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Antique, New and Vintage Signs
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Signs For Sale
Vintage Hand-Painted No Smoking Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great vintage hand-painted sign. No smoking and a crossed out cigarette hand-painted on white steel. Good vintage condition.
Category
1960s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
19th century zinc and glass optician trade sign
Located in London, GB
19th century zinc and glass optician trade sign
19th century zinc and glass optician trade or advertising sign. Cobalt blue "flash glass" insets or panel lenses. this remarkable tr...
Category
Early 1900s French Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Zinc
Rare Wiener Werkstätte of America Inc New York Enameled Advertising Sign
Located in Vienna, AT
A rare, domed, black and white enameled Art Nouveau advertising sign for Wiener Werkstatte. (founded by Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser and Fritz Waerndorfer in 1903 in Vienna)
Wiener...
Category
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel, Iron
Folk Art Painted Metal Advertising Trade Sign, Felton Shoe Shop Repairing
Located in Milford, NH
A fine black and white advertising trade sign in sheet metal in the shape of a boot, which reads “Felton Shoe Shop Repairing,” dating to the late 19th or early 20th century. Very goo...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
Hand Painted Double Sided Durland Nursery Advertising Sign, 1930s
Located in Garnerville, NY
Hand painted double sided sheet metal and iron frame Durland Nursery sign. Circa 1930. Durland Nursery and a lone Evergreen are depicted on either side of this free standing sign. Li...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal, Iron
Vintage Framed Gilded Gold Hotel Trade Sign
Located in Hudson, NY
A very handsome vintage 1960's framed and gilt gold trade sign, "HOTEL w.e. hill". the panel finished in textured black, and the letters in gilt gold. the panel framed in wide moldin...
Category
1960s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Hardwood
Camps & Cottages Trade Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This cool 20th c Camps & Cottages trade sign or from a ranch or resort with original metal eyelets for handing. This is a hand painted & hand made sign.
Category
20th Century American Adirondack Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage Hampden Brewery Tin Advertising Sign "Who Wants the Handsome Waiter"
Located in Stamford, CT
Vintage original early tin litho chain hung advertisement sign for Hampden Brewing Company, featuring the companies goofy looking handsome waiter. The Hampden brewing company Who Wan...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Tin
English Pub Sign, "The Cock"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a cock or rooster, entitled: The Cock
A very fine example of vintage advertising artwork and ready for display.
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage French Christian Dior Advertising Statue, 1960s
Located in HEVERLEE, BE
Beautiful and intruiging advertising statue for Christian Dior.
This would have been used on a shop counter or to draw attention in a shop window.
It has some minor user traces...
Category
1960s French Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Plaster
Reverse Painted Glass Gilt Single Sided Sign Plaque Early 20th Century
Located in London, GB
An incredible and highly original early 20th century hand painted trade sign.
Presumably painted by someone that sells signs? Reverse painted and gilt glass sign with an incredibl...
Category
Early 20th Century English Industrial Signs
Materials
Glass
English Pub Sign, "The Anchor - Hall & Woodhouse"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a ship's anchor superimposed upon a light-colored circle, entitled: The Anchor.
Marked: Hall & Woodhouse
Hall ...
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Metal
Antique Industrial Art Deco Brass Internalite 'Ladies' Illuminated Sign, C.1920
Located in London, GB
A stunning illuminated 'Internalite' directional sign made in England by K.F.M Engineering. c.1920.
Brass frame, darkened by age, housing the internal illuminations above polished...
Category
Early 20th Century English Signs
Materials
Brass
Original New York City Porcelain Over Metal Enamel Street Sign St. Nicholas
Located in Stamford, CT
Antique porcelain double sided humpback New York City Street Sign used in NYC from 1910 till early 1970s. Cobalt blue enamel and white enamel all original in very good condition for ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel
Circa 1900 Black Gray and White Burial Vault Cemetery Trade Sign Folk Art
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Graphic black, white and gray c. 1900 trade sign. Professional hand letters. Excellent typography. Quirky subject matter. American Gothic! There is reference to CM Sworm cemetery mon...
Category
1890s American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Antique Industrial Art Deco Brass Glass 'Reception' Illuminated Sign. C.1920
Located in London, GB
A large illuminated glass and brass directional sign made in England. c.1920.
Brass frame housing the internal illuminations above polished plate glass deep etched with 'Reception'....
