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Vintage Illuminated Letter T, 1970s
Located in Mratin, CZ
This vintage industrial red plastic illuminated letter R was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from the old advertising banner. The letter can be used as a table lamp or wall ...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Plastic
Lifesize Johnnie Walker Shop Advertising Display Man
Located in Antwerp, BE
Lifesize Johnnie Walker display man.
A lifesize advertising display - shop display - store display figure for Scotch whisky.
The typical striding man with top hat, coat, boots and...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Used Signs
Materials
Fiberglass
Vintage Illuminated Letter R, 1970s
Located in Mratin, CZ
This vintage industrial red plastic illuminated letter R was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from the old advertising banner. The letter can be used as a table lamp or wall ...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Plastic
Boucherie Chevaline Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
Boucherie Chevaline Trade Sign
A hand crafted Boucherie Chevaline, zinc gold leaf hand beaten butchers trade sign. A highly decorative wall hanging in untouched condition with or...
Category
Early 20th Century French Victorian Used Signs
Materials
Zinc
Antique Advertising Chocolat Victoria Brussels, Set of 3
Located in Antwerp, BE
Antique advertising signs for Chocolate Victoria Brussels. These old advertising signs - advertising displays for Belgian Chocolate will be sold as a set of 3.
These displays are ma...
Category
Early 20th Century Belgian Art Nouveau Used Signs
Materials
Paper
1930s Tin Advertising Sign for Belgian Beer Wielemans
Located in Antwerp, BE
Art Deco metal lithographic advertising sign for Belgium Beer Brand Wielemans.
This old tin sign dates from 1934 - Tax was payed in Brussels then.
Stylish Industrial Image of the o...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Elizabeth Arden Signs in Wood and Painted Aluminum
Located in Milano, IT
Rare advertising sign of Elizabeth Arden, an entrepreneur who founded, in that name, her cosmetics company, dating from the 1950s, taken from the Lake Como store of her own.
The sig...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Elizabeth Arden Vintage Wooden Signs
Located in Milano, IT
Rare advertising sign of Elizabeth Arden, an entrepreneur who founded, in that name, her cosmetics company, dating from the 1950s, taken from the Lake Como store of her own.
The squ...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Framed John Smith's Beer Sign, 1970s
By Rob Otten
Located in Antwerp, BE
Framed John Smith's beer sign.
An old advertising sign for the famous Pale Ale Beer which is dated 1976.
It's English beer of the brewery John Smith's Tadcaster, North Yorkshire.
...
Category
Late 20th Century Belgian Modern Used Signs
Materials
Other, Tin
Folk Art Giant Metal Scissors Industrial Store Display Sign
Located in Atlanta, GA
Curious French Folk Art industrial metal store display sign. Features gigantic scissors, probably a barber or hair salon ad. sign or maybe used as a trade sign for a tailor shop or a...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Metal, Chrome
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 wood well constructed with a heavy duty frame completely bolted. Can be parcel posted.
Category
1950s British Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage Original Painted California Gold Rush Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1920's - 1930's Original painted Gold Rush Sign.
Category
19th Century American Adirondack Used Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
1950s Tin Advertising Sign for Belgian Beer Brasserie Maire
Located in Antwerp, BE
1950s tin advertising sign mounted on cardboard for Belgian beer:
Brasserie Maire - Speciale Luxem - Export Beer.
Great design with a beer bottle and a beer glass on a tray.
T...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Tin
1978 Austin City Limit Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible vintage Austin city limit freeway sign from 1978. Made in a 3/4" thick plywood with hand painted lettering on a reflective metallic sheet covering the front. This sign wel...
Category
1970s American Used Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
1961 Advertising Sign for Lemonade, Belgium
Located in Antwerp, BE
Romantic and cute metal advertising sign for Lemonade.
This old wall sign is dated 1961 and was made for the Belgian Company Leberg.
Leberg started in 1933 with botteling water and ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Tin, Metal
Traditional Large Iron Hanging Pub Sign, The Boot
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Traditional large iron hanging pub sign. The Boot
This is a large and heavy piece dating from the beginning of the 20th Century, it is double sided though the paint on one side is...
Category
Early 1900s Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Iron
French Art Deco Glass Hairdressing 'Coiffeur' Advertising Sign 1930s
Located in Bristol, GB
Vintage hairdresser’s advertising sign ‘Jaques Coiffeur Hommes Fillettes’
Ribbed silver mirror encapsulated by black-backed glass reveals a reflective, eye-catching font advertisi...
