California Freeway Sign, 1986 USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
and transportation ephemera. Stamped 'Property of the State of California 1986' on the reverse side
Category
Vintage 1980s American Contemporary Art
Materials
Aluminum, Steel
California Ephemera
Monumental California Drunk Drivers Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
California transportation ephemera.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Signs
Materials
Steel
California ROADSIDE BUSINESS Freeway Sign, 1950s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
for California roadways. Stunning piece of California and transportation ephemera. 6 feet long and 2.5
Category
Vintage 1950s American Contemporary Art
Materials
Aluminum, Steel
'Adopt a Highway' California Road Sign, 2000s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
California and transportation ephemera. Stamped 'Property State of California' on the back.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Signs
Materials
Steel
Large Big Bear Lake California Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
California, cool piece of history. Great coloring and worn condition. Fantastic piece of California ephemera
Category
Vintage 1970s American Signs
Materials
Steel
Recent Sales
KEM Weber the Moderne in Southern California, 1920-1941 Monograph with Ephemera
Unavailable
H 0.5 in W 8 in D 8 in
KEM Weber the Moderne in Southern California, 1920-1941 Monograph with Ephemera
By Harriette Von Breton, David Gebhard
Located in Dallas, TX
KEM Weber University of California Santa Barbara Monograph & Ephemera Difficult to source
Category
Vintage 1970s American Art Deco Books
Materials
Paper
'Scenic Route' California Highway Sign, USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
coloring and condition. Fantastic piece of California ephemera. Stamped 'Property State of California' on
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Signs
Materials
Steel
Large 'Scenic Route' California Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
coloring and condition. Fantastic piece of California ephemera. Stamped 'State of California' on the back.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Contemporary Art
Materials
Steel
Framed 'Scenic Route' California Highway Sign, USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
coloring and condition. Fantastic piece of California ephemera. Stamped 'Property State of California' on
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Signs
Materials
Steel
City of Los Angeles 'Share the Road' Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
. Cool piece of California ephemera.
Category
Early 2000s American Signs
Materials
Steel
Tall Architectural Magazine / Newspaper Holders Peter Pepper Products
By Peter Pepper Products
Located in Los Angeles, CA
California design. Form + function. Ephemera holder. Natural walnut with powder coated masonite
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Art
Materials
Wood, Masonite
Large Sunset Blvd Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
. Measures: 3 feet long by 18 inches tall. Fun piece of Los Angeles/California transportation ephemera.
Category
1990s American Contemporary Art
Materials
Steel
Set of 3 State Park Signs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
signs. Fun piece of California, outdoors/camping ephemera. Good vintage condition. Each sign is 12" x 12".
Category
Vintage 1970s American Signs
Materials
Steel
Large 'Scenic Route' California Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
coloring and condition. Fantastic piece of California ephemera. Stamped 'State of California' on the back.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Signs
Materials
Steel
Vintage Metal Horse Crossing Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
. Great patina to metal. Cool piece of California ephemera.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Signs
Materials
Steel
California 'Begin' Road Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
'Property of California' on the back. Great coloring. Cool piece of California transportation ephemera. Good
Category
Vintage 1970s North American Signs
Materials
Metal
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Monumental 1930s Wood No Smoking Sign from New York City
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental hand carved wood sign from the 1930s. Made by H.H. Upham & Co. Interestingly, this company owned a huge sign manufacturing business in the city and owned the building they...
Category
Vintage 1930s American Signs
Materials
Wood
Mid-Victorian Moorish wrought & cast iron pergola or decorative garden structure
$116,897
H 240 in W 552 in D 120 in
Mid-Victorian Moorish wrought & cast iron pergola or decorative garden structure
Located in London, GB
A monumental Moorish mid-Victorian wrought iron Pergola or Decorative Garden Structure, a unique masterpiece in High Victorian Ironwork design. Our research confirms it is French, da...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century European Moorish Architectural Elements
Materials
Wrought Iron
Fossilised Skull of Prehistoric Marine Reptile the Mosasaur, 70Million Years Ago
$34,957
H 6.3 in W 15.75 in D 5.91 in
Fossilised Skull of Prehistoric Marine Reptile the Mosasaur, 70Million Years Ago
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Upper Cretaceous, about 70-65 million years ago (Maastrichtian) Morocco The skull is reconstructed in good proportions with fossil pieces found in a phosphate mine in Morocco. I att...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier African Natural Specimens
Materials
Bone
Rare Victorian Firescreen with Taxidermy Hummingbirds by Henry Ward
$235,059Sale Price|33% Off
H 51.19 in W 55.12 in D 201.58 in
Rare Victorian Firescreen with Taxidermy Hummingbirds by Henry Ward
By Henry Ward
Located in Amsterdam, NL
England, third quarter of the 19th century On two scrolling foliate feet with casters, above which a rectangular two-side glazed frame, with on top a two-sided shield with initial...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy
Materials
Other
Rare 19th Century Italian Memento Mori Bust / Sculpture Carrara Marble Vanitas
$22,897
H 28.75 in W 15.75 in D 8.67 in
Rare 19th Century Italian Memento Mori Bust / Sculpture Carrara Marble Vanitas
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Masterfully carved Italian Vanitas / Memento Mori bust in solid marble from late 19th century. White Carrara marble skull combined with masterfully carved hood & robes all from one...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Busts
Materials
Carrara Marble
Original Sunball Chair by Gunter Ris and Ferdinand Selldorf for Rosenthal
$30,255Sale Price|32% Off
H 59.06 in W 70.08 in D 52.37 in
Original Sunball Chair by Gunter Ris and Ferdinand Selldorf for Rosenthal
By Rosenthal, Ris and Selldorf
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
This is a fully restored original version of this 1960's iconic classic astronaut's helmet style space age outdoor swivel chair, As you can imagine, after 60 plus years, the original...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Space Age Chairs
Materials
Velvet, Fiberglass
Forsyth Mushroom Pouf Ottoman in Zebra
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
This Forsyth mushroom pouf ottoman was created and designed by the Forsyth design team. Each ottoman is handcrafted in Saint Louis. A cute decorative piece for any room adding textur...