Category
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Signs
Materials
Brass
Traditional Large Hanging Pub Sign, Wethered’s Winterbourne Arms
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Traditional large hanging pub sign. Wethered’s winterbourne arms
This is a large and heavy piece dating from the first half of the 20th Century, it is double sided though the pain...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Blue Plastic Illuminated Letter R, 1970s
Located in Mratin, CZ
This vintage industrial blue plastic illuminated letter R was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It is equipped with a LED strip. The letter can...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
Vintage Illuminated Nut Crackers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large signs plastic nut crackers.
Set of two nut crackers, industrial plastic and illuminated sign from the Bullock department store in L.A.
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
1930s Sign for Bicycle Parts
Located in Antwerp, BE
1930s Sign for bicycle parts.
An Art Deco sign dated 1937.
Black advertising sign with soft yellow embossed lettering and design for Torpedo Bicycle Wheel Brake Naves.
Tin sign - m...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Signs
Materials
Metal
19th century hand crafted family shield
Located in London, GB
19th century hand crafted family shield
A delightful and highly decorative example of a family shield. Gesso on wood and with hand painted detail, showing black wolfs with top hat ...
Category
19th Century British Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
English Pub Sign, Squirrel
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a squirrel with a nut, untitled.
A very fine example of vintage advertising artwork and ready for display.
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Art Deco Chrome & Glass Skyscraper Tenant Directory Sign
Located in Hanover, MA
Vintage 1940's chrome frame building directory sign with beveled glass double panels.
This came from the famous Boston (North End) restaurant 'Joe Tecce's' which closed in 2010 after...
Category
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Aluminum, Chrome, Steel
Modern Altar No.5
By EXPERIMENTAL
Located in Riga, LV
'Modern Altar' is latest series by Experimental.
Featuring symbology and verse as means of expression these series of minimalist objects are infused with metaphysical invitation t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Baltic Futurist Signs
Materials
Hardwood, Oak
Glass Advertising Sign for Gazelle Bicycles
Located in Antwerp, BE
Old advertising sign for Gazelle Bicycles, a bicycle factory in the Netherlands since 1892. This Art Deco publicity sign is made of glass - advertising behind glass.
Beautifull gre...
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Art Deco Signs
Materials
Glass
Moto Parilla Italian Mid-Century Motorcylce Enamel Sign
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A very stylish mid-century Italian enamel signed advertising Moto Parilla motorcycles dating from around 1955. The sign of rectangular shape is heavily made and coated in thick ename...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
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
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 20th Century. the condition is as seen...
Category
20th Century British Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine
Early 20th Century Hand Carved Shoemakers Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century hand carved shoemakers trade sign.
We share what we love, and we love this quirky oversized early 20th century shoemakers trade sign. Hand carved from sectioned...
Category
Early 1900s French Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Pine
Large Hand Painted Industrial Railway Number Wall Sign Plaque, C.1940
Located in London, GB
Hand painted industrial signs used at a depot on the North Yorkshire Railway. c.1940
In original condition, hand painted on heavy duty aluminium. Some numbers are double sided and...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Industrial Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Hellesens Advertising Pocket Knife
By Stocker
Located in East Geelong, VIC
Designed as a copy of their dry cell battery, this Hellesens advertising pocket knife measures 49 mm (2 inches) in length, is 17 mm (2/3 rds of an inch) wide and measures 3 mm (1/8th...
Category
1930s German Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Large Hand Painted Industrial British Railway Wall Sign Plaque, C.1940
Located in London, GB
Large vintage hand painted industrial signs used at a depot on the North Yorkshire Railway. c.1940
In original condition, hand painted on heavy duty aluminium. Price is per sign.
Category
Mid-20th Century English Industrial Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Rare Early 20th Century English British Rail Sign
Located in London, GB
Rare early 20th century English British Rail Sign
A rare hand painted on pine British Rail sign, Likely to have been placed in a station waiting room of sorts. Showing lovely age, ...
Category
1920s British Early Victorian Vintage Signs
Materials
Pine
Plat Du Jour Rabbit Chalk Board
Located in Stamford, CT
A charming Plat du Jour Rabbit chalk board. The rabbit sits with a cluster of colorful fruits and vegetable atop a tablecloth covered table all above the plat du jour chalk board. Th...
Category
Late 20th Century French Signs
Materials
Wood
"No Diving" POOL Sign, 1980s, USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage pool sign that reads "No Diving or Swimming Off Bridge". Bold reflective white letters on a classic green background. Great colors and scale. Good vintage condition and patina.
