Skip to main content

Signs

564
to
42
320
229
564
564
564
90
81
51
42
16
11
10
3
1
6
78
564
15
149
218
136
17
9
22
23
20
48
27
71
35
16
368
177
70
66
63
249
247
228
89
50
5
2
1
1
1
Signs For Sale
Period: 20th Century
Period: 1970s
Original Card Map Poster, Pickfords Depositories
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Original Card Map Poster, Pickfords Depositories This is a good original advertising sign, showing the locations of Pickfords Depositories The Sign is C...
Category

Mid-20th Century Folk Art Signs

Materials

Paper

1950s Light Up Double Sided Beer Mug Yellow Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
1950's light up double sided beer mug sign. It works.
Category

1950s North American Folk Art Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

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

Large Vintage California Gun Club Road Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage steel road sign that reads Gun Club Road. Sign was retired from the desert in California, just north of Bakersfield. Green reflective sign with white lettering and trim. Good...
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

1930's Double Sided Cabin Neon Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
1930's double sided Cabin neon sign. It has new neon, new wiring and new transformer.
Category

1950s North American Folk Art Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

Antique Painted Wood "No Dumping Here" Sign
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Antique, hand-painted, folk art, wood "No Dumping Here" sign.
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs

Materials

Wood

Vintage Masonic Lodge Rotating Sign Liberty Hall Strict Order Candle Holders
Located in GB
Wimbledon-Furniture Wimbledon-Furniture is delighted to offer for sale this vintage Masonic Lodge rotating wood sign with brass candle holders A g...
Category

20th Century English Modern Signs

Materials

Wood

1956 Advertising Sign with Bull for Metaroc Cement Building Materials
Located in Antwerp, BE
Advertising sign with a Bull for building materials. A Mid-20th century publicity sign, advertising sign made for the company Metaroc Brussels, Belgium. This company was known for h...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Signs

Materials

Tin

Early 20th Century Double Sided French Zinc Clock Smiths Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century double sided French zinc clock Smiths Trade sign We are proud to offer a rare example of an early 20th century French double sided clock smiths trade sign. With i...
Category

1910s French Victorian Vintage Signs

Materials

Zinc

Vintage Children at Play Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique vintage street sign that reads 'SLOW - Children at Play' Black lettering on a reflective yellow background and black trim. Fun graphics depicting two children on a teeter totter...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

"Antique - Old - Unusual" Clocks for Sale Hand Painted Sign, c.1920
Located in San Francisco, CA
"Antique - Old - Unusual" Clocks for Sale Hand Painted sign c.1920 Fine old school hand painted sign advertising clocks for sale Th...
Category

Early 20th Century American Signs

Materials

Glass, Wood

Vintage Make Sure Door Locks Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique vintage street sign that reads "Make Sure Door Locks Securely behind You" Red lettering on a reflective silver background. Great vintage co...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

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

Los Angeles Slippery Road Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage plastic road sign from Los Angeles. Slippery road ahead. Large in scale. Yellow background with black graphics. Cool piece of wall art.
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Plastic

1950s Shopsign
Located in Brecht, BE
Extra large and quirky, this iron shopsign ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Signs

Materials

Metal, Iron

Early 20th Century City of Westminster London Antique Milk Glass Street Sign
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous early milk glass street sign from the City of Westminster London. Original wood frame in excellent vintage condition. A couple of cracks in the glass on right lower corner. ...
Category

1910s English Industrial Vintage Signs

Materials

Milk Glass, Hardwood

Early 20th Century "Store" Gilded Cast Iron Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Early 20th century "Store" gilded cast iron sign on wooden board.
Category

Early 1900s North American Antique Signs

Materials

Iron

Set of Three Folk Art Straight Edge Razor Trade Signs
Located in Stamford, CT
Three whimsical American folk carved wood art trade signs in the form of straight edge razors. Used by barbers as interior advertisements. Two have...
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Signs

Materials

Wood

Vintage "We Love Our Children" Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fun vintage street sign that reads "Please Drive Slowly. We Love (Heart) Our Children". Black lettering and trim on a reflective silver background. Fun details like a red heart to re...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

