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Signs For Sale
Antique North Carolina Bait Shop Retail Flounder Fish Painted Wood Trade Sign
Located in Forney, TX
A most charming and one-of-a-kind antique North Carolina bait shop trade sign with beautifully weathered patina!
A wonderful example of American folk art, early 20th century, primitive hand-crafted construction, sculptural wooden form depicting large flounder fish, with distinctive fins and polychrome painted decoration.
Wall hanging, easily secured using the two eye-screws, or the screws can be removed and the sign placed on a mantel.
Dimensions: (approx)
31.5" High, 48.5" Wide, 2.5" Deep
Sure to add elegant rustic warmth, antique character, charm, and rich historical interest to any space, especially traditional coastal, Hamptons chic, New England cottage, beach house modern, lake house, and rustic lodge, to name just a few!
Provenance / Acquisition:
Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Bright Star Antiques Co., Sulfur Springs, Texas. Specializing in early American antiques...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
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
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 ...
Category
1920s Early Victorian Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
English Pub Sign, "Free House, The Cask and Taverners"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of two revelers or publicans in Carolingian costume enjoying the libations and victuals of a fine inn, entitled: Free House - The Cask & Taverners.
A free house in Great Britain is a public house...
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Metal
Rare Painted Antique Lead Watchmaker’s Shop Sign
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An outstanding piece of Folk Art, this Pocket Watch form Lead sign has a painted face with Roman numerals in the 9:00 position. Cast into the outer frame are the words, “Watches, Je...
Category
19th Century Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Lead
19th Century Tobacconist’s Trade Sign
Located in Greenwich, CT
English carved and polychrome decorated wood tobacconist’s trade sign in the form of a “Turk” wearing a distinctive headdress and dressed in a long robe, this advertising figure rela...
Category
19th Century British Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
19th Century Trade Sign Clothing Wood Double Sided Wooden Hudson Valley NY
Located in Newfoundland, PA
Take a look at this fantastic double sided early 19th or late 18th century wooden trade sign with original wrought Iron bracket. Came out of a Hudso...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Primitive Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
Wood 'Lunch' Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Prominent 1980s reversible LUNCH sign in a unique and bold blue base color with white font and borders. The reverse side features colorful flowers and the w...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Whimsical "PHOTOS" Neon sign photo booth / store display
Located in Buffalo, NY
Whimsical "PHOTOS" Neon sign photo booth / store display.. Super fun decorative item. salvaged from shopping mall, Hand delivery avail to New York City or anywhere en route from Buf...
Category
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Eat or Tea Large Scale 1950s American Porcelain Enameled Steel Letters Sign
Located in Pound Ridge, NY
Superb large scale American 1950s porcelain enameled metal letters, over 24" high, originally used as exterior signage from Chicago. EAT or TEA or ETA or ATE, 3 individual heavy gauges pressed and folded cold-rolled steel letters...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
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 Woolworth & Co Gilt Metal Number Ten Sign Wall Sculpture
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Very large cast metal “10” from one of the iconic F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 cent store front signs. Made in the 1920s, these numbers letters have become v...
Category
1920s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Giant Bayer Pill Pop Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental vintage Bayer pill in cream plaster/ceramic. 7" diameter. Likely used as a store display. Whimsical desktop object or paperweight. Black felted bottom. Great piece of art ...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Plaster, Paint
$750 / set
Massive Antique Garage Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Carved and painted dimensional lettering adorned to a large painted plank to advertise a service station/car repair garage.
145.5" W x 25" H
Category
Early 20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Wood
19th Century American Trade Sign 'Crook', Medina, NY
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th century American trade sign 'Crook', Medina, NY
Craftsman made, with sand-painted back ground with 10" x 12" giltwood letters spelling 'Croo...
Category
19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Giltwood, Wood
$6,000 Sale Price
36% Off
English Pub Sign, "The Admiral"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a portrait painting of a decorated Royal Navy admiral with the sea and warships in the backgroun...
