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Signs For Sale
Double Sided Vintage Marlboro Light Up Cigarette Pack, 1990s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is the perfect Americana statement piece to add interest to any interior. This incredible vintage advertising light up box by Marlboro is eye-catching showpiece. These lights we...
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Steel
Monumental Los Angeles 101 Freeway Sign, 1988 USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool Los Angeles freeway sign retired from the 101 freeway. Made in the the 1980s. This freeway takes you north/ south along the entire west coast of the United States from San Diego...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
'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...
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Vintage Porcelain Corona Beer Sign
Located in San Diego, CA
Super cool and hard to find vintage porcelain Corona beer sign, circa 1970s. The sign is actually a former tabletop at a roadside cantina in Mexico. The di...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Signs
Materials
Metal
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 regalia, entitled: Free House - The Lord Nelson.
A free house in Great Britain is a pu...
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Neighborhood Watch Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage neighborhood watch sign. Great coloring and graphics with ominous burglar going through the window. Great vintage condition.
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Vintage Dark Red Illuminated Letter E , 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial plastic dark red facade illuminated letter E was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It is equipped with a LED strip. .T...
Category
1980s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
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. This t...
Category
Early 20th Century American Signs
Materials
Copper
Vintage Illuminated Letter N, 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage Industrial illuminated letter N was made in Netherlands during the 1980s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a grey m...
Category
1980s Dutch Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Original Painted California Gold Rush Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
20th Century Original painted Gold Rush Sign.
Category
20th Century American Adirondack Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Rare Domed Wiener Werkstaette Vienna Art Nouveau Enameled Advertising Sign
Located in Vienna, AT
A rare, domed, black and white enameled Art Nouveau advertising sign for Wiener Werkstätte, founded by Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser and Fritz ...
Category
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel, Iron
Vintage Hand Painted French Patisserie Sign c.1930-1940
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
Vintage French wooden sign for "Boulangerie Pattisserie, Pain cuit au feu de bois." (Wood fire baked bread). Framed in steel.
CR...
Category
Early 20th Century French Industrial Signs
Materials
Metal
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 constant with age. Fun wall art...
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Metal
1940's Goodyear Tires Porcelain Neon Light Sign
Located in Alpha, NJ
Very rare and beautiful example of a 1940's Goodyear Tires Neon light porcelain advertisement sign. Few occasional chips to porcelain finish and ass...
Category
1940s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Vintage Illuminated Letter D, 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage Industrial illuminated letter D was made in Italy during the 1980s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a black metal ...
Category
1980s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
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 sailing ship featuring flags with St. George's cross, entitled: The Ship.
A very f...
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Metal
Old School 1940's / 50's NEON "MOTEL" Sign..Classic Font
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic vintage NEON "MOTEL" sign salvaged from a motel in Niagara Falls Canada,, Retains original finish & patina,, New transformer, metal replaced to bottom of can,, (see photo)
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Unique 19th Century French Shop Sign with a Grouse
Located in Buisson, FR
Brilliant and unique shop-sign.
A painted grouse made out of sheet iron or zinc that is placed within a hand forged iron frame that is made to hang.
France circa 1850-1900
Weathered...
Category
19th Century French Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Illuminated Letter N, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated letter N was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a black metal bod...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Argentinian Pierced Iron Bathroom Sign
Located in Round Top, TX
Argentinian Pierced Iron Bathroom Sign with interior light. Circa 1940.
Dimensions: 9" H x 24 1/4" W x 3 3/4" D
Category
Mid-20th Century Argentine Signs
Materials
Iron
Large Vintage Fish Store Trade Sign Sculpture
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Striking large hanging fish sculpture, once used as a fish store trade sign. Material is painted hard composite, weighs about 25 lbs. Beautiful glass eyes. Heavy hanging chain inc...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Composition
Acid Yellow Reflective Pedestrian Road Sign from Los Angeles
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great acid yellow reflective road sign from the City of Los Angeles. Depicting a man and woman crossing the road. Good vintage condition.
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Steel
18th C "Stolen or Strayed" Gem Penned Notice Sign For its Return Giltwood Frame
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A stolen gem!!!! beautiful penned circa mid to late 18th century notice for it to be returned. Housed in a later glazed deep moulded gilt frame
“Stolen or strayed the 8th instant At...
