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Signs For Sale
Vintage Illuminated Letter I, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated facade letter I 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
Antique Double Sided French Hairdresser Sign
Located in Ongar, GB
A beautiful early 20th century double sided French hairdresser shop sign with lovely old weathered paint. Such a great looking piece and very decorative. The paint is all stable and ...
Category
1920s French Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Elizabeth Arden Vintage Wooden Signs
Located in Milano, IT
Rare advertising sign of Elizabeth Arden, an entrepreneur who founded, in that name, her cosmetics company, dating from the 1950s, taken from the Lake...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Aluminum
$1,717 Sale Price
20% Off
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
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
Early 20th Century Double-Sided Iron Nautical Trade Sign "The Norfolk"
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Early 20th century double-sided sheet iron, cast iron, hand-painted trade sign with hand-forged hooks. Great hand-painted "The Norfolk" featuring a painted...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Iron
Early 20th Century American "Chiropractor" Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Own a piece of Wisconsin's history with this early 20th century hand-painted sign from an early 20th-century chiropractor's office. The sign, found in a barn in the heart of Wisconsi...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs
Materials
Wood
$1,387 Sale Price
25% Off
'Adopt a Highway' California Road Sign, 2000s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very cool California "Adopt a Freeway" freeway sign with a bright orange sun at the top and a road lined with trees in the foreground. The metal sign is cut out to the shape of the image on the sign. A star watermark is visible on the image of this sign. Great coloring and condition. Fantastic piece of California and transportation ephemera. Stamped 'Property State of California...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Signs
Materials
Steel
Vintage Italian PIZZA Sign. 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
Vintage industrial grey iron sing “PIZZA”. Set of five letters was made during the 1970s in Italy.
Dimensions : Total width : 110 cm, Height : 30 cm ,Depth : 5 cm, Depth with wa...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
19th Century Decorative Change /Cigar Trays
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century decorative cigar tray given at bars as props/gift. These are in great condition with minor wear consistent of age and use. Each measure the same.
Category
19th Century American Other Antique Signs
Materials
Tin
$1,195 / set
Mid 20th Century Vintage Porcelain Enameled Metal Sprinkler Fire Alarm Sign
Located in Stamford, CT
Great Vintage porcelain sign-enameled metal sign, Sprinkler Fire Alarm when bell rings call Police or Fire Dept. This sign came off an industrial building ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Metal
$516 Sale Price
20% Off
Los Angeles Freeway Sign 'Beach Cities"
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental Los Angeles freeway sign from the 90s. Beach Cities sign showing people which way to Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and other cities. Reflectiv...
Category
1990s American Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Large Vintage Illuminated Letter N , 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial illuminated letter N was made in United Kingdom during the 1980s and comes from an old advertising banner BENTLEY It features a black metal body and a white ...
Category
1980s British Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
Vintage Blue Iron Facade Letter T, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “T” was made during the 1970s in Italy and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 1,2 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
Vintage Blue Iron Facade Letter N, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “N” was made during the 1970s in Italy and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 1 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Large Vintage Grey Iron Facade Letter A , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “A” was made during the 1970s in Italy and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 1,7 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Early-20th Century Boul Club Sign
Located in London, GB
Early-20th Century Boul Club Sign
A complete one off, in the form of a hand carved / painted oversized Boul club advertising sign dated 1922. Completely u...
Category
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine
Vintage Red Facade Letter I , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial plastic facade letter I was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner “ ROSTICCERIA”. The weight of the letter is 0.3 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
Antique Wrought Iron Welder's Trade Sign
Located in Montreal, QC
This large double side Welder's Mask Sign hung outside a iron mongers work shop boldly visible for the coming and going. Supported by heavy chains the mask sign was eerie and a bit sinister and not for the faint hearted. The banging and trunking of metal being forged into their desired shapes, along with sparks flying through the soot filled air. You only dared to enter if you were ready to conduct business in the creation of your project.
Antique trade signs...
Category
Late 19th Century Canadian Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage 'No Bikes' Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage 'no bikes on sidewalk' sign with incredible sunburn weathering patina. Steel sign featuring a bicycle encircled by a red ring with a line through it. Great faded coloring give this piece unique character. Cool vintage graphics...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Monumental "Danish Designs" Wooden Advertising Sign
Located in Peabody, MA
Monumental 67" wide (5 1/2 feet) double-sided surfboard style advertising sign in painted wood with 1/2" raised wood lettering, for "Danish Designs", ca. 1960s. From a modern furnis...
Category
1960s Vintage Signs
Materials
Paint, Wood
1800s Skeleton Key Locksmith Trade Sign
Located in Peekskill, NY
This is one of the best locksmith trade signs we have offered. It’s early and all handmade in iron with original paint. It's very well done and a wonderful piece of Folk Art.