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Metal
Manual Entrance Bell in wrought iron, Tyrolean Craftsmanship from 1950s
By Vienna School of Arts and Crafts
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Manual entrance bell in wrought iron, Tyrolean craftsmanship from 1950
The wrought iron structure is a classic stylized dragon figure, very common in the Austrian Alto TIrolo area.
...
Category
1950s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron, Bronze
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 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
RICH Sign
Located in Darnestown, MD
This seemingly straightforward sign is open to several interpretations. Is it a statement of aspiration or having arrived? Might it be Richard's nickname? In any case, it is wonderfu...
Category
1930s American Vintage Signs
$1,800
'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
Large Vintage Sign
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Large one of a kind wooden sign with fantastic details. Great colors and intricate shapes. Originally hung outside a CT sweet shop.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Wood
$944 Sale Price
58% Off
Vintage American Folk Art Showroom Trade Sign
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Charming vintage wooden trade sign for Showroom. The sign was original painted in with green and white colors and have been through a later restoration when a thick lacquer that has ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
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 ...
Category
1950s British Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Early 20th Century Chicago Pharmacist Milk Glass Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
This sign was manufactured by Rawson & Evans sometime during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Rawson & Evans was best known for glue chipped glass signs and gold leaf signs. This sign...
Category
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique 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
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
Zinc French Butchers “Boucherie” Trade Sign, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
19th century Zinc French butchers “Boucherie” trade sign.
Referred to as a Boucherie, this handcrafted zinc horses head sign would have hung above a...
Category
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Zinc
French Art Deco Vintage Glass Hairdressing Salon Advertising Sign c.1930s Barber
Located in Bristol, GB
VINTAGE HAIRDRESSER’S ADVERTISING SIGN ‘JAQUES COIFFEUR HOMMES FILLETTES’
Reflective ribbed silver mirror encapsulated by black-backed glass reveals a reflective, eye-catching font ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Signs
Materials
Steel
Large Opaline Glass Coffee Bar Sign Saved During Refurbishment, this very good
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large Opaline Glass Coffee Bar Sign
Saved During Refurbishment, this very good quality piece is framed in solid Walnut, the sign itself “COFFEE” is on very attractive Opaline glas...
Category
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Art Glass
"De Laval" Tin Advertising Sign, American, circa 1905, Near Mint
Located in Incline Village, NV
Having started in Sweden, the company opened up in America in 1888 as the "De Laval Cream Separator Company" in New York City, with a production plant ...
Category
Early 1900s American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Tin
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
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
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
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
$10,320 Sale Price
20% Off
Folk Art Giant Metal Scissors Industrial Store Display Sign, circa 1950
Located in Atlanta, GA
This is a metal store display sign that showcases French Folk Art. The piece was crafted in France circa 1950. The rare sign boasts gigantic sciss...
Category
1950s French Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Original Antiques Store Hand Painted Wooden Sign With Dragon & Unicycle
Located in West Chester, PA
Orginal one of a kind double side antique store sign hand painted on both sides reading "Antiques Legal Junk, Funk & Gradue" with depictions of a d...
Category
Late 20th Century American Rustic Signs
Materials
Wood
Old Advertising Sign for Blood Oranges Displaying a Horse, Pottery, Italy, 1920s
Located in Vienna, AT
A decorative advertising sign, made of ceramic, dated around 1920s, made in Italy. An advertising sign for selling Italian blood oranges, displaying a white horse. Good condition wit...
Category
1920s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Signs
Materials
Pottery
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
Original Vintage Post Modern Advertising Sign For Memphis Group At Liberty & Co
Located in Bristol, GB
MEMPHIS MILANO ADVERTISING SIGN/POSTER
An original point-of-sale sign advertising the Memphis Group that would have been displayed in Liberty & Co. flagship Regent Street, London st...
