$7,995
H 31 in W 23 in D 1 in
Advertising Tin Sign "The Delaware Insurance Company of Philadelphia" Circa 1885
By The Delaware Insurance Company of Philadelphia
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a very rare and early (circa 1885) tin advertising sign, commissioned by the Delaware
Tin
$1,500
H 22.5 in W 33.5 in D 1 in
Antique Dutchess of Poughkeepsie NY Fire Insurance Reverse Painted Glass Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Victorian Dutchess of Poughkeepsie NY Fire Insurance Reverse Painted Glass Framed Sign
Brass
Vintage French Enamel Advertising Sign
Located in Ongar, GB
A nice early to mid 20th century French enamel advertising sign for Livestock insurance. A great
Enamel
Antique Tin Insurance Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique double sided hand painted tin insurance sign framed in original frame.
Tin
Unavailable
H 3.55 in W 15.75 in D 0.44 in
1930s Italian Enamel Metal Insurance Sign "Assicurazioni Venezia"
Located in Milan, IT
Vintage enamel metal insurance sign "Assicurazioni Venezia" in black on white background, produced
Metal, Enamel
1900's Reverse Glass Sign "The Home Insurance Company New York "
Located in Chicago, IL
Original 1900's reverse glass sign with gold leaf " The Home Insurance Company New York ".
Glass, Wood
1930s Advertising Signboard "Magdeburg Insurance"
Located in Warsaw, PL
insurance. Construction: Pressed convex steel sheet covered with two-colored enamel. B & H, producer's
Steel
Sold
H 14 in W 13 in D 0.5 in
Vintage Virginia Metal Crafters "Firemen's Insurance Co" Cast Iron Sign Plaque
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Virginia Metal Crafters "Firemen's Insurance Co" Cast Iron Sign Plaque. Circa Early 20th
Iron
Metropolitan Life Insurance Hand Painted Sign
Located in Culver City, CA
Branch Office of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY, outdoor handpainted sign
Metal
Rare Antique Cast Iron Fire Mark Firemen's Insurance Company
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare Antique Cast Iron Fire Mark Firemen's Insurance Company. Original paint that is beautifully
Iron
Sold
H 47 in W 9.25 in D 1 in
19th c Giant Wooden Advertising Thermometer NY Life Insurance Co "NYLIC"
Located in Savannah, GA
-New York Life Insurance Co. wanting Bright Young Men- Permanent Pay. Measuring Blood Heat, Summer Heat
Metal
Sun Fire Insurance Sign
Located in New York, NY
Sun Fire Insurance sign. Lithographed on brass. Inscribed "Sun Ins. Office. London. Established
Brass
Sold
H 7.96 in W 11.34 in D 0.08 in
1950s Tin Advertising Sign for Insurance Company Lloyd Belge Antwerp, Belgium
Located in Retie, BE
Vintage Tin advertising sign for the Belgium Insurance Company in Antwerp "Lloyd Belge Anvers
Metal
1959 Enamel Advertising Sign Insurance Company, Belgium
Located in Retie, BE
Eye-catching large 1950s enamel sign, porcelain sign for Insurance Company L' Etoile assurances
Metal
Porcelain Sign with Beehive and Bees, 1946, Belgium
Located in Retie, BE
. Great old sign for a beekeeper or for collector of insurance signs.
Metal
Trade Sign: National Union Fire Insurance Company
Located in New York, NY
Red, white and blue patriotic shield with capitol building inspiring trust and confidence.
Large R.V.S. Insurance Porcelain Sign, Black and White, 1957
Located in Retie, BE
Spectacular large Porcelain Sign for R.V.S. (Rotterdamse Verzekering Sociëteite, Holland) Insurance
Enamel
19th Century American Fire Insurance Marker
Located in San Francisco, CA
An great looking antique fire insurance marker that was displayed on buildings that had paid so
Merchants’ Insurance Sign
Located in Aurora, OR
The Merchants Insurance Company of Newark, New Jersey was incorporated in 1858. We don’t have much
Brass
Sold
H 8 in W 18 in D 0.1 in
1930s Auto Insurance Advertising Tin Sign "Pays The Man Who Pays The Premium"
Located in Chicago, IL
1930s auto insurance advertising tin sign "Pays The Man Who Pays The Premium."
Metal
Victorian English Vintage Royal Insurance Copper Fire Plaque
Located in Milan, IT
Royal Insurance second half of the 19th century copper fire plaque made in England. Collector's
Copper
Black Metal Chain Table Lamp circa 1960 Design French Lighting
Located in Neuilly-en- sancerre, FR
French table lamp Realised circa 1960 Black metal 20th century design table lamp Original good condition Height 28 cm Large 16 cm.