Category
1930s French Used Signs
Materials
Glass
H 33.08 in. W 37.41 in. D 1.19 in.
French Large Size Mid-19th Century Zinc Clock Trade Sign on Custom Stand
Located in Atlanta, GA
This French large size clock trade sign from the mid-19th century depicts an oversized pocket watch with round bow at the top. Made of zinc, this grey colored clock face is decorated...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Used Signs
Materials
Iron, Zinc
Enamel Sign for Colman’s Mustard
Located in Cheshire, GB
Enamel sign for Colman’s Mustard, of rectangular form decorated in blue and yellow enamel.
Dimensions
Height 16 inches
Width 62.5 inches
Depth 0.5 inches.
Category
Early 20th Century British Used Signs
Materials
Enamel
Enamel Sign for Colman’s Starch
Located in Cheshire, GB
Enamel sign for Colman’s Starch, of rectangular form decorated in blue and white enamel.
Dimensions
Height 16 Inches
Width 62.5 Inches
Depth 0.5 Inches.
Category
Early 20th Century British Used Signs
Materials
Enamel
Double Sided Texas Cigarettes Sign, 1980s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Colorful double sided sign for Texas cigarettes.
A large red and blue advertising sign - billboard with a logo of a Texas cowboy on a horse. This publicity sign was probably used a...
Category
Late 20th Century European Modern Used Signs
Materials
Acrylic
Vintage 'No Bikes' Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage 'no bikes on sidewalk' sign with incredible sunburn weathering patina. Steel sign featuring a bicycle encircled by a red ring with a line through it. Great faded coloring giv...
Category
1970s American Used Signs
Materials
Steel
1960s Stella Artois Belgian Beer Sign by Rob Otten
By Rob Otten
Located in Antwerp, BE
1960s Belgian Beer sign for the Beer Brand Stella Artois.
This Beer Sign is mounted on Cardboard. With Stamp at the back.
It was made by the Company Rob Otten, which was located in B...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Modern Used Signs
Materials
Epoxy Resin
Los Angeles Highway Trash Removal Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles trash cleanup sign. Emerald green background with a man in work clothes picking up trash. Great coloring and patina. Cool vintage graphics. Slight bend in metal. Fun piec...
Category
Early 2000s American Used Signs
Materials
Steel
Original Palethorps Enamel Sausage Sign
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Original Palethorps Enamel sausage sign
Very Rare old sign with a mouth watering picture of Palethorps Royal Cambridge sausages
The sign is made in ceramic enamel, it dates fr...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Enamel
HOVIS, Etched Glass Bakery Advertising Window Sign
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
HOVIS, Etched Glass Bakery Advertising Window Sign
A great piece of social history, this is a window, the old sash type, the glass is etched and painted in gold and white with “HO...
Category
Late 19th Century Edwardian Used Signs
Materials
Art Glass
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 Bulls Head
A very fine example of vintage advertising artwork and ready for display.
Category
20th Century English Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Porcelain Beer Sign
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage porcelain beer tray.
This enameled metal beer tray was designed and made for the Belgian Beer:
CTS Stout Wielemans, a dark Belgian Beer made by the Brewery Wielemans whic...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Porcelain Belgian Beer Sign, Three Stars Leopold, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Porcelain Beer Sign for Belgian Beer.
A large and great looking Belgian beer sign with the American colors white, red and blue and also with stars.
This Enamel sign was made for the...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Modern Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Large Weathered Trade Sign "Carriage Shop"
Located in Greenwich, CT
A 12 foot long trade sign displaying the words Carriage Shop on one side and Horse Shoeing on the other. In weathered early hand painted lettering on wood, with molded edging on all ...
Category
1870s American Used Signs
Materials
Wood
Antique Vintage Art Deco Illuminated Flambosign Advertising Cinema Exit Sign
Located in Sale, GB
- A fabulous Art Deco illuminated exit sign from renowned manufacturers 'Flambosign', Early Twentieth Century.
- The brass casing marked 'Flambosign' to both the top and bottom sect...
Category
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Used Signs
Materials
Brass
H 12.6 in. W 15.36 in. D 1.97 in.
1930s Tin Advertising Sign for Belgian Liquor with a Monkey and Bottle
Located in Antwerp, BE
Eyecatching advertising sign for Belgian Liquor Witte Schmidt.