Category
Late 20th Century British Post-Modern Signs
Materials
Natural Fiber, Paper
Vintage Dark Red Illuminated Letter N , 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial plastic dark red facade illuminated letter “ Z “ was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It is equipped with a LED strip....
Category
1980s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
Vintage Red Iron Facade Letter O , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “ O “ was made during the 1970s in Spain and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 1,5 kg.
Category
1970s Spanish Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage 'IN USE' Illuminated Sign, 1980s England
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Slender "IN USE" lighted box sign dating from the 1980s. Likely used outside of rooms containing X-Ray machines. The box is made of a white powder coated...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage Red Iron Facade Letter N , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “ N “ was made during the 1970s in Spain and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 1,7 kg.
Category
1970s Spanish Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
1950’s Enamel and Neon TV Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
1950’s enamel and glass TV sign. It has new transformer and new wiring. There will be Additional fee for shipping crate.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Enamel
Antique Restaurant Menu Chalk Board, circa 1920's
Located in Chappaqua, NY
Antique Restaurant Menu Chalk Board, circa 1920's. Charming hand-painted frame surrounds a lined chalk board. Reminiscent of French Bistro signs.
Category
1920s Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Full Length Opaline Glass Bar Sign, Spirits Saved During Refurbishment
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Full Length Opaline Glass Bar Sign, Spirits
Saved During Refurbishment, this very good quality piece is framed in solid Walnut, the sign itself “spirits” is on very attractive Opal...
Category
1960s Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Art Glass
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
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
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
Vintage Budweiser Clydesdale Team Embossed Plastic Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
c. 1988; Santa Anita Park - Arcadia, California
Plastic promotional sign for the West Paddock Gardens at Santa Anita Racetrack.
This colorful sign features a stylized and dimension...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
English Pub Sign, "Nag's Head"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (two-sided) featuring a painting of a horse's head in a bridle entitled: Nag's Head.
A very fine example of vintage advertising artwork, ready for disp...
Category
20th Century English Signs
Materials
Metal
Coke Button Sign
Located in Alpha, NJ
This is a vintage enameled Coca Cola Sign. This is in good overall condition with minor wear along edges and faint surface soiling. Otherwise, this sign presents well.
Category
Early 20th Century American Signs
Materials
Steel
$6,500
Holstein Milk Painted Metal Trade Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This folky original painted hand made Holsteins Milk metal farm trade sign has the original chain for hanging.It has spots that has paint loss and mino...
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal
Traditional Large Iron Hanging Pub Sign, The Boot
Located in Godshill, 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 Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
J. Alden Weir Hand Made Studio Sign Branchville Connecticut
Located in Garnerville, NY
Recently purchased from a multi-generational Ridgefield, CT estate of the former President of Ridgefield Savings Bank. Our esteemed and avid collector found time in his off hours in Post World War II Connecticut to scour the countryside for just about anything that struck his fancy. He had an enormous passion for model trains, porcelain figurines and pattern Depression Era glass...
Category
Late 19th Century American Late Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
$2,240 Sale Price
20% Off
Shoe Shop or Cobblers Trade Sign, Leather Hob Nail Boot
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Shoe Shop or Cobblers Trade Sign, Leather Hob Nail Boot
This is a wonderful piece, made by a cobbler, it is a giant size Leather Hob Nail boot, it has been painted up as an adver...
Category
Early 1900s Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Leather
Advertising Glass Sign "Trink Coca Cola - Coke". 1950 - 1959
Located in CADALSO, ES
Great condition
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Glass
Vintage Yellow & Black Painted Steel 'FRESH OIL' Traffic or Street Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage traffic or street sign.
With text that reads: FRESH OIL.
In reflective yellow paint.
Simply a great vintage sign!
Date:
Mi...
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Signs
Materials
Steel
C1940 Advertising Sign "Nassau" Stainless Frame
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic advertising sign from possibly a travel agency or transit system c1940. Excellent vintage condition with just the right amount of wear. Stainless border and mounting hardwa...
Category
1940s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Stainless Steel
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.
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