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
No Loitering Street Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage street sign that reads "No Loitering - Violators Subject to immediate Arrest". Red and white letters on a reflective white background. Good vintage condition and scale with w...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Neighborhood Watch Street Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage street sign that reads "This is a Neighborhood Watch Community". Black letters on a reflective white background. Used to have red accents which have since faded due to weathe...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Early 20th century barbers point of sale hair comb and brush
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century barbers point of sale hair comb and brush
We share what we love, and we love this rare example of an oversized point of sale barbers hair comb and brush. Dated fro...
Category
1930s British Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic, Wood
Vintage Street Sign, 1990s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage street sign picturing a family in a car. Black and white image on a reflective white background. Great vintage condition and scale.
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Metal
New Jersey Lottery Tickets Lottery Clover Club Advertisement Stand Kiosk Counter
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage New Jersey Lottery Tickets "NJ Lottery Clover Club" Advertisement Stand Kiosk Counter. Item features 0riginal advertisement decals on front and sides, blue laminate top, open...
Category
1970s Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
"Save a Life" Pool Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage pool sign that reads "Save A Life". Bold blue letters on a white background. Great colors and scale. Small wave logo on the top middle of the sign. Good vintage condition and...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Illuminated Letter D, 1970s
Located in Mratin, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated letter N was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a yellow metal body and a blue plexiglass cover....
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage Illuminated Letter N, 1970s
Located in Mratin, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated letter N was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a yellow metal body and a blue plexiglass cover....
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Rare Engraved Glass on Metal Sign from a London Cigarette's Seller, circa 1900
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This rare engraved sign is made of glass on metal. This is a a very unusual piece from a London cigarette's seller. English. Circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Signs
Materials
Metal
c 1920 Brass Star of David Chandelier from Chicago Synagogue
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Historical and significant brass electrified Star of David from the last grand Chicago synagogue, Agudas Achim. Beautiful when lit. Hard to believe these were hung as chandeliers in ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Brass
Early Original Painted Cow Hanging Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20thc original painted cow trade sign or farm sign.Fantastic folky look.Ready to hang in your kitchen or porch.
Category
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage Illuminated Letter a, 1970s
Located in Mratin, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated letter A was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a brown metal body and a white plexiglass cover....
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Fish "Bait & Tackle" Display Trade Sign Folk Art / Americana USA 1920´s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Fish "Bait & Tackle" Display Trade Sign. Fishing bait Hand Carved Wooden sign. This wonderful and very folky original painted tin Bait sign. This sign was found in the south patagoni...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Action Sports Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Wrought iron ACTION SPORTS sign.
Category
1960s French Vintage Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
Large Old Hand Painted Wooden Sign for J.Drayton St Ives Cornwall England
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A lovely old hand painted sign J.Drayton Master Thatcher of St. Ives.
Known for its surf beaches and quaint costal villages with thatched cottages, this piece is a reminder of simpl...
Category
20th Century British Folk Art Signs
Materials
Softwood
c1890 42 Star American Uncut Flags Washington State
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Framed uncut roll of 42 star American Flags. Washington state was the 42nd state to enter the union. This flag was never official as four other states entered the union that same yea...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Cotton
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
Late 19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage Pair of Reptile Zoo Snake Signs
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Pair of vintage hand-painted wood zoo signs for reptile exhibit. From Benson's Wild Animal Farm in Hudson, New Hampshire. The farm was called the "Strangest Farm on Earth" and opened...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Set of Temperance Day Sheet Metal Road Signs, circa 1951
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Created by the Seventh-Day Adventists church in 1951 for their October 27th, 1951 Temperance Day "Weapons and Warfare" Campaign against alcohol consumption in the United States. The ...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
1950s Giant Sized Tin Hot Dog Advertising Americana Sign
Located in Savannah, GA
If you are in search of a very large funky seventy four inch long hand painted hot dog sign, this is the advertising piece for you. Both sides are the same except for a small trap do...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
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 Cordage. A very rare sign th...
Category
1790s French Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Pine
1930s Caruso's Old New York Restaurant Enamel Sign
Located in Garnerville, NY
Caruso's cobalt blue and white enamel wall mounted sign. From the restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY's Little Italy neighborhood. Circa 1930-40. Originally mounted on the side of the bui...
Category
1930s American Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Enamel, Steel, Iron
Giant Wood Early 20th Century Hand Painted Americana Barber Shop Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Large and chunky Americana! Fantastic and original Barber Shop trade sign in the shape of a barber pole. Great statement piece. Layers of super graphic red and white original paint. ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
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.