English Pub Sign, "Nag's Head"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of a horse's head in a bridle
20th Century English Signs
Metal
English Pub Sign, "Nag's Head"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of a horse's head in a bridle
Metal
Large Carved Pub Sign
Located in Greenwich, CT
A pub sign depicting a whimsical fox emerging from a gilt jug, of very large scale. Hand-hewn from
Wood
English Pub Sign, "The Falcon"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a beautiful painting of a falcon perched on a
Metal
English Pub Sign, "The Admiral"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a portrait painting of a decorated Royal Navy
Metal
English Pub Sign, "The Ship"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a British brigantine or two-mast
Metal
English Pub Sign, "Fountain Head"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a Classical urn or fountainhead
Metal
English Pub Sign, "Worth Brewery - The Cricketer's Arms"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a cricket player with bat and
Metal
Mid Century Hand Painted Double Sided Pub Sign C1950
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Double sided pub sign from the United Kingdom. Hand Painted and in excellent condition. Rough hewn
Iron
English Pub Sign, "Charrington - The Eagle Tavern"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of an eagle in flight with mountains
Metal
English Pub Sign, "Benskins (Puss in Boots)"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a cat playing a violin fiddle
Metal
$933Sale Price|20% Off
H 39 in W 37 in D 3 in
Traditional Large Hanging Pub Sign, Wethered’s Winterbourne Arms
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Traditional large hanging pub sign. Wethered’s winterbourne arms This is a large and heavy piece
Metal
English Pub Sign, "Free House, The Cask and Taverners"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of two revelers or publicans in
Metal
$3,928Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 57 in W 16 in D 1 in
Large Opaline Glass Pub Signs “Draught Beers” Saved During Refurbishment
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large Opaline Glass Pub Signs “Draught Beers” Saved During Refurbishment, these very good quality
Art Glass
English Pub Sign, "Free House - The Lord Nelson"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a portrait painting of Lord Nelson in full
Metal
$1,091Sale Price|20% Off
H 36 in W 34 in D 1 in
Traditional Double-Sided Iron Pub Sign, The Boot, Folk Art, 1920
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Traditional Large Iron Hanging Pub Sign. The Boot This is a large and heavy piece dating from the
Iron
$3,600
H 36 in W 27 in D 1 in
Early 20th Century Double-Sided "Kings Head" Hand Painted Metal English Pub Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
English two-sided handmade and painted metal pub sign depicting a king of clubs with the text
Metal
$982
H 21.07 in W 29.93 in D 0.4 in
1930s Original Gilbeys Invalid Port Enamel Advertising Pub Garden Bar Sign
Located in Sherborne, Dorset
For sale we have a very striking, original 1930s/40s advertising sign in red and white enamel on
Metal, Enamel
$13,093
H 53.9 in W 131.9 in D 2.8 in
Giant John Dewar Whisky Sign Scotch Pub Mirror Antique 10 Ft 3.3 M
Located in Potters Bar, GB
Monumental John Dewar & Sons royal warrant pub mirror (c. 1900-1920) - reverse painted, triple
Mirror
Two Sided Hand Painted Pub Sign
Located in Charleston, SC
Double Sided Hand Painted Pub Sign.
