19th Century Apothecary Mortar & Pestle Countertop Trade Sign or Sale Stimulator
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Apothecary trade sign or sale stimulator in the form of a mortar and pestle in gilt wood.
Wood
19th Century, Apothecary Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
Figural trade sign in the form of a mortar and pestle, both the mortar and pestle are hand turned and gilded, with strong ring turnings.
Zinc
Early 20th Century Pharmacist Figural Trade Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Antique figural painted tin trade sign. This piece takes the form of an antique mortar and pestle, one of the most important tools used by practitioners of medicine for centuries.
Tin
Early 20th Century Pharmacist Figural Trade Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Antique figural copper and tin trade sign. This piece takes the form of an antique mortar and pestle, one of the most important tools used by practitioners of medicine for centuries.
Copper, Wrought Iron, Tin
"Pestle and Mortar" Ashtray By Marius Giuge.
By Marius Giuge
Located in MOUGINS, FR
A "pestle and mortar" ashtray by Marius Giuge. The white color is dotted with black and brown alveoli that contrast with the clear enamel.
Ceramic
Unavailable
H 36 in W 24 in D 24 in
19th Century Wrought Copper Exterior Drugstore Mortar and Pestle Trade Sign
By Mclewee & Son
Located in Chicago, IL
Very rare and well-executed American 19th century museum-quality wrought copper exterior building or storefront druggists' mortar & pestle trade sign attributed to f. McElwee & son, ...
Copper
18th Century Cast Iron Mortar and Pestle Mounted on Stump
Located in Asheville, NC
Probably an apothecary trade sign. Found in France.
Iron
Giant Pestle and Mortar Pharmacy/Drug Shop Trade Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Giant pestle and mortar pharmacy/drug shop trade sign A very rare piece, Wonderful early 20th century pharmacy or chemist trade sign in the form of a pestle and mortar, made in gi...
Tin
Chemist Shop Advertising Trade Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
The sign is in the shape of a Pestle and Mortar The paint is well weathered and has been over painted from time to time but not very recently Measures: The sign is 41” high, 22” wi...
Jeweled Leaded Glass Apothecary Trade Sign
By Ross Johnson Drug Co
Located in Peekskill, NY
The Ross Johnson Drug Co Est.1924… This impressive mortar and pestle leaded glass sign is almost four foot tall with a two foot diameter. The red curved glass panels are reverse pain...
Jeweled Leaded Glass Apothecary Trade Sign
By Ross Johnson Drug Co
Located in Peekskill, NY
The Ross Johnson Drug Co Est.1924… This impressive mortar and pestle leaded glass sign is almost four foot tall with a two foot diameter. The red curved glass panels are reverse pain...
Large Early 20th Century Pharmacy Trade Sign
Located in Pease pottage, West Sussex
Wonderful early 20th century copper pharmacy or chemist trade sign in the form of a pestle and mortar, oxidization and signs of natural verdigris showing, red lenses on each side wou...
Copper
Early 20th Century Lighted Figural Copper Apothecary Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Antique figural copper trade sign. This piece takes the form of an antique mortar and pestle, one of the most important tools used by practitioners of medicine for centuries.
Copper
Circa 1920 Lighted Mortar & Pestle Trade Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Circa 1920 unusual lighted copper mortar & pestle trade sign adorned with faceted multi colored glass 'jewels' both on the mortar and the pestle, in an old gilt painted surface over ...
Copper
Apothecary Trade Sign, circa 1880
Located in Portland, OR
You may not be mixing your own poultices or tonics, but no matter: the pharmacist is in! This wonderful antique mortar and pestle would have been mounted outside an apothecary in the...
Large 19th Century Apothecary Trade Sign
Located in Southampton, NY
19th century apothecary trade sign in the form of a mortar and pestle in full round tin, finished in grey sand paint with word 'drugs' in black on the diagonal, central hanging loop,...
Tin, Zinc, Nickel
Vintage DRUGS Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage DRUGS street sign with white background and black lettering. Interesting piece of transportation history. No drugs zone, with increased penalties. Probably used close to a sc...
Steel
Early French Hardware Store Counter Display
By Fichet Marine, Paris 1
Located in Peekskill, NY
The display reads "Fichet Marine Paris." A good guess is that this was a display for brass yacht hardware. There are three very heavy lick sets in the display. One has an early iron ...
Brass
19th Century Fruitwood Mortar and Pestle
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
19th century fruitwood mortar and pestle. Lathe work, remnants of paint or dark stain. Original pestle included. Period: First half of the 19th century Origin: Eastern, US Size: 5" ...
Fruitwood
19th Century Mortar and Pestle
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
19th century fruitwood mortar and pestle. Remnants of oxblood red and silver blue banded paint. Original pestle included. Origin: Eastern, United States Period: First half of the 19...