Gilt Verre Églomisé, Cheap Funerals Trade Shop Sign Oliver Twist
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A rather tongue-in-cheek reverse painting and gilt doubled sided trade sign, reading "CHEAP FUNERALS" flippant to say the least. The sign shows signs...
Category

Early 20th Century English Signs

Materials

Wrought Iron

8 Foot Illuminated KIDDIE RIDES Metal Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
8 foot metal sign from an old carnival. Metal sign with wood backing. Hand painted wording - KIDDIE RIDES. Marquee lighting on each letter. Perfect working...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

Vintage Neighborhood Watch Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage neighborhood watch sign. Great coloring and graphics with ominous burglar going through the window. Great vintage condition.
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

1920s Tin Advertising Sign for Chicorée Mondiale by Rob Otten, Belgium
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage black and yellow tin publicity shop display - metal advertising sign for Chicorée Mondiale. This Art Deco Sign is dated 1927. The Letters are pressed into the metal, what ...
Category

Early 20th Century Belgian Art Deco Signs

Materials

Tin

20th Century, Original Painted Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This original painted black and white trade sign reads Reserved for district. This cool one sided sign was probably from a old vintage court house.
Category

20th Century American Country Signs

Materials

Wood

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 Yellow Handicap Stencil
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique vintage handicap stencil used to mark the handicap spots on the asphalt. Made of plywood. This sign has tons of character with thick, excess paint and splatter around the imag...
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood, Paint

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

1950s Aluminum on Wood General Electric Logo, Sign Plaque
Located in Buffalo, NY
1950s aluminum on wood General Electric logo, sign plaque. Salvaged from General Electric Buffalo NY office, stunning, original plaque, cast aluminum depicting famous G E Logo, mount...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Signs

Materials

Aluminum

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

Early 20th Century American Gray Cast Iron Eagle
Located in Chicago, IL
Early 20th century American cast iron eagle. It came from Pittsburgh.
Category

Early 20th Century North American Industrial Signs

Materials

Iron

Early 1900s Embossed 'Slow Children' Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Extremely rare California ‘Slow Children' playing sign. Entire sign is embossed with an old-time child wearing knickerbocker trousers. From the early 1900s. Great piece of history. P...
Category

Early 20th Century American Signs

Materials

Steel

Large Pop 1970s Wrangler "No-Fault" Jeans. Denim Store Display / Banner
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large pop modernist circa 1970s Wrangler "No-Fault" Jeans and Jackets, silkscreened on Denim, store display / banner, amazing original condition, appears to be new-old stock, Great i...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs

Materials

Fabric

Large Industrial Times Roman Marquee Letter R
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Large, industrial, painted aluminum, Times Roman font, marquee letter R. The letter can stand on it's own or be wall mounted.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs

Materials

Aluminum

Original Fire Blanket and Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique piece of fire/safey history. Metal Fire Blanket sign/holder. Measure: 5.5 feet tall. Made by Mine Safety Appliances Co. Pittsburgh PA. Original fire blanket seemingly unused i...
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

Large Painted Wooden Advertising Sign, “HORNIMAN’S PURE TEA”
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Large painted wooden advertising sign, “HORNIMAN’S PURE TEA” This is a large painted wooden wall sign Shabby now but quite readable It is...
Category

Early 20th Century Rustic Signs

Materials

Wood

Dutch Midcentury Giant Polyester Industrial Shoe Cobbler Display Store Sign
Located in Haarlem, NL
Giant vintage Shoemaker's or bootmaker's store display model made from Polyester. Very impressive large 'shoe' with multiple pretty layers of differe...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Signs

Materials

Polyester

Mid-20th Century French Enameled Metal Sign for Cafe San Rivo in Sao Paulo
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This mid-twentieth century red and white enameled metal sign is double faced and promotes the Cafe San Rivo in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Below is marked Dep...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Signs

Materials

Metal

'Enter Here' Vintage Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage metal street sign illustrating 'Enter Here.' Sign is affixed to a pipe with reflective tape on the front. Meant to be driven into th...
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

French 1950s Enamel Sign
Located in Brecht, BE
These enamel signs were used nearby schools, great decorative object, collector’s item.
Category

Mid-20th Century French Signs

Materials

Enamel

California Interstate 15 Freeway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Interstate 15 freeway sign. Cool piece of California signage. Good condition. Great coloring and patina.
Category