Metal
Vintage Rising Sun Pub Sign Insert Panel
Located in Charleston, SC
Rising Sun Pub Sign Panel Insert
Paint, Fiberglass
Scotch Stores Antique Pub Sign with Gold Leaf Lettering
Located in Dallas, TX
This is a stunning antique Pub sign for Scotch stores. The English pub was started in the late
Gold Leaf
19th Century Advertising Sign "Motor Boat for Hire" Wood
Located in Berkeley, CA
This is a very early hand-painted pub sign. It has a wonderful aged patina. The quality of the
Wood
1936 Port Sign, Les Portos Gibson, an Appetizer Drink
Located in Retie, BE
sign. This tin wall sign is great wall decoration in your house, kitchen, home bar, office, pub
Tin, Metal
English or American Exterior Advertising Sign
Located in New Orleans, LA
" Could be a Pub sign. The main painting is original with craquelure and muted colors. The green molded
Wood
English Pub Sign - Hounds
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic large English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a scenic painting of hounds, untitled
English Pub Sign - Foxes
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic large English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a scenic painting of foxes among foliage
English Pub Sign - Greyhound
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a greyhound dog, entitled
English Pub Sign, Squirrel
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a squirrel with a nut, untitled
Wood, Paint
English Pub Sign, Swan
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a swan with three cygnets
Metal
English Pub Sign Sandpiper
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a sandpiper bird upon a beach
Wood, Paint
English Pub Sign, "Sportsman"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of a Regency era gentleman with
Metal
English Pub Sign of Bull
Located in Atlanta, GA
English Pub Sign, painted on steel.Came from a Courage Public House,from their archives,has a
Steel
English Pub Sign - The Fox
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a loping fox among trees, entitled: The Fox
English Pub Sign - The Bull
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a black bull, entitled: The Bull
English Pub Sign - The Windmill
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a windmill cottage, entitled: The
English Pub Sign, the Magdalen
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a classical ruin, entitled: The
Wood
English Pub Sign - Swan Inn
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a swan upon water, entitled: Swan
English Pub Sign, "Rose House"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a house with roses, entitled
Metal
English Pub Sign - Cricketts Inn
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a scenic painting of trees by water, entitled
English Pub Sign "The Magdalen"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a monastery abbey ruin, entitled
Paint, Wood
English Pub Sign "Cricketers Arms"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of cricket players on a pitch
Paint, Wood
English Pub Sign, 'Cock Tavern'
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a cock or rooster, entitled: Cock
Metal
English Pub Sign, "The Cock"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a cock or rooster, entitled: The
Metal
English Pub Sign - Kings Arms
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of the British Royal Arms framed in
English Pub Sign - Three Fishes
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of three fish (salmon) in a stream
English Pub Sign - Hollington Oak
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of an oak tree against an horizon
English Pub Sign - Swan Inn
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a swan upon the water among reeds
English Pub Sign, "Nag's Head"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a horse's head in a bridle
Metal
English Pub Sign - The Ship
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a sailing ship bearing the high
English Pub Sign - New Roebuck
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a scenic painting of a recumbent roebuck deer
English Pub Sign, "Old Plough"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a man and horse plowing a field
Metal
English Pub Sign - The Imperial
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of five British soldiers defending a
English Pub Sign - The Swan
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painted cutaway or silhouette of a Royal swan
Wood
English Pub Sign - Three Horseshoes
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a horse's head peering out from a
English Pub Sign, Bulls Head
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a bull's head, against a fence
Paint, Wood
English Pub Sign - Sailing Ship
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of a sailing ship on the sea with
English Pub Sign - Robin Hood
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of the legendary folk hero, Robin
Paint, Wood
English Pub Sign, "Black Swan"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a gorgeous painting of a black swan on water
Metal
English Pub Sign - Pied Bull
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of a black and white bull (pied bull
English Pub Sign, "Old General"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a man in full English hunt
Wood, Paint
English Pub Sign, Swan Inn
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of an adult swan with a child swan
Wood, Paint
English Pub Sign - The Bull
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a standing prize bull in the
English Pub Sign, "The Grasshopper"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a grasshopper on a blade of grass
Wood, Paint
English Pub Sign, "The Nightingale"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a singing nightingale bird
Wood, Paint
English Pub Sign - The "Cleveland"
Located in Austin, TX
An English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of an early motor car driven by a man in full
English Pub Sign, Fox Inn, Pubmaster
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of fox among shrubbery, entitled
Metal
English Pub Sign - The Old Fox
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a scenic painting of a fox, entitled: The Old
Wood
English Pub Sign - The Phoenix
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a scenic painting of a phoenix (mythical bird
English Pub Sign, 'The Bulls Head'
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a bull's head, entitled: The
Metal
English Pub Sign - The Charles Dickens
Located in Austin, TX
An English pub sign featuring a portrait painting (two-sided) of the famed 19th c. writer, Charles
Iron
English Pub Sign - The Royal Swan
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a swan at the water's edge
English Pub Sign - The Black Bull
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of a black bull in a landscape
English Pub Sign, "The Black Swan"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a black swan upon the water
Metal
Original English Pub Sign, circa 1930s
Located in BENSENVILLE, IL
Pub sign painted on tin and framed. The name of the pub was obviously changed because there is a
Metal
English Pub Sign - Ye George Inn
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of St. George in a knight's armor
$229,497Sale 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...
