Signs
90
to
6
62
26
90
90
90
32
12
9
3
3
2
2
1
6
79
572
15
152
220
138
17
9
22
23
20
49
27
71
35
17
50
40
14
13
7
55
48
25
12
7
1
1
Signs For Sale
Period: 1950s
Period: Late 19th Century
Double Sided Sign circa 1950
Located in Culver City, CA
Double Sided Sign
England circa 1950
Hand painted sign with ebonised frame.
25.5”w x 1.75”d x 16.5”h
Category
1950s English Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Double Sided Late 19th c. English Fishmonger's Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a fantastic double sided English fishmongers sign with original paint. I especially love the teeth of this guy. This is folk art at its finest. don't let this one get away!
Category
1890s British Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
locandina corrida, anni 50, Spain
Located in Felino, IT
grande locandina della Corrida, anni 50. plaza de toros monumental corrida de toros- Paco camino, Alessandro Veneziani, El Cordobez. cartel diseñado por Luser, Barcelona años 50. rar...
Category
1950s Spanish Spanish Colonial Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood, Paper
Wooden Trade Sign Advertising Model of Kissel Gold Bug Speedster
Located in Chillerton, 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 hottest cars on the road...
Category
1950s Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Plywood
19th Century, Apothecary Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
Figural trade sign in the form of a mortar and pestle, both the mortar and pestle are hand turned and gilded, with strong ring turnings. The top is capped with zinc and still bears i...
Category
Late 19th Century North American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Zinc
Large Antique Terracotta 19th Century Dairy Bowl Kitchen Decoration, C.1880
Located in London, GB
A very large 19th century dairy bowl. c.1880
Terracotta with beautiful green glazed bowl with wonderful ancient stapled repair. Some minor chipping here and there, but a great dec...
Category
Late 19th Century English Industrial Antique Signs
Materials
Terracotta
Nineteenth Century 55 Wood Address Sign
Located in Garnerville, NY
Nineteenth Century '55' wood sign. Old wood relief sign with wonderfully weathered gold and black paint. A nice accent piece or if your address just happens to be 55 Main Street, Any...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Set of Temperance Day Sheet Metal Road Signs, circa 1951
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Created by the Seventh-Day Adventists church in 1951 for their October 27th, 1951 Temperance Day "Weapons and Warfare" Campaign against alcohol consumption in the United States. The ...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
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 Torolo area.
...
Category
1950s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron, Bronze
Vintage neon propaganda from Steiff. 1960 - 1965
By Steiff
Located in CADALSO, ES
This object was only issued for Steiff dealers.
Has never been sold to private persons
Category
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Brass
Rare 1880s Handmade Copper/Bronze Sign, Plaque "J.W.Williams Drop Forgings"
By E. N. Little & Sons 1
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare 1880s handmade copper/bronze sign plaque "J.W.WILLIAMS DROP FORGINGS." Monumental sign/plaque salvaged from the turn of the century J W WILLIAMS factory in Brooklyn New York, ex...
Category
1880s American Industrial Antique Signs
Materials
Bronze, Copper
Vintage Heavy Cast Iron Dog Lawn Sign
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this original Vintage Heavy Cast Iron Dog Lawn Sign. Made in iron with great patina
Category
1950s American Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
English Wrought Iron Panel Baring the Monogram DC
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
An antique English wrought iron panel baring the monogram DC. This exquisite sign has a scrolling handcrafted design; applied swags and floral embellishments are complimented by its ...
Category
Late 19th Century English Georgian Antique Signs
Materials
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century Cigar Store Carved Wooden Indian Tobacconist Trade Sign
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A life size carved pitch pine cigar/tobacconist trade sign/point of sale in the form of an Indian. Often placed outside of a shop, the cigar store Indian became less common in the 20...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Steel
Early 20th Century Kodak Advertising Enamel Sign, English, For Train Rides
Located in Crespières, FR
This antique Kodak advertising sign is made of thick enamel in black, yellow and red colours.
The colours are bright and shiny, with an good relief.
The condition is fairly good co...
Category
1950s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
19th Century Apothecary Mortar & Pestle Countertop Trade Sign or Sale Stimulator
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Apothecary trade sign or sale stimulator in the form of a mortar and pestle in gilt wood. The mortar of cylindrical waisted form with a central half round band and stepped rings at t...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Mid-20th Century Hand Painted Double Sided English Fairground Sign
Located in London, GB
Mid-20th Century Hand Painted Double Sided English Fairground Sign
A genuine English mid-20th Century double sided hand painted fairground sign. Better Game, Better Sport, Better Tr...
