Oversized Metal Key Trade Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive metal bit-key trade sign from the UK. Marked BOLTON, 1925. Great patina to metal. Well made
Category
Vintage 1970s British Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Key Trade Sign
Early Key Trade Sign
Located in Peekskill, NY
This is an early zink 3D skeleton key with some original paint. I'm guessing it date to the late
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Primitive Models and Miniatures
Materials
Metal
1800s Skeleton Key Locksmith Trade Sign
Located in Peekskill, NY
This is one of the best locksmith trade signs we have offered. It’s early and all handmade in iron
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Folk Art Signs
Materials
Iron
C1945 Cast Aluminum Trade Sign Form of a Key Keil Charlestown N.H. Keys Made
$875
H 27.5 in W 13 in D 0.5 in
C1945 Cast Aluminum Trade Sign Form of a Key Keil Charlestown N.H. Keys Made
By Keil Company
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous cast aluminum trade sign circa 1945 depicting a actual key in red and silver. Perfect
Category
Vintage 1940s American Industrial Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Antique European Locksmith’s Trade Sign in the Form of a Key, 40"H
Located in New York, NY
Large Cast Iron Trade Sign in the Form of a Key, 40"H Europe, antique This impressive oversized
Category
Antique 19th Century French Signs
Materials
Iron
French Gothic Style Wrought Iron Giant Key Locksmith Trade Sign
Located in Stamford, CT
French wrought iron black painted locksmith trade sign in the form of a large and elaborate key
Category
Early 20th Century French Gothic Mounted Objects
Materials
Wrought Iron
Recent Sales
American Sheet Metal Folk Art Key Trade Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
American sheet metal Folk Art key trade sign, with hinges on the top and bottom sides to use as
Category
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
Excellent Rare Early Key West Trade Sign, Double Sided
Located in Hadley, MA
FANTASTIC SMALL TRADE SIGN Carved from a single piece of pine, with "raised" framed
Category
Early 20th Century American Signs
Materials
Pine
Very Large 18th Century French Key Maker's Trade Sign
Located in Woodbury, CT
sign once hung outside a key maker's shop, embedded into the stone walls with the two long horizontal
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
Large 19th Century 51-Inch Wooden Locksmith Key Trade Sign
Located in New York, NY
This 51-inch long locksmith key trade sign from the 19th century is a remarkable piece of
Category
Antique 19th Century Victorian Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Monumental Mid-20th Century Folk Art Wooden 'Key' Trade Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This 1960s large Folk Art key (70.5" L) was likely an advertising piece. It was made for
Category
Vintage 1960s American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century Locksmith Trade Sign Key
Located in Pease pottage, West Sussex
Early 19th century Locksmiths trade sign key, highly ornate wrought iron oversized key, on a
Category
Antique 1820s French Signs
19th Century Cast Iron Hand Forged English Key Makers Trade sign
Located in London, GB
19th Century Cast Iron Hand Forged English Key Makers Trade sign Hand forged solid cast iron 19th
Category
Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Iron
1940s Large Yale Advertising Key Trade Sign
Located in Hastings, GB
A large cast metal advertising key sign for the Yale & Towne Mfg Co (Yale). This sign would have
Category
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Aluminum
1940s Locksmith Trade Sign
By Keil Company
Located in Peekskill, NY
This is nicely done midcentury key trade sign. Its thick cast aluminum and 2 sided with most of the
Category
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Early 20th Century Hand Carved Folk Art Key Makers Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century hand carved Folk Art key makers trade sign A highly decorative example of an
Category
Vintage 1920s French Early Victorian Signs
Materials
Gesso, Pine
19th Century Key Trade Sign
Located in Essex, MA
A large gilded zinc locksmith's trade sign in the form of a key.
Category
Antique 19th Century American Signs
Bartender/Sommelier's Key Trade Sign
Located in Seattle, WA
Big and bold Bartender/Wine Steward's 'Key' with bottle opener and corkscrew features and a large
Category
20th Century American Signs
Materials
Chrome, Steel
Immense American Metal Trade Sign of a Key
Located in New York, NY
American, early 20th century trade sign, depicting an extremely large key. Unique with excellent
Category
Early 20th Century American Signs
Iron Key Trade Sign
Located in Aurora, OR
This key is a great early 20th century handmade trade sign. Hand cut from sheet iron, it has the
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Iron
Key Form Cast Aluminum Locksmith Trade Sign
Located in Fulton, CA
A painted cast aluminum two-sided trade / store sign advertising Keil keys, Charlestown, New
Category
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Aluminum
People Also Browsed
Folk Art Sign
Located in London, GB
An Edwardian Folk Art sign with overscale finger, insribed ‘Left Luggage’.
