkyard. New & used neon ...
1935, Art Deco Neon "AIR STEP Shoes" Sign
Located in Sacramento, CA
Vintage 1935, neon Art Deco advertising sign for "AIR STEP Shoes" by Florsheim. Text on sign reads "AIR STEP Shoes / A Brown bilt Shoe." Sign has been professionally re-wired with a ...
Glass, Wood
"Touch Me" Neon on Black Acrylic Backing
By Gods Own Junkyard
Located in London, GB
God's Own Junkyard designed Neon Artwork. "Touch Me" Red & Blue Neon with Pink Neon Hearts on Black Acrylic.
Unavailable
H 29.14 in W 60.63 in D 6.7 in
Neon Champagne Bottle with Clear Acrylic Front and Vinyl Detail
By Gods Own Junkyard
Located in London, GB
God's Own Junkyard designed Neon Artwork. Neon Champagne Bottle with Vinyl & Clear Acrylic Front. Lights of Soho present... God's Own Junkyard. New & used neon fantas...
Unavailable
H 24 in W 63 in D 6 in
Neon Sign from Department Store, Men's Shoes, Lower Level, circa 1930s
Located in Madison, WI
Neon signage from a midwestern department store directing customers to: Men's shoes, Lower Level, circa 1930s. Strikingly colorful in red-orange and green neon designed around a symb...
Art Glass
Handmade Neon Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Neon sign made by Los Angeles native Neon Artist. "Be Nice or Fucking Leave" Great piece of art. Custom sizes available.
Blown Glass
1950s Vintage Neon Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great vintage 1950 neon sign in perfect working condition. Depicts Betsy Ross - Ice Cream Sandwiches. Neon is perfect. Newly rewired. Fantastic piece of pop art. Excellent vintage co...
Steel
Vintage Custom Neon "Antiques" Sign
Located in South Bend, IN
A fantastic custom vintage neon "ANTIQUES" sign USA, circa 1990s Measures: 53"W x 4.75"D x 13.13"H. Good working condition.
Blown Glass, Acrylic
Neon Light Sculpture Sign 1920s Special Miller Beer
Located in Antwerp, BE
Rare Neon light sculpture hand blown glass 1925, Miller Special Reserve Beer. An authentic collector's item, a neon sign, advertising one of the best American beers well known in the...
Metal
Vintage Box Neon Sign Classic "FRIGIDAIRE" Store Display/ Window Sign
By Neon Products
Located in Buffalo, NY
Recently acquired from Downtown Buffalo, New York Furniture and appliance store, sign was taken down and stored over 60 years ago when the business stopped selling appliance's, amazi...
Metal, Aluminum
Neon Advertising Sign, ''Artcarved" Diamond and Wedding Rings"
By Allison Sign Co. 1
Located in Petaluma, CA
It's been quite sometime since we have been able to offer a neon sign. We researched the company "Artcarved" and found out that they have been in business since 1850, offering jewelr...
Metal
Neon NOW SERVING Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
5 foot wide neon sign that says NOW SERVING. Vintage green metal arrow sign with neon lights attached. Hot pink neon borders the arrow as well as the word SERVING. The word NOW is in...
Steel
Vintage Neon "Open" Sign
Located in South Bend, IN
A fantastic vintage neon "OPEN" sign USA, circa 1990s Measures: 35.75" W x 4" D x 16.5" H. Very good working condition.
Glass, Plastic
Same Day Service Neon Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Whimsical Lucite and neon sign. "SAME DAY SERVICE" likely from a dry-cleaner. Original, outdoor transformer. Glass in excellent condition. Perfectly functional for indoor or outdoor ...
Glass, Lucite
Vintage Custom Neon "Art" Sign
Located in South Bend, IN
A fantastic custom vintage neon "ART" sign USA, circa 1990s Measures: 45" W x 2.25" D x 22" H. Very good working condition. Ready to hang.
Other
Drink Coca Cola 1960's ***Three Color Neon Sign
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A great Drink Coca Cola 1960's three color neon sign, done in white, red and green Neon. The neon sign has been professionally restored, new ballast, and recharged neon gas. The sign...