Category
18th Century English Antique Signs
Materials
Art Glass, Giltwood, Paper
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 Insurance Company, located and founded in Philadelphia in 1835. It was probably made by noted late 19th century sign maker, Sentenne & Green, of New York City, established in the 1870's. With an Indian motif, the sign features a Native American Indian, front and center, decorated in a brown and green headdress; with red, cream and aqua clothing and a large gold medallion...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Tin
Vintage Pink Illuminated Letter T , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial plastic illuminated facade letter T was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It is equipped with a LED strip. The letter c...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
Vintage Pepsi-Cola Enameled Metal Advertising Sign, Europe, 1970s
Located in Milano, IT
Iconic Pepsi-Cola advertising sign made of enameled metal, dating from the 1970s.
The design incorporates the classic logo with red cursive lettering, set against a wavy background ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel
A Large English Victorian Cast Iron Painted Doorstops, 19th Century
Located in ARMADALE, VIC
A Large English Victorian Cast Iron Painted Doorstops, 19th Century
Provenance: Private Australian Collection.
Dimensions:
Height: 41.5cm.
Width: 20cm.
Depth: 9cm.
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage Illuminated Letter E , 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated letter E was made in Italy during the 1980s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a vhite metal body and a white plexiglass cover....
Category
1980s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Philips Radio Enamel Advertising Sign Wall Plaque, 1930s
By Philips
Located in Vienna, AT
An enameled advertising sign / wall plaque "Philips Radio", dating from around 1930. It was produced for the Dutch brand Philips to promote their radios in the early 20th century. Th...
Category
1930s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel, Iron
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
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
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 decorated tunic, supported by “s” scrolls, possibly a cover for a paddle boat wheel...
Category
19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage Metal Bar Sign, "Mr. Pubb"
Located in San Francisco, CA
Not much is known about this rather cheeky round bar sign, metal painted bronze/gold, of a man in a top hat. Either the mystery man or the establishment, whi...
Category
20th Century American Signs
Materials
Metal
1950’s Enamel and Neon Corner Sign Cafe
Located in Chicago, IL
1950’s enamel and neon corner Cafe sign. It has new transformer and wiring. Please note that there will be additional fee for making shipping crate.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Enamel
Large Enamel Sign Hunter Cigarettes Advertising Plate Retro
Located in Poperinge, BE
Beautiful large enamel sign, advertising sign for Hunter Virginia cigarettes, an American cigarette brand, cool retro advertising, reissue of a vintage enamel sign from around the 19...
Category
2010s European Art Deco Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel
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...
Category
18th Century French Baroque Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage "Cabins" Single Sided Porcelain Neon Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Vintage neon sign advertising cabins for rent. This piece features a bold Bauhaus-style font in white set against a dark background. The lettering has been traced in a turquoise neon...
Category
1940s American Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel
Vintage Hand Painted on Wood Advertising Sign for Golf Equipments, 1920s
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
This vintage sign for collectors is truly special. Made of wood with relief decorations and hand painted. The advertising sign was dedicated to the golf attire and equipment.
Category
1920s Scottish Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage Wall Mounted Store Prop Coffee Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage store front sheet metal prop sign with finger pointing the reader in the direction of coffee. This is a hand painted sign with great wear and patina.
Category
1940s American Adirondack Vintage Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
19th Century 'Doctor McCracken' Surgeon's Trade Sign
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Double-sided doctor's medical practice trade sign for 'Dr. McCracken'.
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Signs
Antique Industrial Art Deco Brass Internalite Enquiries Illuminated Sign, c1920
Located in London, GB
A stunning illuminated 'Internalite' directional sign made in England by K.F.M Engineering. c.1920.
Wall mounted brass frame housing the internal illuminations above single sided ...
Category
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Signs
Materials
Brass
1960s, Green & White Painted Steel 'Two Hour Parking' Street Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage traffic or street sign.
With green text and border on a white ground.
The text reads:
'TWO HOUR PARKING BETWEEN 7AM - 7PM SUND...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Steel
Antique English Enamel Pub Sign
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
‘The Friar’s Oak’ enamel pub sign with a wrought iron hanging bracket / frame. Reclaimed from a Public House in Shropshire. Double sided.