1990s American Signs

Materials

Steel

Massive Hand Painted High School Track and Field Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage track and field sign from the early 1970s. Hand painted red sign with yellow lettering. Taken down from a California high school. Horizontal wo...
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood, Paint

Edwardian Shoe Shop or Cobblers Trade Sign, Leather Boot Display Model
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Edwardian shoe shop or cobblers trade sign, leather boot display model This is a wonderful piece, it is a giant size Leather boot, painted on the one side of the boot is ”Boot M...
Category

Early 20th Century Bohemian Signs

Materials

Leather

Splendid Louis Midavaine Screen, 1888-1978
By Louis Midavaine
Located in Renens, CH
Splendid Louis Midavaine screen, circa 1925, with 3 articulated leaves in lacquered wood and lacquered wood decorated with a Bengal tiger leaping from an overturned coconut tree. The...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Signs

Materials

Wood

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

Vintage 'Lodging" Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage highway sign in cobalt blue reflective metal. Depicts a person sleeping in bed. Sign was used to direct drivers to hotels/motels up ...
Category

1960s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

Oversized Metal Key Trade Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive metal bit-key trade sign from the UK. Marked BOLTON, 1925. Great patina to metal. Well made and in very good condition. Cool oversized piece. ...
Category

1970s British Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

Vintage 32-Sided Medical Light
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Fully functional light, medical. One side has an arrow and the other does not. This light if fully functional and quite unique. Heavy industrial cord with a metal frame and box.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Signs

Large Painted Wooden Automobile Advertising Sign, “Scott Bro’s Morris”
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Large painted wooden automobile advertising sign, “Scott Bro’s Morris” This is a large painted wooden wall sign Shabby now but quite readable It is 25” high and 108” wide TGB...
Category

Early 20th Century Folk Art Signs

Materials

Wood

Vintage Neon "YOU" Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage neon sign, spelling Y - O - U. handcut metal channel letters with hand bent neon glass. Just over 6 feet long when lined up horizontally. Double r...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

1950s Store Display Gibbs Shaving Razors, France
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage store display - counter display for Gibbs shaving razors. A 1950s shop mill - shop display with little boxes filled with shaving razors. This a...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Signs

Materials

Metal

12.5 Foot Tall Vintage Neon Bowling Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive 12.5 foot tall metal and neon bowling sign from the 1960s. Sign is red with white letters and white trim. Neon lights are red and illuminate lette...
Category

1960s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Vintage Yellow Los Angeles Pedestrian Crossing Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive yellow pedestrian crossing sign from Los Angeles. Pedestrian in a crosswalk. Great coloring. Measures: 41" wide.
Category

1990s American Signs

Materials

Steel

Arizona Wood Hiking Trail Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique vintage trailhead sign. 6.5 feet long and 1.5 feet tall. Wooden sign from Davenport/ Sears Loop Trail in Horseshoe dam, Arizona, a remote section of the Mazatzal's that sees little use. Sign indicates with arrows "SEARS TRAILHEAD 1/4," "DAVENPORT TRAILHEAD 2 1/2," and "SHEEP BRIDGE 10." Light brown background with white lettering and border. Small sticker on top left corner reads "The willful defacing or removal of forest service...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood

San Francisco Freeway City Limit Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage San Francisco sign that reads "SAN FRANCISCO CITY AND COUNTY POP 793,700 ELEV 61." Dated 1997 on back. Stamped property of California on the back. Some wear to metal on front constant with age. Fun wall art...
Category

1990s American Signs

Materials

Metal

Porcelain Belgian Beer Sign, Three Stars Leopold, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Porcelain Beer Sign for Belgian Beer - Three Stars Leopold Sign A large and great looking Belgian beer sign with the American colors white, red and blue ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Modern Signs

Materials

Metal

Los Angeles 'DEAD END' Embossed Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Los Angeles street sign. Embossed sign, circa 1960s. Reads 'DEAD END.' Tons of patina, good condition.
Category

1960s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

Orange 'BRIDGE OUT' Metal Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Super cool vintage metal 'BRIDGE OUT' sign from the East Coast. Measures: 4 feet wide. Orange sign with black lettering. Bullet holes and road rash to sign.
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

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

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 All