Metal
Sold
H 29.53 in W 16.93 in D 5.91 in
Vintage Retro English Sex Shop Neon Illuminated Display Sign, 20thC
Located in London, GB
A very eye catching and attractive glass neon sign from a sex shop, circa 1970 Presented in a custom mount which allows the sign to be table/floor mounted or hung from a chain. Th...
Glass
Vintage Neon Desserts Sign
Located in Seattle, WA
Red neon desserts sign on a black painted steel sign box.
Steel
"Jay's Signs Neon, " circa 1950s
Located in Madison, WI
The sign maker's sign hails from the 1950s. The neon has been newly added, casting its warm glow on the rich patina and soft, as-found paint colors of the sign itself, that has been ...
Steel
Double-Sided Orange and Black Neon Beer Sign, circa 1940s
Located in Portland, OR
Perfect for a bar or restaurant (really, anywhere), this Mid-Century sign boasts a hand-painted and black composition, with glowing red neon.
Art Deco Pink Neon MEATS Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Art Deco pink neon MEATS sign.
Enamel, Metal
Art Deco Pink Neon "BAR" Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Art Deco Pink Neon "BAR" Sign
Enamel, Metal
Vintage and antique signs are popular collector’s items loved not only for the charm and pops of color they add to a space but also for the unique story each one has to tell. An interesting sign can help set the mood for a room and spark dozens of lively conversations.
Before and during the 18th century, many European peasants and colonists in the Americas couldn’t read, so shopkeepers, in an effort to promote their goods and services, hung trade signs with limited amounts of text.
Indeed, symbols and representational physical objects comprised early-day advertising efforts. In lieu of painted words on a wooden board, trade signs made use of handmade three-dimensional symbols to indicate the function of the shop. The iconic red, white and blue pole could be found outside barbershops, while a figural trade sign mounted to an apothecary’s storefront might be a mortar and pestle sculpted from bronze in order to indicate to passers-by that inside there were apothecary cabinets full of remedies for common ailments and a druggist to carefully dispense them.
As literacy rates improved, signs evolved into rectangular, round or square shapes that featured text. Short and sweet, early iterations were characterized by a mere few words, such as “tavern,” “boarding room” or “apothecary.”
During the 19th century, proprietors endeavored to render their signs more appealing. This meant the introduction of more color, font types and other pictorial representations. After the Civil War ended, logos, branding and advertising became increasingly more important, and the design of signage evolved. Trade signs were still in use during the 20th century, and you will likely find hand-painted tin eyeglasses for an optometrist’s office or an oversize bowling pin that likely had a home in the front window of a bowling alley.
Today, collectors and art aficionados alike collect and display antique and vintage signs. Old signs hearken back to a long-gone era, infusing any interior with warmth and nostalgia.
A vintage sign can help anchor a room — think of decorating with signs as you would arranging any kind of wall art. A large-scale sign in particular can prove a distinguishing feature in a living room or dining room, a focal point so prominent that it might lessen the burden of introducing any additional decorative elements to this particular space. Smaller signs work wonders too — pepper sparsely decorated corners with small colorful signs or add a humorous or graphic element to your gallery-style hang with a small text-based sign or two.
On 1stDibs, find metal, wood and glass antique and vintage signs that span a number of styles, including mid-century modern, industrial and folk art.
At Waddesdon Manor, artist Joana Vasconcelos has installed a three-tiered patisserie inspired by the narrative tile work of her homeland. We take a look at the cake sculpture and how Portuguese tiles have been used in architecture from the 17th century to today.
The streets of fin-de-siècle Paris were set aglow with colorful poster ads, thanks to the printing techniques invented by Jules Chéret. Now, the Milwaukee Art Museum is celebrating this undersung talent in America's first solo show dedicated his exuberant works.
Expert Jeff Bridgman explains the history and meaning behind the twinkling constellations that have graced Old Glory.
The iconoclastic style setter displayed African and Oceanic art, as well as works by indigenous peoples of the Americas, alongside pieces by such major modernists as Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock.
Perfect for July 4th weekend, a new show at Philadelphia's Museum of the American Revolution displays an array of antique red, white and blue flags.
Designers are beginning to see this enigmatic form of folk art in a whole new light.