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Signs For Sale
Period: 20th Century
Period: Mid-20th Century
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
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
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
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
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 plate...
Category
Early 20th Century English Signs
Materials
Brass
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
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 ...
Category
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Signs
Materials
Brass
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
Antique Zinc Red Hat Maker Trade Sign, France, Early 20th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
XXL Antique hat maker's trade sign, made in France circa 1900 - 1920.
This large sign was used as advertising - eyecatcher on the storefront.
A large facade sign - advertising sign in front of the hat shop - hat maker's store - red hat facade sign
It's a spectacular XXL red hat - red top hat made of hand- painted and hand-crafted zinc. When you look at the spectacular shape, you see that the brim of the hat is completely curled, so can only be done by an art maker - craftsman.
The original metal bracket is no longer with this hat trade sign...
Category
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Signs
Materials
Zinc
“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
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
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
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
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
Vintage Carnival or Casino Neptune's Trident Lighted Trade Sign Americana
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Unique lighted Neptune's trident carnival ride or casino trade sign. Really nice graphic piece. Original layers of golden yellow and red park paint. Provides a nice amount of warm li...
Category
1930s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Double-Sided Steeley Lane Post Office Sign, circa 1920s
Located in Faversham, GB
Wonderful double-sided Steeley Lane Post Office Sign. Hand-painted and in completely original condition with its original hanging hooks.
Cumbrian, circa ...
Category
20th Century British Edwardian Signs
Materials
Altuglas, Hardwood
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
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
Store Display Boy Doll, Child Mannequin
Located in Antwerp, BE
Art Deco store display boy - store display doll - child mannequin doll.
This antique child mannequin is a male child.
He has a painted plaster body, painted eyes and a painted wooden base. This store display advertising doll is probably designed for a clothing line which was located in Holland - The Netherlands.
This vintage store display - shop window doll - advertising doll - vintage mannequin doll is for the age still in very beautiful condition. He does have an old repair on a finger and on 1 foot.
This boy mannequin doll will look great in your interior as a decorative object or in a collection of dolls and bears, antique mannequin dolls.
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Art Deco Signs
Materials
Plaster, Wood
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
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 painte...
Category
Early 20th Century English Industrial Signs
Materials
Glass
Cigars Store / Trade Folk Art Wooden Carved Sign. c 1900
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
American Folk art wooden "CIGARS" sign from the 1920's.
Great old Store Trade sign. Wood cut to cigar shape. Lettered in Gold Paint.
In good conditions, it was a in doors sign. Perfect for any cigar smoker.
Cigars History:
A cigar is basically dried tobacco leaves that are rolled and wrapped by other tobacco leaves in order to give you a full tobacco smoking experience.
Cigars are becoming more popular all around the world recently because they are exposed to a pop culture where a lot of famous people like Michael Jordan and Arnold Schwarzenegger smoke them.
In order to understand why cigars have become very well-known, we need to take a good look at their history and where they came from. That way, we can truly understand this pop phenomenon. Here is a brief history of cigars.
Origin of Cigars
The exact origin of cigars is not entirely known but historians believe that cigars were first invented by the ancient Mayans.
The ancient Mayans would collect tobacco leaves and wrap them up in a plantain leave in order to smoke it. An ancient Mayan pot...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
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
1970's ice cream sign
Located in Brecht, BE
Vibrant colors for this 1970's ice cream sign, found in the South of Spain
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Signs
Materials
Polyester
"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...
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...
Category
1930s British Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic, Wood
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
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
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. Goo...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
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
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
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
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
Easel Style Chalkboard
Located in Chicago, IL
Easel style chalkboard for little students and artists. Very fun.
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Signs
Materials
Slate, Metal
Early 20th Century Folk Art Zinc Barbers Pole Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century folk art zinc barbers pole trade sign.
An early 20th century hand crafted zinc barbers pole trade sign. Hand painted and of naïve construction. Lots of characte...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Signs
Materials
Zinc
Folk Art Hand Painted Wooden Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique Folk Art hand painted double-sided wooden trade sign dating from the early 20th Century... 1920s? 1930s? A wonderful whimsical sign most likely...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine
Vintage Illuminated Letter a, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, 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 bod...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
Large Princeton University Banner C.1914
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
An original large Princeton University banner class of 1914. Hand sewn letters and numbers.
CREATOR Unknown.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1914....
Category
Early 20th Century Industrial Signs
Materials
Felt
"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 th...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Composition California State Seal
Located in Chicago, IL
Composition seal from the state of California. From a TV courtroom drama.
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Plaster
Charming Pair of Male and Female Toilet Signs
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
A Charming pair of Male and Female Toilet Signs
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls no home should be without these, painted Quirky Cast Iron Loo signs
...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern 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
Vintage "Your Father's Moustache" Wooden Pub Sign
Located in South Bend, IN
A fantastic vintage "Your Father's Moustache" three-piece wooden hanging pub restaurant sign.
Mid-20th century.
Measures: 44.5"W x 1"D x 23"H.
Good original vintage condition.
Category
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
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 ...
Category
1970s Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
1936 Port Sign, Les Portos Gibson, an Appetizer Drink
Located in Antwerp, BE
Art Deco Port Sign - Bar wall decoration.
An advertising sign for the Port: Les Portos Gibson.
This old sign for the Appetizer Drink Gibson's Port is dated 1936 and was made by the Company Jofico Brussels Belgium.
This sign from 1936 is a publicity sign for the four different White Gibsons's Port: Carte Noir, Ambassador, Royal and Imperial.
As well the lettering as the bottles are in relief on the sign.
This tin wall sign is great wall decoration in your house, kitchen, home bar, office, pub, cafe or restaurant.
Port Drinker, Port Gift - Old Tin...
Category
Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Signs
Materials
Tin, Metal
Action Sports Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Wrought iron ACTION SPORTS sign.
Category
1960s French Vintage Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
Vintage Cock Robin Flour AW Hammond Co Round Wood Advertisement Plaque
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Cock Robin Flour AW Hammond Co round wood advertisement plaque. Circa Early to Mid 1900s. Measurements: 17" H x 17" W x 0.5" D.
Category
Early 20th Century Victorian Signs
Materials
Wood
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
Antique Folk Art Reverse Painted and Foil Exhibition Sign in Gilt Frame
Located in Nantucket, MA
Folk Art exhibition sign, reverse painted glass with reserved text backed in gold and silver crinkled foil reading "Exhibition / of / Paintings / on / Glass / By Edgar F. Curtis"
E...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Foil
Commercial Sign of Santa, circa 100 Years
Located in Aalsgaarde, DK
Wooden commercial sign of santa by the famous beer maker Tuborg, circa 100 years old.
Category
20th Century Signs
Materials
Wood
Mirror from the Belen Garden Opera House
Located in Chicago, IL
Cast iron, tile, and mirror sign panel from the Belen Garden Opera House.
Category
1930s Argentine Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
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 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
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
1900s, French Zinc Shop Sign
Located in High Point, NC
This enigmatic shop sign was produced in France, circa 1900. A large zinc wall decoration hanging on a small chain, which may or may not be a piep, features a jug extremity with a lo...
Category
20th Century French Folk Art Signs
Materials
Zinc
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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