Category
Late 19th Century Unknown Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
Eye and Glasses Window Display Trade Sign
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Eye and Glasses Window Display Trade Sign
The sign is made in presses tin, it seems to be hand painted with the slogan Eye Glasses Sold Here
The sign is a ...
Category
1930s Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Tin
19th Century Regency Hand Blown Chemist Pharmacy Apothecary Display Carboy Sign
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A very early 19th century chemist display carboy, circa 1820 possibly earlier
The bulbous center sits on a stepped base with a swan like neck and a fine cut glass oversized stopp...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Signs
Materials
Blown Glass, Cut Glass
$1,258 Sale Price
25% Off
18th Century Zinc Chapeau Bicorne Sign
Located in Brecht, BE
An item for the zinc collectioneur or someone who loves items that are quirky and rare to find.
This is a French enseigne/sign, from the very short period in French history "incroya...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Signs
Materials
Zinc
Phillips 66 Cast Aluminum Gas Sign
Located in Asbury Park, NJ
1940's Cast Aluminum Phillips 66 Gas Station Sign. This amazing piece of history is made up of individual letters that can be hung by each letter or can we attached to a support on the back as we did in the photos. Letters were professionally restored. This is a gas sign...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Vintage Letter N, 1950s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage letter comes from the old advertising banner. It is made from dyed concrete. It weighs 6 kg.
Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Signs
Materials
Concrete
Vintage Western "Tailor Alterations" Hanging Wood Store Sign w/ Thread Needle
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Original 1950s Western-style "Tailor Alterations" hanging store sign is a charming piece hand-crafted from wood. The sign features a classic, hand-painted design with the words "Tail...
Category
1950s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
$165 Sale Price
40% Off
Early 20th Century English Shop Display Dummy Board
Located in London, GB
Early 20th Century English Shop Display Dummy Board
A unique early 20th Century English hand-crafted shop display dummy board. In the form of a 1st World War “Squaddie” in Uniform made by Stening Signs of Catford” South London established in 1879. This huge display...
Category
Early 20th Century British Folk Art Signs
Materials
Pine
Large Weathered Trade Sign "Carriage Shop"
Located in Greenwich, CT
A 12 foot long trade sign displaying the words Carriage Shop on one side and Horse Shoeing on the other. In weathered early hand painted lettering on wood, with molded edging on all ...
Category
1870s American Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Blickensderfer Typewriter Tin Sign "A Gift from the 19th to the 20th Century"
Located in Stamford, CT
A Wonderful Blickensderfer Typewriter Advertising Sign " A GIFT from the 19th to the 20th CENTURY " ( circa 1899 ) simply an amazing sign. Th...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Tin
$3,960 Sale Price
20% Off
Vintage "African Queen" Boat Name Sign, circa 1950s
Located in South Bend, IN
A fantastic vintage "African Queen" boat name sign,
circa 1950s
Measures: 59.63" W x 0.75" D x 10.13" H.
Hand carved wood and paint
Very good ...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Double sided porcelain subway/ bus sign "LADIES REST ROOM"
Located in Buffalo, NY
Double sided porcelain subway/ bus sign "LADIES REST ROOM".. Great old sign..Nice original condition, minor staining to one side,(see photo)
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Signboard with Red Coloured Calligraphy from Hardwood, C. 1900
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
With a wood coloured base this signboard (crafted entirely from wood) highlights two large red coloured Chinese Characters. The signboard dates to the early 20th Century and has aged...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Vintage Pair of Hand Carved Wood Silhouette Figures
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Whimsical pair of wood silhouettes in the shape of a man and woman. Both life-sized. Both wearing cowboy hats. Great for a bar or placed outside against a wa...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
$345 Sale Price / set
52% Off
Large Folk Art Pocket Knife Store Display
Located in Brooklyn, NY
One of a kind large scale pocket knife (24" L), likely used as a store display / sign composed of a painted and carved walnut handle / bolster wi...
Category
1970s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Walnut, Poplar
Vintage Critic Quality Feeds Heavy Metal Litho Advertising Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
c. 1950s; Beardstown Mills Company - Beardstown, IL
Vintage litho livestock feed sign.
This piece advertises Critic Quality livestock feeds from Beardstown Mills, a now-defunct flo...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Metal
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
Early 20th C Collection Italian Deli Butchers Meats Shop Trade Display Folk Art
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A fun collection of Italian butchers display meats that would off adored a traditional delicatessen.
