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Signs For Sale
Action Sports Sign
Located in Round Top, TX
Wrought iron ACTION SPORTS sign.
Category
1960s French Vintage Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
$3,200
Vintage "NEW" Road Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Interesting vintage road sign made of steel. Depicts the word "NEW" at the bottom with an orange reflective panel above. Great vintage condition.
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
1930s Wood Campgrounds Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage wood campgrounds sign from the 1930s. Sign was used to let people use shovels and supplies and make sure they are returned. Great rustic sign, cool piece of Americana. 2.5 fe...
Category
1930s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Los Angeles Unified School District Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Los Angeles elementary school sign. Hand-painted on a fiberglass board. 6 feet wide. Sign states 'Los Angeles Unified School District Administrative Offices' 1208 Magnolia Avenue. Building and address are still used for the school. Fun piece of Los Angeles history...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood, Fiberglass, Paint
National State Park No Swimming Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage sign from a national state park. Brown sign of a swimmer with a red slash. Great colors. Great pool house or beach house art.
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
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”.
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Lead
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 Signs
Materials
Enamel
Vintage Late 20th Century French Wood Painted Two Sided Chef Sign
Located in Burton, TX
Found in the South of France, this life size wood hand painted chef was once used at a bistro in Provence. Painted on both sides, this unique piece of art could be displayed on a wal...
Category
Late 20th Century French Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Vintage 'Lodging" Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage highway sign in cobalt blue reflective metal. Depicts a person sleeping in bed. Sign was used to direct drivers to hotels/motels up ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
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 Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Large Painted Wooden Automobile Advertising Sign, “Scott Bro’s Morris”
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large painted wooden automobile advertising sign, “Scott Bro’s Morris”
This is a large painted wooden wall sign
Shabby now but quite readable
It is 25” high and 108” wide
TGB...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Early 20th Century Butchers Products Co. Painted Tin Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
1910s-20s; Fulton Meat Market district - Chicago, IL
The property at the northeast corner of Peoria and Fulton streets in Chicago was most recently a burger joint, but in the late 1...
Category
Early 20th Century American Signs
Materials
Tin
Impressive Huge 19th Century Pawnbroker Folk Art Sign with Three Spheres Symbol
Located in Lowestoft, GB
An impressive rare and monumental in scale folk art pawnbroker trade sign with its original trio of giltwood spheres which represent the universal symbol for the pawnbroker trade.
...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
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 late...
Category
Early 20th Century British Art Nouveau Signs
Materials
Copper
$1,448 Sale Price
20% Off
Folky Store Display Horse
Located in Nantucket, MA
Painted black with a red saddle, glass eyes and hairm. Missing one of its stirrups, the stirrup is carved from wood and is hanging from its original thick canvas. The ears which were...
Category
Late 19th Century North American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Canvas, Wood
Vintage Elks Club Hand Painted Event Sign Donkey Armchair Races
Located in Santa Monica, CA
This was a really fun find! "All Elks and Their Ladies." Hand painted event and dance signs for Elks Club. These appear to have been used over a 40 year period. They would recycle each year by repainting dates and prices. Sometimes covering up with a new piece of cardstock and repainting the info. Admittedly done by an accomplished sign painter...
Category
1940s Vintage Signs
Materials
Paper
Framed Vintage Gilded "Gudgeon & Sons" Sign from 19th Century, England
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This distinguished sign reading "Gudgeon & Sons," rendered in gilded and ebonized wood, hails from the era of English auctioneers based in Winchester. The piece showcases a striking ...
Category
19th Century English Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Antique Architectural Bank Building Bronze "No" Letters
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic cast bronze vintage letters. Great way to get your point across! Salvaged from a bank building in the midwest. Great patinated bronze surface. ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Bronze
“The Classic Cars of the 50s” Shop Trade Display Shelf Good Collectors Piece
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
“The Classic Cars of the 50s” Shop Trade Display Shelf
Good Collectors Piece, 50s Model Car Display shelf, in good condition
The Shelf is 21” high, 19” wide and 5” deep
CS188
Category
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Plywood
Wrought Iron Cross from a German Immigrant Cemetery, 20th Century, USA
Located in Leuven , BE
This iron cross belonged to a German immigrants from Russia and dates backs to the first half of the 20th century. The cross consists of a base, decorated with flora and a plaque wit...
Category
20th Century German Signs
Materials
Metal
Pair of Reverse Glass Painted French Shop Signs Pottery
Located in Southampton, GB
A rare pair of French, turn of the century shop signs. These would have been used to advertise ceramics within the shop.
Faiences - Fine, Tin Glazed Pottery
Porcelaines - Porcelain ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Signs
Materials
Glass, Wood
$2,573 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Vintage Mueller Electric Point-of-Sale Advertising Display
Located in Dekalb, IL
c. 1940s/1950s; Mueller Electric Co. - Cleveland, OH
Vintage advertising store display.