Category
1950s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Plywood
Vintage 1958 Jos. Schiltz Large 73" Lighted Brewing Beer Advertisement Bar Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage 1958 Jos. Schiltz Large 73" Lighted Brewing Beer Advertisement Bar Sign. Item features a large impressive size, fluorescent lighted bulb interior, wonderful color, original l...
Category
1950s Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Circa 1890 Hardware Store Wood Trade Sign Carved Smaltz Black and Gold Paint
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Exceptional late 19th century hand carved letters with black and Gold paint and black smaltz background. Excellent typography. Great wall art. Simple and bold.
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
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
19th Century Antique Ships Chandler Shop Advertising Sign
Located in Peabody, MA
A relic from Boston’s mercantile history and the seafaring trade. This 19th century shop sign displays a fairly detailed replica of a navigator’s octant (or sextant) and the proprietor’s name and street number...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
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
Monumental Antique American Painted Turned Wood Barber Pole, circa 1875
Located in San Francisco, CA
An uncommon and towering seven-and-a-half-foot tall circa 1875 American painted turned wood barber pole trade sign.
Very impressive in both its rar...
Category
1870s American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
19th c Giant Wooden Advertising Thermometer NY Life Insurance Co "NYLIC"
Located in Savannah, GA
Giant sized forty seven inches tall wooden thermometer made by the Hoehn Company Thermomter Makers, Chambers Street, NYC. constucted of hard wood with a rounded top and beveled edges, it adverrtises NYLIC-New York Life Insurance Co. wanting Bright Young Men- Permanent Pay. Measuring Blood Heat, Summer Heat,Tempe Rate, Freezing and Zero, the glass thermometer...
Category
1890s American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Metal
Amazing 1940s-50s Neon Sign "1 Hour Cleaners" Modernist / Art Deco
By American Neon Sign Co. 1
Located in Buffalo, NY
Wonderful vintage neon sign "ONE HOUR cleaner's"" Salvaged from old dry cleaners in downtown Buffalo NY,, Amazing colors,, design,, Hand delivery av...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
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
French Hand-forged Blacksmith Sign
Located in London, England
Beautifully crafted blacksmith trade sign.
Hand-forged and riveted, not welded.
A seriously striking decorative piece of 20th century folk art.
In exceptional original co...
Category
1950s French Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
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
19th Century Gold Giltwood Carved Letters William Trade Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Classic 19th century American wood trade sign with chunky hand carved and gold painted letters. Ready to display.
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Red and White Graphic New York Bus Subway Destination Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Very large New York bus destination sign. Unusual in red. Very graphic. Bottom of roll was date stamped 1951. 7 1/2 feet tall.
Category
1950s American Steampunk Vintage Signs
Materials
Canvas
Antique English Wrought Iron Police Station Sign with Briggs Barrow Mark
Located in Port Chester, NY
An antique English wrought iron police station sign in good original condition. Manufactured at the Briggs Foundry, Barrow, as seen in the bottom right corner. There are holes at eit...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
Tradesign in the Form of a Brick Storehouse
Located in Greenwich, CT
An advertising device or tradesign in the form of a brick storehouse, with ten arched windows or pigeonholes to display merchandise, constructed as a roofed box mounted on wheels, fo...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
Ladies ‘Dame’ Mid Century Restroom Sign from South of France Made in Metal
Located in London, GB
A French Mid Century Modern Swimming Pool changing room sign for a Lady or Ladies. The 3 dimensional letters made from metal box cut and riveted and weld...
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
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
Glass Pedestrian Crossing Sign
Located in New York, NY
Colorful Pop Art Pedestrian Crossing sign on glass. Found vintage art at it's best! Front has 4 small rubber elements and back has rubber edging. Final ...
Category
1950s North American Vintage Signs
Materials
Glass, Rubber, Paint
1950’s Neon Sign Diner
Located in Chicago, IL
1950’s neon sign Diner. It has new transformer and new wiring. Please note that this sign needs to be created for shipping. There will be fee to make ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
Vintage School Crossing Safety Guard Folk Art Trade Sign
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Original hand painted school safety crossing guard sign. Sheet metal and wood. Great original surface. Has original leaning brace mounted on back, but c...
Category
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
1880s Odd Fellows Lodge Banner from Dakota
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Early 1880s Odd Fellows Lodge all-seeing eye banner from Centerville, Dakota. Excellent hand painting and lettering. Centerville was platted in 1883. Dakota became the states of North and South Dakota in 1889. The area is now part of the Sioux Falls...
