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Signs For Sale
Period: 20th Century
Period: 1970s
Large Early 20th Century American Usg Sheetrock Advertising Porcelain Sign
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce antique, circa 1920s /1930s, USG (United States Gypsum) porcelain enameled advertising sign, early 20th century, industrial American Art Deco Modern taste. The large blu...
Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Signs

Materials

Metal, Enamel

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 20...
Category

20th Century British Folk Art Signs

Materials

Pine

Wrought Iron Bracket with Sign Panel and Grape Design
Located in Chicago, IL
Wrought iron bracket with sign panel and grape design. Nice quality. For your wine bar.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Signs

Materials

Wrought Iron

Mid-20th Century French Shop Sign
Located in Burton, TX
Found in the South of France, this vintage handmade wood sign once hung in a French village shop. Constructed of wood, this piece will add a touch of whimsy to your home. 56"W x...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Signs

Materials

Wood

Fairgrounds Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage 1980s Fairgrounds sign in a unique and bold oxblood base color with white font. Eye catching and fun, this piece has the trappings of Americana wall art...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

Hellesens Advertising Pocket Knife
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) w...
Category

1930s German Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

Early 20th Century English Butchers Shop Display Figure
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century English butchers shop display figure. We share what we love, and we love this early 20th century papier Mache and wood composite figure. Recently acquired from a ...
Category

Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Signs

Materials

Wood, Paper

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 Large Painted 3d Industrial Builders Trade Wall Sign Plaque, C.1940
Located in London, GB
A large and unusual builders advertisement trade sign. circa 1940 Scratch built to the very highest quality for a builder local to Leamington Spa. Ca...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Industrial Signs

Materials

Aluminum

Large Red Liebig Sign, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Large Red Liebig Sign from the 1950s. A French porcelain sign - enameled metal sign for Liebig Soup - Liebig Potage, made by A.A.F. Great looking wall decoration in the colors red and white with charming traces by age. Vintage sign - vintage porcelain sign wich will look great in your interior or kitchen, in a soup bar, restaurant, tavern, catering facility etc .... Vintage signs - Vintage wall decoration - vintage wall signs...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Modern Signs

Materials

Metal

Vintage Hand Painted on Wood Historic Golf Club Sign, 1920s
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
This vintage sign for collectors is truly special. Made of wood with relief decorations and hand painted. The sign was dedicated to the historic Royal St. George's Golf Club, founded...
Category

1920s English Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood

English Pub Sign, "Nag's Head"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-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 di...
Category

20th Century English Signs

Materials

Metal

Vintage Illuminated Letter N, 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage Industrial illuminated letter N was made in Netherlands during the 1980s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a grey m...
Category

1980s Dutch Industrial Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

Manhole Cover Prototype Folk Art, 1960s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Extremely unique wooden sewer cap prototype. Made by by various wooden cubes and blocks as well as letters and trim nailed to the front of the main ply of the cap giving it its desig...
Category

1960s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood

Singer Sign with Tailor and Singer Sewing Machine, 1930s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage Singer sign. A 1930s tin advertising sign for Singer Sewing and Embroidery Machines. An antique sign with a design of a tailor behind his Singer Sewing Machine...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Signs

Materials

Tin

Early Timber & Iron Railway Sign
Located in Downham Market, GB
An early vintage railway notice sign. A wonderful, early & exceptionally original timber platform sign in original painted finish with applied cast iron lettering & a fantastic pati...
Category

20th Century British Sporting Art Signs

Materials

Enamel

Marvelous Antique Carved Wood Locksmith Trade Sign
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A wonderful early 20th century carved mahogany locksmith trade sign in the shape of a large key. Makes an unexpected piece of wall art as a found object with tons of character.
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs

Materials

Wood

Light Up Paper 'Yield' Sign, 1980s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage light up Yield sign with a white wire metal frame and rice paper body. Made with great attention to detail and skill. A very unique piece that...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

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 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 Blue and White 'Hairdressing' Sign
Located in Cirencester, GB
This French 'Coiffure' sign is mid 20th century. The silvery/blue Zinc letters are on a painted white ply board. There are lots of bumps and scrapes and plenty of character to thi...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Signs

Materials

Zinc

20thc "Meat Market" Trade Sign from Pennsylvania
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The patina is so wonderful on this 20thc Meat Market trade sign. The sign is in good used condition.There is a minor crack in the middle of the sign. This sign was found in Pennsylvania.It is a double sided sign...
Category

20th Century American Adirondack Signs

Materials

Wood

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 Signs

Materials

Wood, Paint

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...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Signs

Materials

Metal, Enamel, Iron

Authentic Antique Folk Art Equestrian Horse Farm Sign
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Charming hand made vintage horse farm sign that is finished front and back. The horse and letters are black wrought iron, and the wood has a distressed paint...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Vintage Signs

Materials

Iron

Vintage Green Metal "Exit/Uit" Sign
Located in San Francisco, CA
Rare vintage sign from The Netherlands. "UIT", Dutch Flemish (translates to EXIT in English). This piece may be mounted on a wall or ceiling, placed...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Signs

Materials

Metal

20th Century American Folk Art Swimmer Cutout on Custom Wall Mount
Located in Chicago, IL
A playful and cheeky mid-20th century American Folk Art wooden cutout of a blond swimmer flexing in his black and white striped swimsuit, mounted on a custom steel wall mount so he c...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Signs