Category
2010s American Ottomans and Poufs
Materials
Zebra Hide
Venetian Monumental Seated Bird Cage
Located in Queens, NY
Italian Venetian style (20th Cent) octagonal shaped painted and decorated metal and wood bird cage with 8 upholstered seat and back cushions around base. (Franco Zefferelli Collection)
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Rococo Bird Cages
Materials
Metal
'COME ON IN' Neon Sign , 1990s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Custom neon sign with aluminum channel cut letters. COME ON IN, lights up with green neon gas. Just under 6 feet long. Welcoming sign and fun piece of art. Glass in great condition....
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Think Big Giant Matches and Matchbox
By Think Big
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic set of oversized matches and matchbox, made by Think Big NYC in 1984. Set contains all 8 original matches. Box slides open as a normal matchbox would. Matches are removable...
Category
Vintage 1980s American Signs
Materials
Plastic, Paper, Felt, Wood, Paint
1920's -30's Hand Painted "DRUGS" wood sign
Located in Buffalo, NY
1920's -30's Hand Painted "DRUGS" wood sign ... Great old sign,, Tons of character,, Retains original finish / patina..
Category
Vintage 1920s American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Large Hand Painted Double Sided Arrow "Radio Trade In" Folk Art Trade/Store Sign
$1,900
H 24 in W 62 in D 1 in
Large Hand Painted Double Sided Arrow "Radio Trade In" Folk Art Trade/Store Sign
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large Hand Painted, Double Sided Arrow "Special" Radio Trade In sale,,,,Folk Art Trade/Store Sign,,Wonderful size,,amazing crackle paint, patina..Great subject.
Category
Vintage 1930s American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Masonite, Paint
Los Angeles Highway Trash Removal Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles trash cleanup sign. Emerald green background with a man in work clothes picking up trash. Great coloring and patina. Cool vintage graphics. Slight bend in metal. Fun piec...
Category
Early 2000s American Signs
Materials
Steel
San Francisco Freeway City Limit Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage San Francisco sign that reads "SAN FRANCISCO CITY AND COUNTY POP 793,700 ELEV 61." Dated 1997 on back. Stamped property of California on the back. Some wear to metal on front...
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Metal
Los Angeles County Line Freeway Sign, 1990s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Super cool Los Angeles freeway sign. Made in the late 1990s. This sign welcomed you as you entered the county of Los Angeles. Reflective letters and border as well as a protective pl...
Category
1990s American Contemporary Art
Materials
Aluminum
1981 California Highway Lodging Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive vintage California lodging sign. Large blue sign with white lettering and white trim. Letters and trim have reflective pieces. Great coloring and condition. Fantastic piece o...
Category
Vintage 1980s American Contemporary Art
Materials
Steel
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California Ephemera For Sale on 1stDibs
With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the california ephemera you’re looking for. Frequently made of metal, steel and paper, every california ephemera was constructed with great care. There are many kinds of the california ephemera you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 21st Century. A california ephemera is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in modern styles are sought with frequency. Many designers have produced at least one well-made california ephemera over the years, but those crafted by Lawrence Schiller, Ted Streshinsky and Tom Wolfe are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
How Much is a California Ephemera?
Prices for a california ephemera can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $445 and can go as high as $7,450, while the average can fetch as much as $2,500.
Finding the Right Signs for You
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.
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Why Jules Chéret Was the King of the Modern Poster
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.
Why the American Flag Has Had So Many Different Star Patterns
Expert Jeff Bridgman explains the history and meaning behind the twinkling constellations that have graced Old Glory.
Peggy Guggenheim Loved Modernism, but She Also Collected Tribal Art
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.
The 13-Star American Flag Had More Variations Than You’d Think
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.
Tramp Art, America’s Most Misunderstood Art Form, Is Trending in Interiors
Designers are beginning to see this enigmatic form of folk art in a whole new light.
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