Metal
Early 20th Century Toy Noah's Ark, German
Located in Incline Village, NV
Toy Noah’s Arks for children to play with were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, and Germany was very prolific in their production. This particular ark is all ori...
Wood
Pair of 19th Century French Doors with Wrought Iron Panels
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Pair of stunning stripped 19th century French doors with wrought iron, featuring bold molded detail framing the lower panels as well as the intricate wrought iron inserts, which open...
Wrought Iron
John O'Hara, The xxxxxxx Best, 3-Color Serigraph
By John O'Hara
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
John O'Hara's famous The xxxxxxx Best painting is now a 3-Color Serigraph on recycled Archival Hemp Paper. Hand signed by the artist. This work is unframed. 27.5 x 27.5 inches ...
Paper
$20,000 / set
H 96.25 in W 96 in D 22.5 in
Pair of Country French Pine Library Bookcases Beveled Glass Doors
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Amazing pair of matching country French bibliotheque library bookcases or display cabinets featuring beveled glass windows and doors. Constructed from mostly pine with a whitewash pa...
Iron
$663Sale Price|20% Off
H 14.57 in W 9.85 in D 0 in
Der Blaue Reiher - Hand-Colored Engraving of the Blue Heron by Seligman, ca.1770
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: Der Blaue Reiher - Hand-Colored Engraving of the Blue Heron by Johann Michael Seligmann, 18th Century This beautiful hand-colored engraving, titled 'Der Blaue Reiher', illust...
Paper
Antique Carved Teak Wood Indian Door/Gate
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Individually hand crafted Teak door in early 20th century. Industrial metal details. Two salvaged doors that have been barred together to make one larger door/Gate. Does have s...
Iron
17th Century French Arte Populaire Bench
Located in Round Top, TX
A delightful 17th century Arte Populaire Bench from the Cevennes region of France. Wonderfully constructed from chestnut with the back and seat being a single piece carved from a tr...
Chestnut
$1,520
H 23.63 in W 15.75 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Advertising Poster Paris Exposition Internationale Art Deco
By Paul Colin
Located in London, GB
Original vintage advertising poster for the Paris 1937 Exposition Internationale / International Exhibition held from May to November featuring a great design by Paul Colin (1892-198...
Paper
$5,845
H 47.25 in W 31.7 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Art Deco Poster Advertising the French Bicycle Company Automoto
By Maurice Lauro
Located in London, GB
Original vintage adverting poster for the French manufacturer of bicycles automoto featuring a stunning Art Deco style artwork by Maurice Lauro (b 1898) of an elegant smiling young c...
Paper
$3,800 / set
H 91 in W 53 in D 1.25 in
Antique Pair of French Provincial Paneled Walnut Doors with Original Key
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Stunning pair of paneled walnut antique French doors - three pair available - with the original keys and locks - the keys in the shape of numbers 1, 2 and 3! Taken from a French cha...
Walnut
Chippewa Pictorial Bark Canoe
By Native American Art
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Chippewa pictorial canoe. Fully slated, having four grouse, four rabbits and leaf design. Bark varies in color from a light tan to a mid-tone brown. Circa 1930. Minor damage to one r...
Wood, Birch
$5,387
H 41.19 in W 25.2 in D 0.4 in
Phi, Original Vintage Poster, Beer Brewery Lengrand, Pint, Frog, Foam, Bar, 1926
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Poster created by Paul Nerfi in 1926 to promote the beer, wines and liquors of Lengrand brewery. Artist: Phi (Nefri Paul) Title: Bières – Brasserie Lengrand Date: 1926 Size: 25,2...
Paper
$375Sale Price|20% Off
H 9.06 in W 15.36 in D 0 in
Pre-Battle Rituals: The King of Florida and His Magician, ca.1780
Located in Langweer, NL
An engraving from "Portlock's New Collection of Voyages and Travels," likely dating around 1780. It depicts a scene titled "A King of Florida consulting his Magician previous to his ...
Paper
Pair 19th Century French Cupboard Doors
Located in Mckinney, TX
A pair of reclaimed flat panel cupboard doors with beveled trim details. Unpretentious, yet full of charm thanks to the time-worn patinated finish, these doors would enhance the look...
Wood
$5,184
H 64.18 in W 46.46 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Poster Vins De France Sante Gaiete Esperance French Wine Cheer
By Andre Galland 1
Located in London, GB
Original vintage drink advertising poster for Vins de France Sante Gaiete Esperance / Wines of France Health Cheerfulness Hope featuring great artwork by Andre Galland (1886-1965) de...
Paper
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.