Materials

Plywood

1960s English Carnival Sign
Located in High Point, NC
1960s carnival art sign from England. It is advertising a cake walk on one side of the sign, and on the back has a charming message "Have a nice Victorian day". Great sign for any co...
Category

1960s English Folk Art Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood

Handmade Neon Hanger, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Eye catching piece of wall art comprised of neon tubes bent into the shape of a clothing hanger. Fragile glass tubes bent by hand into its design and a bright white color give this p...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

Hand Painted $100 REWARD Wooden Sign, 1940s Los Angeles
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great vintage wood sign from the 1940s. Hand-painted. Misspellings and grammatical errors. The owner Samuel Spilk lived in Long Beach in the 1940s. ...
Category

1940s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood, Paint

Early 20th Century Double Sided Metal Boot Makers Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century double sided metal boot makers trade sign. A highly decorative double sided hand painted metal French boot makers trade sign, Still attached to its original hin...
Category

1930s French Folk Art 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

Rather Large Vintage Beaver Sign from a Zoo
Located in Chicago, IL
A rather large and whimsical mid-20th century American beaver sign from a Wisconsin zoo. The sign composed of two thin sheets of steel with a thin sheet of plywood sandwiched between...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Signs

Materials

Steel

“Giant” Scissors, Advertising Store Display
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Cast aluminum oversized scissors probably used for advertising and or store display. These will add interest to any room, wall, hair salon or fash...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs

Materials

Aluminum

Vintage Neon Chemist Sign in a Perspex Box, 20th Century
Located in Faversham, GB
A commanding vintage neon chemist sign in a perspex box that reads ‘prescriptions’ once illuminated. Support chains are included on either side of the p...
Category

20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Signs

Materials

Plastic, Acrylic, Fiberglass, Glass

Large Midcentury Vintage 'Hove' Advertising Light Box
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Large mid century vintage 'Hove' advertising light box. The box is made from fiberglass and contains a modern LED light fitting. The item has a...
Category

1990s British Industrial Signs

Materials

Fiberglass

Large Vintage Hamm's Beer Lakeside Plastics Advertising Hanging Lighted Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Large vintage Hamm's beer lakeside plastics advertising hanging lighted sign. Item features a large impressive size, lighted interior, "Hamm's Beer, Take Home Cool Refreshment," orig...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern 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

Gazelle Bicycles Glass Advertising Sign
Located in Antwerp, BE
Old glass 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. Beautiful...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Art Deco Signs

Materials

Glass

Early 20th Century French Butcher's Shop Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
A playful early 20th century French painted steel butcher's shop sign in the shape of a pig, and mounted on a custom steel table-top mount. The sign...
Category

Early 1900s French Folk Art Antique Signs

Materials

Steel

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 wh...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

Princeton University Pennant Banner, circa 1920-1940 (FREE SHIPPING)
Located in San Francisco, CA
Vintage Princeton University pennant banners with sewn letters and tassels. Creator A & Co. New York, Wright & Ditson Athletic. Date of manufa...
Category

Early 20th Century Industrial Signs

Materials

Felt

Metal Restaurant Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Metal restaurant sign from a restaurant in Buenos Aires. Nice size and paint.
Category

1950s Argentine Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal, Tin

Harvard University Pennant Banner, circa.1920-1940
Located in San Francisco, CA
Vintage university pennant banner with sewn letters and tassels. Creator A & Co. New York, Wright & Ditson Athletic. Date of manufacture circa.1...
Category

Early 20th Century Industrial Signs

Materials

Felt

Vintage Painted Wood Folk Art Showroom Trade Sign
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
American Folk Art trade sign with hand-carved "Showroom" letters and an arrow. The letters and backboard are in original paint, egg-white and petroleum green. The sign has recently b...
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs

Materials

Pine

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

Large Painted Decorative Wood And Metal “Etoile” Sign
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A Decorative sign. In separate white painted metal capital letters with applied mirror fleur-de-lis motifs on the ends on a gray painted wood ground. Dimensions: 74" L, 2" D, 12 1/...
Category

20th Century Hollywood Regency Signs

Materials

Metal

Early 20th Century Milkmaid Milk Advertising Clock
Located in Downham Market, GB
An early English grocer's advertising clock for Milkmaid Milk. A superb & highly original antique advertising clock, the timber carcass with a pressed tin / zinc surround, finished in original paint. With wonderful age related patina & original face & hands, a rare, totally unmolested example which are now near impossible to find in this condition.  Early 20th century Wear commensurate with age, in beautiful unrestored condition, the clock has been fitted with a modern quartz...
Category

20th Century British Country Signs

Materials

Zinc

Huge Antique Garage Trade Sign, Chas Baldwin Automobile Engineer
Located in Downham Market, GB
A massive painted timber English garage sign. A fantastic & delightfully original piece of signage impressive scale for 'Chas Baldwin, Automobile Enginee...
Category

1910s British Rustic Vintage Signs

Materials

Pine

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 Yellow Illuminated Letter T , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial plastic illuminated letter T was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It is equipped with a LED st...
Category

1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs

Materials

Plastic

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

Paint, Wood

Recycled Pine Wine Bar Menu, Black Board a Good Handsome Piece
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Recycled pine wine bar menu, black board A good handsome piece simply made with 4” old pine and waxed and polished The attractively bordered board is r...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs

Materials

Pine

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

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

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 Bra...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Signs

Materials

Metal

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

1950’s Liquor Neon Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
1950’s single sided Liquor neon and porcelain sign. New transformer and new wiring. It does work.
Category

1950s North American Industrial Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal, Enamel

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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