Within the collection there is a pair of late 19th/early 20th century plaster an...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Signs
Materials
Plastic, Rubber, Plaster
Vintage Simon Beer Dimensional Advertising Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
c. 1970s/1980s; The William Simon Brewery - Buffalo, NY
Vintage embossed composite, faux wood advertising sign.
This piece advertises Simon Pure, a regional beer from upstate New Y...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Signs
Materials
Ceramic, Plastic
Vintage Reflective Truck Road Sign
Located in Burton, TX
This Vintage Reflective Road Sign depicts a black truck with a yellow background. Once used as a street sign to inform motorist of trucks entering and exiting the highway, this sign ...
Category
Late 20th Century American Signs
Materials
Metal
$360 Sale Price
20% Off
Late 19th Century Gold Gilt Zinc Weathervane
Located in London, GB
Late 19th century gold gilt zinc weathervane
A true working example of a late 19th century zinc weathervane in the form a rooster. With its original gold gi...
Category
1890s French Early Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Zinc
Vintage California Highway Seatbelt Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage California road sign warning people to wear their seatbelt. White steel reflective sign with black outline of a person sitting down with a...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Ten Supertest Gas Station Motor Oil Coin Banks
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Ten supertest gas station motor oil coin banks
Tags: Advertising Porcelain Signs, Gas and Oil Memorabilia.
Category
20th Century Canadian Signs
Materials
Tin
$1,095 / set
"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
Letter Painter Kvetoslav Dostal Shop Sign, circa 1900
Located in Wien, AT
This vintage sign comes from the shop of Prague letter painter Kvetoslav Dostal. It was probably manufactured circa 1900, as the wrought iron frame construction shows Art Nouveau inf...
Category
Late 19th Century Czech Arts and Crafts Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
Folk Art Sign-Maker's Sample Board in Original Paint
Located in Greenwich, CT
A Folk Art two-sided sign maker's sample board in original paint, one side having square color samples with various border treatments, each panel numbered (one through 25), the other...
Category
Late 18th Century English Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Monumental Porcelain Roadside Rest Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Super rare vintage porcelain highway sign. Great green coloring with white lettering. Retired highway sign letting drivers know there is a place to pull o...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Massive Hand Painted Varsity High School Track and Field Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Varsity track and field sign from the early 1970s. Hand painted red sign with yellow lettering. Horizontal wood slates to hold name cards of record hol...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
1930's / 40's Hand Painted " RADIO SERVICE" SHOP/STORE sIGN..
Located in Buffalo, NY
1930's / 40's Hand Painted " RADIO SERVICE" SHOP/STORE sIGN.. .Great graphics. font..
Category
1940s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Oversized Bonze Advertising Store Display Scissors
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Midcentury, oversized, advertising, store display, bronze scissors open and close as real scissors. Makes a great, rustic, folk art piece or wall art.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs
Materials
Bronze
Vintage Prison Road Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage metal road sign for a United States Prison. Sign is letting the car know that they are now "LEAVING the TRAVEL RESTRICTED AREA." Interesting piece of automotive memorabilia...
Category
1950s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
Large Vintage Yellow Iron Facade Letter T, 1960s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “T” was made during the 1960s in former Czechoslovakia and comes from an old facade inscription POŠTA. In czech language Post Office. The weight...
Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Signs
Materials
Iron
English Country (20th Century) painted and carved wall plaque of golf sign.
Located in Queens, NY
English Country (20th Century) painted and carved wall plaque of golf sign.
Category
20th Century British Country Signs
Materials
Wood
Patrick McAllister Tugboat Sign
Located in Norwell, MA
Wheelhouse ship's nameboard for the McAllister Towing Tug Patrick R. McAllister. This wrapped around the wheelhouse. As you can see this is very distressed. APPROXIMATELY EIGHT F...
Category
1930s Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Grammy Museum Los Angeles Freeway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Super cool Los Angeles freeway sign. 10.5 feet long and 3 feet tall. Metal sign, likely from 10 Freeway. Sign depicts the exit ramp for the GRAMMY MUSEUM,...
Category
Early 2000s American Signs
Materials
Steel
Monumental Cobblers Boot Trade Sign
Located in Staffordshire, GB
Monumental Cobblers Boot Trade Sign.
Provenance: By Repute Crosby Cobblers - Liverpool Est 1841
Originally hung outside the cobblers in Crosby, Liverpool. Hand forged metal strap work and solid brass laces...
Category
Early 20th Century British Signs
Materials
Metal, Brass
Wooden Trade Sign Advertising Model of Kissel Gold Bug Speedster
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Wooden Trade Sign Advertising Model of Kissel Gold Bug Speedster
A Car made famous by Amelia Earhart the Kissel Gold Bug Speedster thought of as one of the ...
Category
1950s Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Plywood
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.