This Tin Sign - Tin Plate mounted on cardboard has an awesome design:
an orange Monkey or Ape with a bottle of Liquor...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Used Signs
Materials
Tin
H 19.3 in. W 13.39 in. D 0.2 in.
Art Deco Tin with Crane Birds and Flowers, 1930s, The Netherlands
Located in Antwerp, BE
Stylish black Art Deco tin with crane birds and flowers in Asian style.
This Art Deco storage tin dates from the early 1930s and was made by the Dutch Company Bekkers Dordrecht Holl...
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Art Deco Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Early 20th Century City of Westminster London Milk Glass Street Sign
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous early milk glass street sign from the City of Westminster London. Original wood frame in excellent vintage condition. A couple of cracks in the glass on right lower corner. ...
Category
1910s English Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Milk Glass, Hardwood
Early 20th Century Milk Glass London Street Sign
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous etched milk glass street sign from the City of Westminster, England.
Original Arts & Crafts style frame in excellent vintage condition.
Category
1920s English Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Milk Glass, Oak
Early JJ Newberry Dept Store 5-10 & 25 Cents Sign Gilt Reverse Glass 192
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous double sided reverse painted with gilt lettering sign from a JJ Newberry store in my hometown of Port Jervis NY. Pair of signs available which were originally mounted over t...
Category
1920s American Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Glass
Reverse Painted Glass Drink Coca Cola Sign, circa 1920
By Coca Cola Bottling Co.
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous 10 x 21 reverse painted glass coca cola sign from the twenties. In excellent vintage condition with a bit of fixing on the upper right corner. Made by the Price Bros. from C...
Category
1920s American Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Brass
Spanish Provincial Style Carved Horse Head Wall Plaque Sign
Located in New York, NY
Spanish Provincial (20th Cent) style painted and carved horse head wall plaque/sign (La Taberna Caballoblanco) (Related item: 049724D).
Category
20th Century Renaissance Used Signs
Materials
Wood
Antique Vintage Industrial British Railway Station Enamel Advertising Sign
By British Railways
Located in Sale, GB
- An original British Rail sign, circa 1940.
- This Midlands Region sign has the inscription 'Rights Of Way Act 1932 The British Transport Commission Hereby Give Notice That This Wa...
Category
Mid-20th Century British Used Signs
Materials
Enamel
H 9.06 in. W 18.12 in. D 0.99 in.
Large Letters Cast Metal 1920´S Take Your Pleasure Seriously
Located in Vienna, AT
The letters are a remnant of one of the last metal foundries in Vienna. The pieces are between 1920 and 1970. Partly they have never been used, partly the lettering has been removed ...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Enamel Parisian Metro Station Sign
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
French mid 20th century enamel metro sign.
This sign comes from the Commerce Metro Station in the 15th arrondisement in Paris.
This station is on line 8 of the system and run...
Category
Used Signs
French Painted Restaurant Trade Sign
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Original French 20th century hand-painted restaurant trade sign.
This double-sided sign has a great unusual shape with wonderful remains of red and green paint.
This sign has ...
Category
20th Century French French Provincial Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Folk Art Hand-Made Carved and Painted Sag Harbor "Whale" Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Crude Folk Art handmade 'whale' sign from Sag Harbor (ca. early 20th Century, USA).
Hand-carved board with hand-painted details.
Presented in original condition with good age / patin...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
H 13.88 in. W 21.88 in. D 0.88 in.
Porcelain Advertising Sign Boule d'Or Cigarettes, 1954, Belgium
Located in Antwerp, BE
Porcelain advertising sign for Boule d'Or Cigarettes, dated 1954.
This 1950s sign was Made by Emaillerie O. Warland - Brussels - Belglum.
It's an enameled metal sign in the color b...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Hand Carved Dentist's Trade Sign, Wooden Tooth, American Folk Art, Macabre
Located in Totnes, GB
A folk art carved and painted wooden trade sign for, obviously, a dentist. With wear commensurate with age and weathering. Applied wrought metal hanging loop which has rusted and is ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Wood
H 17.72 in. W 5.52 in. D 5.52 in.
Elkwood, Late 19th Century American Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
With carved gilt wood letters with mounted against a blue painted sand ground
American, c. 1890.
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage Desk Sign, circa 1944
Located in San Francisco, CA
About
An original wooden desk sign for Carl J. Wilkerson from Fort Knox, Kentucky. His years of employment are written on the back as well as the signatures of all his coworkers u...
