Signs
to
59
381
227
616
11
1
119
118
49
23
16
9
6
3
1
1
1
1
1
8
71
537
12
136
196
166
17
5
20
24
25
50
22
92
40
21
395
203
98
81
67
297
278
247
74
59
628
627
628
3
2
1
1
1
Signs For Sale
Vintage Blue Plastic Illuminated Letter C , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial blue plastic illuminated letter C was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It is equipped with a LED strip.The weight of t...
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
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
20th Century Original Painted Machine Quilting Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This double sided sheet metal with iron frame sandwich board reads : WE DO MACHINE QUILTING and it is on both sides. This is a all original painted doub...
Category
20th Century American Rustic Signs
Materials
Metal
$1,516 Sale Price
20% Off
Monumental 1930s Wood No Smoking Sign from New York City
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental hand carved wood sign from the 1930s. Made by H.H. Upham & Co. Interestingly, this company owned a huge sign manufacturing business in the ...
Category
1930s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
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
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
Vintage Red Illuminated Letter P , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial red illuminated letter P was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner from an old carpet shop in Torino. It features a black ir...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
$214 / item
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
1950 Vintage American Folk Art Band Stand Hand Painted Goofy Jazz Music Stand
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Hand painted band stand folding music stand, circa 1950s. Great folk art design and Goofy dog painted. Possibly from the Jazz Mill in Phoenix. Great wall han...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Composition, Metal
in Use, Vintage Hospital X-Ray Sign, circa 1980
Located in Faversham, GB
Vintage London hospital x-ray sign that hung above the x-ray room door of the inpatient ward. The words ‘In Use’ illuminate when switched on.
London,...
Category
20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Aluminum
$434 Sale Price
20% Off
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
Vintage SAVE A LIFE Swimming Pool Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage metal sign from a public pool. White sign with blue lettering. SAVE A LIFE. PLEASE KEEP POOL GATE CLOSED AT ALL TIMES. Good condition with ...
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Steel
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
Vintage Illuminated Letter A , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated facade letter A was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a black bakelite body and a white plexigl...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Bakelite, Plexiglass
1977 English Pub Sign for the "Red Lion" by David Fisher
By David Fisher
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
1977 dated & signed English pub sign for the "Red Lion". Double sided on wood in original frame. Signed by the artist "David Fisher A.B.I.D." and date "Jan 1977". Featuring the ever ...
Category
1970s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Lady Blessingtons Sailors Donation Momento Plaque
Located in Los Angeles, CA
20Thc Repro trade sign from New England with a weather protector varnish for bad weather protection.Wired for hanging inside or outside.
Category
Late 20th Century American Adirondack Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
$1,036 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Art Deco Brass Illuminated Advertising Cinema Reception Flambosign Sign
Located in Sale, GB
- A fabulous Art Deco illuminated Reception sign from renowned manufacturers 'Flambosign', England circa 1930.
- The worn brass casing marked 'Flambosign' houses an etched lucite perspex...
Category
Early 20th Century British Signs
Materials
Brass
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 Red Illuminated Letter T , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial red illuminated letter T was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner from an old carpet shop in Torino. It features a black ir...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
$214 / item
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
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
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
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
Texico Enameled Sign
Located in Alpha, NJ
Work is in good condition with few points of enamel loss and wear along edges. Otherwise, work presents well.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Steel
$25,000
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
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
Original Magnolia Bakery Sign
Located in Essex, MA
Original Magnolia Bakery hand-painted sign from an upper state New York bakery. White background with black lettering, charming addition to a kitchen, pantry or mudroom for a vintage...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Country Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
$300 Sale Price
25% Off
Vintage French Christian Dior Advertising Statue, 1960s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Beautiful and intruiging advertising statue for Christian Dior.
This would have been used on a shop counter or to draw attention in a shop windo...
Category
1960s French Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Plaster
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
Think Big Giant Matches and Matchbox
By Think Big
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic set of oversized matches and matchbox, made by Think Big NYC in 1984. Set contains all 8 original matches. Box slides open as a normal matchbox...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic, Paper, Felt, Wood, Paint
Large vintage exterior wall shop sign for a coffee in France in the 50s
Located in SAINT-YRIEIX-SUR-CHARENTE, FR
Large outdoor ‘Bar Tabac’ sign from France in the 1950s. Extraordinary typography, typical of the 1950s. The metal letters are fixed to two steel bars, whic...
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron, Zinc
Vintage Grey Illuminated Letter N, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated letter “ n “ was made in Germany during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a black metal body and a grey plastic cove...