This piece features an assortment of offerings produced by Mueller, an electrical component ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Metal
HOVIS, Etched Glass Bakery Advertising Window Sign
Located in Godshill, 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 ...
Category
Late 19th Century Edwardian Antique Signs
Materials
Art Glass
19th Century Blue Glass Tram Window Advertisement
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
19th century blue glass tram window advertisement
A rare find, these advertisements were once so common in the tram windows and tram shelters but few have survived probably becau...
Category
Late 19th Century Great Britain (UK) Industrial Antique Signs
Antique French Hand Hammered Copper Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a 1900s copper pair of theater sign with big leather A. Bought sign handmade and constructed.
Category
20th Century French Arts and Crafts Signs
$1,850 / set
Vintage neon propaganda from Steiff. 1960 - 1965
By Steiff
Located in CADALSO, ES
This object was only issued for Steiff dealers.
Has never been sold to private persons
Category
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Brass
Vintage Painted Tin Tex Tan Western Wear Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
c. 1950s/1960s; Kids Korral, Inc. - Lakeville, IN and Tex-Tan Western Leather Co. - Yoakum, TX
Vintage painted tin children's western wear sign.
This sign advertises Tex Tan leathe...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Tin
'E. M. Smiths Office' Trade Sign.
Located in Branford, CT
'E. M. Smiths Office' sign. Gilt with black smaltz background. American, early 20th century.
H 16-1/2" L 65-1/2".
Category
1880s American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
$1,200 / item
Iron Perpetual Motion Folk Art Texas Zoo
Located in Santa Monica, CA
This black and white painted iron perpetual motion object was said to have been used to market the zebra exhibition at the San Antonio Zoo. The zebras...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Pub Sign for "The Ram"
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Vintage English pub sign for "The Ram". Double sided sign on wood in original frame. Likely from the 1960s-70s. A pub serving and partnered with "Ushers" of Trowbridge as noted on th...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Wood
Blue and Red Enamel Barbers Pole Shop Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Rare porcelain enamel barbers pole shop sign.
This is a very rare old sign, it is American in origin, we have the red and blue stripes wrapped around a White background, and at th...
Category
1920s American Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Enamel
B and B Stinger Lighted Glass Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
c. 1950s/1960s; Le Palais Bénédictine - Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, France
This piece advertises a drink known as a "B and B Stinger", which is Benedictine & Brandy, mixed with crème de...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paint
Vintage Framed Print, Signed and Numbered
Located in Seattle, WA
Vintage framed print, signed and numbered
Dimensions. 24 1/2 W ; 1 D ; 21 H.
Category
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
$236 Sale Price
20% Off
Italian modern Wall light sign by Lane Marzotto in plastic and metal, 1990s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Wall light sign by Lane Marzotto in plastic and metal, 1990s
Rectangular wall light sign with rounded corners. On the central pla...
Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Metal
Frazer Nash Huge Illuminated Advertising Painted Trade Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Frazer Nash huge illuminated advertising painted trade sign
This is an advertisement for the original and famous British racing car company Fraz...
Category
Early 20th Century Industrial Signs
Materials
Wood
$8,055 Sale Price
63% Off
Iron Swordfish Created by a Nebraksan Farmer, circa 1940s
By Byron Groelz
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Iron swordfish created by Byron Groelz, a farmer from Phillips, Nebraska. Born around 1900, Mr. Groelz made decorative iron for an environment on his ranch.
Category
1940s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
St Paul’s Churchyard, City of London Glass Edwardian Street Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
St Paul’s Churchyard, City of London glass Edwardian Street Sign
This is a City of London Street sign, it is set in its Cast Iron Frame, it is ma...
Category
Early 20th Century Industrial Signs
Materials
Iron
mid 20th century xxl leather glove, publicity sign from Italian shop ...
Located in Brecht, BE
a unique, quirky object, made in the 1950's for an Italian shop ...
great decorative item for glove lovers ... in good vintage condition ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Signs
Materials
Leather
Industrial Enamel Telephone Sign, circa 1950s
Located in Faversham, GB
Original industrial enamel telephone sign in wonderful condition. Sitting atop its two original legs. Most likely used in a factory or possibly a mine. ...
Category
20th Century British Edwardian Signs
Materials
Enamel, Metal
$218 Sale Price
20% Off
Three Dimensional Double-Sided Wooden Hovis Tea Shop Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Three dimensional double-sided wooden hovis tea shop sign
A great piece of social history, this sign is in wood it has been made with applied large letters...