Category
Early 20th Century Used Signs
Materials
Wood, Plastic, Paper
Vintage Solo Margarine Enamel Mid-Century Sign
Located in Norwich, GB
A wonderful bright vintage enamel sign advertising Solo margarine. Belgian - Circa 1940's.
The sign is in very good condition for its age, there is some wear to the edging in plac...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Enamel
Letter Holder Chocolat Confectionery Senez-Sturbelle, Belgium, Art Nouveau
Located in Antwerp, BE
Antique advertising letter holder made for the Chocolatier - Confectionery brand Senez-Sturbelle, Belgium, Brussels. This Art Nouveau tin letter holder dates from the period 1892-191...
Category
Late 19th Century Belgian Art Nouveau Used Signs
Materials
Metal
H 9.85 in. W 11.82 in. D 1.58 in.
Pair of English Advertising Signs Hand Done in Green, Red & Gold, 19th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of long late 19th century English advertising signs, probably from a type of market. They have quite a bit of graphic pop having the dark green background with bold lettering in...
Category
Late 19th Century English Country Used Signs
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
H 34.75 in. W 192 in. D 2 in.
Edwardian Art Nouveau Copper & Oak Shop Sign "Townrow" Hatter Hosier
Located in Norwich, GB
A wonderful English Art Nouveau period polished copper & oak mounted shop sign, "Townrow". Circa 1905.
There is some damage to the left hand side oak mount, please refer to the la...
Category
Early 20th Century British Art Nouveau Used Signs
Materials
Copper
H 6.89 in. W 47.64 in. D 1.19 in.
Large "Interior Design" Signs Set
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Set of two large interior design signs Wood Letters mounted on a wood back ground.
Each sign measures 3" deep 12" high and 8 ft wide. Large bright colored sigh. Hand painted with ca...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Used Signs
Materials
Hardwood
1950's Commercial Sign "All - Stainless Inc"
Located in Hingham, MA
Vintage commercial business sign from early 1950's for All - Stainless, Inc.
78" long by 12" high panel of patinated blue colored aluminum with 1/4" thick die cut letters in natural...
Category
1950s American Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Antique Saloon Bar Pub Sign
Located in Antwerp, BE
Antique saloon bar pub sign.
This hand-crafted red saloon bar sign with chain, will look great in your mancave,
pub, homebar etc.
Can be hung at the wall, on the ceiling etc.
G...
Category
Mid-20th Century European Industrial Used Signs
Materials
Metal, Iron
Painted Tete Du Boeuf in Zinc
Located in Washington, DC
A rare antique bulls head (tete du boeuf) from France, circa 1860. This bulls head was originally used as a trade sign for a butcher shop. The patina is traces of the yellow paint on...
Category
Late 19th Century French Used Signs
Materials
Zinc
Vintage 'Buckle Up' Road Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Buckle Up sign. White reflective background with micro honeycomb pattern. Black lettering and great patina. Reverse side is "Entering Highway" sign with yellow background.
Category
1980s American Used Signs
Materials
Steel
Large Retro American Diner Lights
Located in London, GB
A wonderful pair of vintage large American diner lights shaped as the letter R. This date from around the 1950-60’s.
They have been fitted with LED lights by the previous owner, a...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Plastic
French, 19th Century Iron Shoemakers Shop Sign
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Original riveted sheet iron shoemakers shop sign. Unique find,
France, circa 1800-1850. Traces of red paint visible.
Weathered.
Category
19th Century French Folk Art Used Signs
Materials
Iron
Kemel Leeford Rankine Metal Sign
Located in Long Island City, NY
Kemel Leeford Rankine metal sign painted by Jamaican born artist.
Category
20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Metal
Ladies ‘Dame’ Mid Century Restroom Sign from South of France Made in Metal
Located in London, GB
A French Mid Century Modern Swimming Pool changing room sign for a Lady or Ladies. The 3 dimensional letters made from metal box cut and riveted and welded on to a base plate in Orig...
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Used Signs
Materials
Metal
H 7.29 in. W 22.45 in. D 1.19 in.
- 1
- ...
Used Signs For Sale on 1stDibs
An assortment of used signs is available at 1stDibs. Each of these unique used signs was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, wood and glass. Used signs have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Used signs made by Folk Art designers — as well as those associated with Industrial — are very popular at 1stDibs. There have been many well-made used signs over the years, but those made by Coca Cola Bottling Co., Gods Own Junkyard and Fred G. Johnson are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
How Much are Used Signs?
Prices for used signs start at $55 and top out at $80,000 with the average selling for $1,450.
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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