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Hardwood
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
Vintage Americana Mid-Century Neon Barber Shop Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic 13.5 foot long Mid-Century vintage neon barber shop sign. Total statement piece. Unusual three dimensional channel letters. Many layers of red, white and blue paint surface...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal
19th Century Cast Iron Shoemaker’s Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
19th century cast iron shoemaker’s trade sign A highly decorative example of a late 19th century cast iron French shoemakers shop trade sign. Hand crafted from a hand cut iron metal...
Category
Antique 1880s French Early Victorian Decorative Art
Materials
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Double Sided French Pharmacy Metal Sign
Located in London, GB
Early 20th Century Double Sided French Pharmacy Metal Sign A rare double sided pharmacy trade sign, origins of France, dated to the early part of the 20th century, made from metal ...
Category
Vintage 1920s Early Victorian Signs
Materials
Metal
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
Manhole Cover Prototype Folk Art, 1960s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Extremely unique wooden sewer cap prototype. Made by by various wooden cubes and blocks as well as letters nailed to the front of the main ply of the cap giving it its design. The ba...
Category
Vintage 1960s American Signs
Materials
Wood
Pair of Original Hand-Painted Wooden Fairground Signage, circa 1950s
$4,285Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 15.36 in W 83.47 in D 5.91 in
Pair of Original Hand-Painted Wooden Fairground Signage, circa 1950s
Located in Faversham, GB
When in use, the panels were linked together with couplings to form an oval shape and the mechanics of the fairground ride would sit within the centre. Each panel was numbered on the...
Category
20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Wooden Boot Folk Art Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique wooden boot sculpture. Various woods/patinas give the boot texture, color and depth. Just under 2 feet wide. Additional details include, four eyelets with laces, a thick leath...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Signs
Materials
Wood
Glass and Wood Fun House Mirror, 1950s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Super unique set of carnival mirrors from a retired New York City carnival. 6 wood mirrors all with original glass. Different shape, patina and aging to each mirror. Some mirrors are...
Category
Vintage 1950s American Carnival Art
Materials
Glass, Wood
American Arts And Crafts Antique Painted Playing Card Games Box, 1930
$1,500
H 5.75 in W 6.5 in D 6.5 in
American Arts And Crafts Antique Painted Playing Card Games Box, 1930
Located in South Burlington, VT
From an old New England collection. Unique find. An attractive one-of-a-kind antique folk art circa 1930 period hand crafted, hand incised and hand painted playing card games b...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Games
Materials
Wood, Pine
Early 20th Century Wood and Canvas Painted Produce Sign
Located in Troy, MI
Wooden produce sign found in England, circa 1920s. Wood foundation is covered in strips of canvas which have been hand painted by unknown artist.
Category
Early 20th Century English Rustic Decorative Art
Materials
Canvas, Wood
Oversized Bonze Advertising Store Display Scissors
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Midcentury, oversized, advertising, store display, bronze scissors open and close as real scissors. Makes a great, rustic, folk art piece or wall art.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Bronze
Tradesign in the Form of a Brick Storehouse
Located in Greenwich, CT
An advertising device or tradesign in the form of a brick storehouse, with ten arched windows or pigeonholes to display merchandise, constructed as a roofed box mounted on wheels, fo...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Signs
Materials
Wood
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Key Trade Sign For Sale on 1stDibs
With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the key trade sign you’re looking for. Frequently made of metal, iron and aluminum, every key trade sign was constructed with great care. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer key trade sign, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. A key trade sign made by Folk Art designers — as well as those associated with Mid-Century Modern — is very popular.
How Much is a Key Trade Sign?
The average selling price for a key trade sign at 1stDibs is $1,725, while they’re typically $525 on the low end and $5,300 for the highest priced.
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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