Category
1970s German Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Signed Snap Wyatt Sideshow Banner
By Snap Wyatt
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic "Plenty For Two" sideshow banner painted by Snap Wyatt. Great manageable size.
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Early 20th Century Handmade Folky Carved Menu Board Adirondack
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic old school menu board from the forties and in excellent vintage condition with minimal wear. Jagged edges with colorful writings for an upstate New York restaurant.
This is...
Category
1940s American Adirondack Vintage Signs
Materials
Hardwood, Paint
Bell System Telephone Double Sided Flange Porcelain Sign
Located in San Mateo, CA
Flange mount double sided Bell public telephone porcelain sign. The porcelain has good color. There are some losses around the edges and in the sign.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Steel
Bull Head Trade Sign
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
19th Century bull head advertisement trade sign used in a hardware or butcher shop. Retains a majority of its original paint in colors of black and white. This early molded cast meta...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Signs
Materials
Metal
$5,175
Mid Century Barber Shop Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
Early Vintage Barber Shop Sign, circa late 1950s to early 1960s, a hand-painted sheet metal sign with old prices for old hair cuts. The sign remains in very good condition with only ...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Sheet 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 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
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
Early 20th Century Pharmacy Sign 'DRUGS' Painted on a Single Board
Located in Nantucket, MA
American folk art trade sign from an apothecary or pharmacy with the word 'DRUGS' in black paint with white shadow lines on an orange ground. Painted on a single pine plank with notc...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine, Paint
Fabulous Vintage Wisconsin Kickapoo Valley Handmade Sign
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A rare vintage hand made rustic sign in the shape of an arrowhead with charming words including “Ocooch mountains” Wisconsin Kickapoo written with a naive hand. Painting of an Indi...
Category
1940s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Vintage Iron Dog Black Painted Lawn Sign Dont Eat My Dog Why Would You Do That
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Fantastic patina on this vintage garden yard dog sign. Certainly a piece that would make a statement in any yard or garden.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Metal, Iron
Flying A Service Enamel Sign - Double Sided
Located in Alpha, NJ
This is an original circa 1930s Flying A Service steel enameled sign, an exceptional example of vintage automobilia and classic Americana. Retaining its beautiful, period-correct pat...
Category
Early 20th Century American 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
Art Deco Chrome & Glass Skyscraper 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
Chrome, Steel, Aluminum
$1,395 Sale Price
44% Off
19th Century Folk Art Upholstery Trade Sign
Located in San Francisco, CA
Wonderful 19th century hand painted folk art upholstery trade sign. Double sided wooden trade sign for an old upholstery shop in San Francisco.
A rare piece of San Francisco history...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Folk Art Martha's Vineyard Hand Painted Sign
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
1868 Folk art painted Martha's Vineyard sign made from recycled wood
Signed on verso
Category
1950s Vintage Signs
Materials
Reclaimed Wood
French, 19th Century Iron Shoemakers Shop Sign
Located in Buisson, FR
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 Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
$688 Sale Price
41% Off
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
Late 19th Century Milk Glass London England Westminister Kemble 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 Vintage Signs
Materials
Milk Glass, Oak
Vintage Hand Painted British Motorcycle Shop Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Vintage graphic Motorcycles sales and service sign. Great hand-painted lettering. Wood with original paint surface. Found in the northeastern United States. Fun Americana with a Brit...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Unintentionally Whimsical Lobster Pound Sign, circa 1970
Located in Nantucket, MA
Unintentionally Whimsical Lobster Pound Sign, circa 1970, a great vintage hand-painted two board trade sign for a lobster pound. I love the idea of advertising where lobsters can par...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine
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
"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
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
Keystone Broom Corn Advertising Sign
Located in San Francisco, CA
Keystone broom corn supplies metal advertising sign
22.75" x 25.5"
Category
19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage French Christian Dior Advertising Statue, 1960s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Beautiful and intriguing advertising statue for Christian Dior.
This would have been used on a shop counter or to draw attention in a shop windo...
Category
1960s French Art Deco Vintage Signs
Materials
Plaster
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
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.
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Bakery Sign
Dairy Signs
Dentist Sign
Glasses Trade Sign
Key Trade Sign
Marquee Sign
Mortar And Pestle Trade Sign
Used Marquee Signs
Verre Eglomise Signs
Watchmaker Sign
Wooden Advertising Signs
Antique Metal Advertising Signs
Antique Sign Pole
Corona Beer
Medical Sign
Mortar And Pestle Sign
No Smoking Sign
Oversized Store Display