Category
Early 20th Century Art Deco Signs
Vintage Framed Signed Art
Located in Seattle, WA
Vintage framed signed art
Dimensions. 72 W ; 36 1/4 H ; 3 D.
Category
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Glass, Wood
$1,408 Sale Price
20% Off
Advertising Mirror “Crawford’s Delightful Biscuits” Baker or Cafe
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
“Crawford’s Delightful Biscuits” baker/cafe advertising mirror
This is a good piece the bevelled mirror is set in a 2” wide oak frame, in the centre in large letters...
Category
Early 20th Century Art Deco Signs
Materials
Mirror
Framed Harvey Frost Motor Salvage Corps Breakdown Automotive Framed Enamel Sign
Located in STOKE ON TRENT, GB
Automotive Interest Enamel Sign
A framed, rare automotive interest (Harvey Frost Motor Salvage Corps) enamel sign with great presence. The sign is presented in its unrestored, origi...
Category
Mid-20th Century Signs
Materials
Enamel
Antique Gold Leaf Black Sign "Gebhardt Park "
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique gold leaf sign Gebhardt Park. Framed in original wood frame.
Category
Early 1900s North American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
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.
Category
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
Vintage Late 20th Century French Wood Painted Two Sided Chef Sign
Located in Burton, TX
Found in the South of France, this life size wood hand painted chef was once used at a bistro in Provence. Painted on both sides, this unique piece of art could be displayed on a wal...
Category
Late 20th Century French Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Wills Gold Flake Cigarettes Advertising Mirror
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Wills Gold Flake cigarettes advertising mirror
Very rare old mirror, a bold picture of the Gold Flake packet set in an golden oak frame
The m...
Category
Early 20th Century Industrial Signs
Advertising Glass Sign "Trink Coca Cola - Eiskalt". 1950 - 1959
Located in CADALSO, ES
Great condition
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Glass
Early 20th Century "J-E" Storage Battery Flange Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Antique flanged service station sign.
This piece advertises Jelly-Electrolyte, or "J-E" storage batteries. The "jelly" eliminated the need for refilling water (a task required with ...
Category
Early 20th Century Signs
Materials
Metal
Antique Painted Wood "No Dumping Here" Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Antique, hand-painted, folk art, wood "No Dumping Here" sign.
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
Mirror from the Belen Garden Opera House
Located in Round Top, TX
Cast iron, tile, and mirror sign panel from the Belen Garden Opera House.
Category
1930s Argentine Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
2 French Market Haberdashery Stall Hanging Signs
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
2 French Market Haberdashery stall hanging signs
These are Great pieces from a French market stall near Tours, they are hanging signs with applied adve...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
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....
Category
20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
$4,357 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Large Painted Wooden Advertising Sign, “HORNIMAN’S PURE TEA”
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large painted wooden advertising sign, “HORNIMAN’S PURE TEA”
This is a large painted wooden wall sign
Shabby now but quite readable
It is...
Category
Early 20th Century Rustic Signs
Materials
Wood
Oversized Gilded Mortar and Pestle from Pennsylvania
Located in Atlanta, GA
A 19th century gilded pharmacy sign of large dimensions from Pennsylvania made of gold painted zinc and representing pestle and mortar, circa 1850s-1880s.
Category
19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Gold, Zinc
1970s Moods In Wood Sign
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1970s Mood in Wood sign, double sided.
Category
1970s Vintage Signs
Vintage Oversized "Time is of the Essence" Clock-shaped Clockmaker Metal Sign
Located in Palm Desert, CA
An oversized "Time is of the Essence" clockmaker distressed metal and glass sign from the mid-20th century with inscriptions. Shaped as a massive clock, the round dial featuring Roman numeral hours and hands is inscribed on both sides with the phrase "Time is of the Essence » in curved italic lettering, nicely adapting to the shape of the piece. The bold, catchy and classic font choice along with the «Movements Repaired» and «Springs Replaced» inscriptions on each side possess an absolutely charming vintage and antique look. Offering a rustic and old-time feeling, this mid-20th century clock...
Category
20th Century Signs
Schweppes Table Waters Oak Trade Sign Board
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Schweppes table waters oak trade sign board
This charming Oak Trade Sign would have been hung on the wall at the entrance to a hotel or bar, it has gold...
Category
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Signs
Materials
Oak
Vintage Toleware "Vegetable" Sign from Belgium (5 piece set)
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Belgian toleware vintage wall shop sign in slang for vegetables. This Végé metal shop sign can be mounted individually to taste. It is made of the four letters Végé and includes th...
Category
20th Century Belgian Signs
Materials
Metal
L & N E R Wooden Railway Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
L & N E R Wooden Railway Sign
This great British Railway sign is a piece of History, dating from the 1930s the sign is painted on a framed wooden board...
Category
Early 20th Century Industrial 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.