Category
Early 20th Century Signs
Materials
Enamel, Wrought Iron
Early 20th C School Classroom Plaques Classics, English, History & Economics
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A collection of four oak classroom door plaques, hand painted with gilt lettering, chamfered decorative edges and counter sunk fixing holes.
More than likely from a well to do teach...
Category
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Signs
Materials
Oak
Vintage Framed Yellow Cabs Sign c.1940-1950
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
A vintage Yellow Cabs sign framed with a thick wooden frame.
CREATOR Unknown.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1940-1950.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Mat Board, Wood.
C...
Category
Early 20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Wood
Large Early 20th Century American Usg Sheetrock Advertising Porcelain Sign
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce antique, circa 1920s /1930s, USG (United States Gypsum) porcelain enameled advertising sign, early 20th century, industrial American Art Deco Modern taste.
The large blu...
Category
Early 20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel
Hand Painted Oversized Fiberglass Cheeseburger Pop Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oversized vintage cheeseburger pop art in fiberglass. Likely used as a store display. Hand made in fiberglass and hand painted with great detail. ...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Paint, Fiberglass
Old Vintage Fun Wooden Hand Painted Sign 'No Parking' Decorative Wall Shelf Art
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A fun hand painted wooden sign reads ‘NO PARKING THIS MEANS YOU’ – Definitely some British humour!
A very old sign, probably dates back to Mid 20...
Category
20th Century British Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine
Antique Early 20th Century Oil on Canvas Landscape Painting. c.1910
Located in London, GB
A charming early 20th Century landscape oil painting. English. c.1910
Signed to bottom left - very skillfully painted landscape scene with fisherman and cottage.
Some very minor ...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Edwardian Signs
Materials
Canvas
Antique Harvard Ave. Porcelain Sign c.1900-1910
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
An original double sided enameled porcelain Harvard Ave street sign.
Shown with life size hand model for scale.
CREATOR Unknown.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1900-1900.
...
Category
Early 20th Century Industrial Signs
Materials
Enamel, Steel
Vintage European Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great vintage European street sign. Deep blue and white. Newly mounted and framed. People at play in the street. Cool piece of wall art.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Antique 19th Century English Lanscape Oil Painting - Signed Thomas Creswick RA
Located in London, GB
A large 19th century oil on canvas landscape oil painting. c.1852
Singed by the artist to the bottom left - T Creswick RA (1811-1869), inducted into the Royal Academy as a full me...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Canvas
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 r...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal
'Donuts Cafe' Neon Sign, 1990s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A lovely vintage neon sign that reads Donuts Cafe, perfect for adding a nostalgic touch to your space. Taken down from a Los Angeles restaurant on Hollywood Blvd. This little sign fe...
Category
1990s North American Industrial Signs
Materials
Glass, Acrylic
Spanish Provincial Style Carved Horse Head Wall Plaque Sign
Located in Queens, NY
Spanish Provincial (20th Cent) style painted and carved horse head wall plaque/sign (La Taberna Caballoblanco) (Related item: 049724D).
Category
20th Century Renaissance Signs
Materials
Wood
Antique Vintage French Country House Private Property Wall Sign
Located in Stockbridge, GB
Antique French Private Property Sign
A fantastic original sign with “Private Property Do Not Enter” written in French.
It has a great aged patina with some wear to the original blu...
Category
Mid-20th Century English French Provincial Signs
Materials
Cut Steel
Vintage Chart Rack with Four Denoyer-Geppert Anatomy Charts
Located in Dekalb, IL
c. 1960s; Denoyer-Geppert Co. - Chicago, IL
Vintage metal chart rack with four original four-color Denoyer-Geppert anatomy posters.
Each is in remar...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Plastic, Wood
18th or 19th Century French Ship Chandler's Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
18th or 19th century French ship chandler's trade sign, circa 1800, an oval pine double sided sign built with large dove-tails, advertising Cooperage and...
Category
1790s French Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Pine
French 1950s Enamel Sign
Located in Brecht, BE
These enamel signs were used nearby schools, great decorative object, collector’s item.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Signs
Materials
Enamel
Antique, New and Vintage Signs
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.