Category
1880s American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Silk
Hand Painted Keep Off Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage wooden Keep Off sign. Hand painted with red background and white lettering on thin wood board. Great colors and graphics. Great vintage condition. Coo...
Category
1950s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
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
Selection of Connecticut Subway or Bus Signs
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of Connecticut Subway or Bus Signs, American, circa 1950's, possibly earlier. These signs would have rotated through a window at the front of the bus or subway, showing the...
Category
1950s American Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Canvas
Vintage Elizabeth Arden Signs in Wood and Painted Aluminum
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
Large Midcentury Porcelain Letter "B" from the Stix Baer and Fuller Sign
By Bauhaus
Located in St. Louis, MO
Large 44.75" H porcelain letter B, from the former Stix, Baer & Fuller sign. This letter was once on the Mid-Century Modern Stix, Baer & Fuller department store in the Westroads Shop...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Porcelain
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
1950s Hand-Painted Olympia Beer Advertising Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Oversized 1950s hand-painted advertising sign for Olympia Beer.
Category
1950s North American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood
Arts and Crafts Copper Milliners Trade Sign, Copper Top Hat
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Arts and Crafts Copper Milliners Trade Sign. Copper Top Hat
This is an unusual piece, the Top Hat is made in beaten Copper it sits on an old wooden stand
The hat and stand are bo...
Category
Late 19th Century Arts and Crafts Antique Signs
Materials
Copper
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
HOVIS, Etched Glass Bakery Advertising Window Sign
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
HOVIS, Etched Glass Bakery Advertising Window Sign
A great piece of social history, this is a window, the old sash type, the glass is etched and ...
Category
Late 19th Century Edwardian Antique Signs
Materials
Art Glass
SS United States Sign Notice and Information for Passengers
Located in Hanover, MA
Hefty enameled solid aluminum framed passenger safety and information sign from Passenger Stateroom 139 on the Main deck of the SS United States.
Fo...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Unusual Set of German Mid-20th Century Shop Trade Sign Tools
Located in London, GB
Unusual set of German mid-20th century shop trade sign tools
Every now and again we are lucky enough to acquire items that firstly we have never seen and secondly, we will never see...
Category
1950s German Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal, Brass
1950's Commercial Sign "All - Stainless Inc"
Located in Hanover, MA
Vintage commercial business sign from early 1950's for All - Stainless, Inc.
78" long by 12" high panel of patinated blue colored aluminum with 1/4" th...
Category
1950s American Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Elkwood, Late 19th Century American Trade Sign
Located in Nantucket, MA
With carved gilt wood letters with mounted against a blue painted sand ground
American, c. 1890.
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
19th Century Barber's Pole Hand Carved Hand Painted
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th century barber's pole hand carved hand painted
Antique barber's pole
5.5" diameter x 42" high
The support measures 9" wide x 34" high
Good antique condition
The...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Wood
19th Century Cast Iron Shoemaker’s Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
19th century cast iron shoemaker’s trade sign
A highly decorative example of a late 19th century cast iron French shoemakers shop trade sign. Hand crafted from a hand cut iron metal...
Category
1880s French Early Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
19th Century French Art Nouveau Verre Églomisé Gilt Trade Shop Sign
Located in Lowestoft, GB
Of striking composition, a reverse painted and gilt trade sign, late 19th century (circa 1890) in age French in origin.
The sign has typical Art Nouveau organic flowing forms and...
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Signs
Materials
Glass, Hardwood
Cast Case Iron Eagle Trade Signs, 1880-1900
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Pair of cast iron Case eagle signs. Depicts the company mascot "Abe" on a globe. Embossed "J.I. Case Threshing Machine Company, Racine, WI, USA." Original s...
Category
1890s American Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
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. The tin sign is in a wood frame with the ad...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Signs
Materials
Tin
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
Straight Razor Sign
Vintage Payphone
Vintage Bowling Sign
Retro Neon Diner Signs
Nyc Street Porcelain Sign
Porcelain Barber Shop Sign
Vintage Ladies Restroom Sign
Reddy Kilowatt
No Skinny Dipping Sign
Wind Spinner
Corona Beer Signs
Antique Marquee Sign
Large Enamel Pub Sign
Nevco Scoreboard
Bus Blind
Frigidaire Vintage
Tin Sign Singer
Coca Cola Bottling Co. On Sale