Fruitwood
18th Century Apothecary Sign
Located in Napa, CA
18th Century Apothecary sign was created with wrought iron, fer forge. Beautiful details of the medical symbol of a winged staff with two snakes intertwined.
Wrought Iron
French Wooden Scale, Late 19th-Early 20th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a large weighing surface and a smaller side for weights.
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..
Wood, Paint
1950s Shopsign
Located in Brecht, BE
Extra large and quirky, this iron shopsign ...
Metal, Iron
$1,895
H 15 in W 28 in D 20.5 in
Henry Troemner Apothecary Cast Iron & Metal Balance Scale #1, Circa 1890s
By Henry Troemner
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Henry Troemner Apothecary Cast Iron & Metal Balance Scale #1—Circa 1890s This Henry Troemner balance scale #1 is a remarkable antique cast iron scale, likely manufactured between th...
Metal, Iron
$1,500
H 32.5 in W 47 in D 1 in
Antique Medical Chart Digestion Winslow Health & Hygiene Series Anatomy
Located in Lake Worth, FL
Original antique medical chart from the 1920s-30s focusing on digestion, part of the Winslow Health & Hygiene Series Anatomy. An educational pull-down chart published by Denoyer-...
Linen, Wood, Paper
19th C Coffee Grinder
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th C Coffee Grinder. Grinder is in good working condition.
Metal, Iron
$7,500
H 33.75 in W 63 in D 11.5 in
19th Century American General Store Apothecary Grain Paint Hand Stenciling
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Beautiful 19th century general store large scale yellow pine apothecary in old surface. Found in the north eastern united states. Most likely of Pennsylvania origin. Red stain grain ...
Wood
16/1700s Brass Mortar and Pestle, France, Primitive Antique, Patina
Located in Skien, NO
Antique French Apothecary Mortar and Pestle, Hand Cast Brass / Bronze, 17th / 18th Century. This rare primitive mortar and pestle, handcrafted in France during the 17th or 18th cent...
Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century Pharmacy Sign 'DRUGS' Painted on a Single Board
Located in Nantucket, MA
American folk art trade sign from an apothecary or pharmacy with the word 'DRUGS' in black paint with white shadow lines on an orange ground. Painted on a single pine plank with notc...
Pine, Paint
$1,303Sale Price|20% Off
H 22 in W 20.5 in D 2 in
Early 20th century double sided English chemist sign
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century double sided English chemist sign Made from double sided glass with reflective silver illuminated text, this early 20th century example of an English chemist tra...
Metal
Late 19th Century French Apothecary Scale
Located in Bellport, NY
A French goose neck brass and mahogany apothecary scale. Two drawers with brass pulls, solid mahogany woods, lovely restored condition.
Brass
Folk Art Sign
Located in London, GB
An Edwardian Folk Art sign with overscale finger, insribed ‘Left Luggage’.
Hardwood
$5,186Sale Price|50% Off
H 32.49 in W 32.29 in D 1.97 in L 32.49 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
1960s English Carnival Sign
Located in High Point, NC
1960s carnival art sign from England. It is advertising a cake walk on one side of the sign, and on the back has a charming message "Have a nice Victorian day". Great sign for any co...
Wood
19th Century Cobbler Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
A carved cobbler's boot-form trade sign, in old gold paint. Carved in two pieces of pine, capped with lead, circa 1870 Very good condition, measures: 14" x 9 ½”.
Lead
$2,030
H 16.15 in W 39.38 in D 0.6 in
Antique Vintage French Double Sided Glass Pharmacy Chemist Apothecary Sign
Located in Sale, GB
- A beautiful and rare double sided glass 'Pharmacie' sign mounted in its original frame, France circa 1930. - The sign is of exceptional quality and has glass to both sides, light w...
Glass
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 solid wood and skilfully relief carved - the fox has distinct fur, legs, ear, snou...
Wood
antique pharmacy sign mortar and pestle
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
This is a very rare Pharmacy sign from the late 1800s. Made of tin/metal with remnants of gold paint. This sculpture was hung in front of a old world pharmacy to advertise and draw a...
Metal
$1,086Sale Price|20% Off
H 11 in W 22 in D 1 in
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 ...
Metal
19th Century Large Apothecary Chemist Carboy Pharmacy Shop Trade Sign
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A 19th century hand blown glass chemist window display carboy. Used as a symbol of the pharmacy from the 17th century to the early 20th century. A rare example with a hollow cut ...
Blown Glass
Antique Wrought Iron Welder's Trade Sign, Hand-Crafted Folk Art
Located in Montreal, QC
This large double side Welder's Mask Sign hung outside a iron mongers work shop boldly visible for the coming and going. Supported by heavy chains the mask sign was eerie and a bit ...
Iron
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.