Other
Antique Folk Art Carnival Attraction Hand Painted Sign circa 1940's
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
1677 Hand painted carnival sign world's tallest man and Tom tump In a pediment frame
Hardwood, Paint
1920's English "Private Bar" Etched Glass Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
1920's English "Private Bar" etched glass sign framed in oak frame.
Glass, Oak
$572
H 17.92 in W 20.28 in D 0.08 in
Antique Hand Painted Double-Sided French Cafe Wall Trade Sign. c.1920
Located in London, GB
A mid-20th century hand painted French trade sign. c.1940 Double sided French trade sign for CAFES MAURICE, a company still in existence today. Wonderful patination and depth of col...
Metal
$2,300 / item
H 20.5 in W 14 in D 67 in
HIFI Vinyl LP Storage Bench / Record Shelf Mid-Century Modern Walnut Pete Deeble
By Pete Deeble
Located in Long Beach, CA
This bench is the ideal solution to having records sitting all over your house and no place to sit. This is an original design, but with a strong influence of Mid Century Danish Mode...
Walnut
$1,568
H 38.59 in W 28.35 in D 1.19 in
Spanish Colonial South American Painting Virgin folk art 18th C
Located in London, GB
A Spanish colonial South American folk art style painting of the Virgin and child South American Peru or Bolivia school 18th century or earlier Oil on canvas, framed size 40 x ...
Paint
$5,237Sale Price|50% Off
H 32.49 in W 32.29 in D 1.97 in
French 18th Century Forged Iron Folk Art Baroque Tavern Sign
Located in Buisson, FR
Important and beautiful 18th century Tavern sign depicting a rearing white horse with a crowned coat of arms on its back. Most likely from the Alsace, France due to the German influe...
Iron
Important Folk Art Trade Sign
Located in Greenwich, CT
A mid 19th Century folk art trade sign of demilune form, depicting a Native American chief holding a peace pipe and tomahawk wearing a headdress of white and red feathers, wearing a ...
Wood
$1,103,354
H 83.86 in W 45.28 in D 83.86 in
A pair of Spanish-colonial Viceregal mother-of-pearl inlaid bureau-cabinets
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Viceroyalty of Peru, Lima, 18th century, circa 1720-1760 Each with a moulded giltwood cornice and on a foliate carved giltwood base, possibly later and English. The cabinets, with s...
Mother-of-Pearl, Teak
$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.
Masonite, Paint
$1,895
H 42 in W 34 in D 2.5 in
Vintage English Pub Sign Metal Double Sided Sutton Arms Traditional Free House
Located in Tyler, TX
Vintage English Hanging Double Sided Metal Pub Sign~~The Sutton Arms~~ Traditional Free House 42" tall x 34" wide x 2.5" deep Popular decorative wall decor in today's home or b...
Metal
Framed 18th c. Merchant Trade Sign
Located in Greenwich, CT
A late 18th century/early 19th century trade sign from a Dutch West Indies shipping merchant. The carved wood and polychromed sign depicts a winged-foot Mercury figure surrounded by ...
Wood
Reclaimed Hand Painted Pub Sign 'The Pier'
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A reclaimed hand painted double sided English pub sign named ’The Pier’. Salvaged from a pub in Devon, this sign is a display of English heritage, evoking the story of pub goers and ...
Wood, Pine
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.