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Signs For Sale
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

Rare Domed Wiener Werkstaette Vienna Art Nouveau Enameled Advertising Sign
Located in Vienna, AT
A rare, domed, black and white enameled Art Nouveau advertising sign for Wiener Werkstätte, founded by Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser and Fritz ...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Signs

Materials

Metal, Enamel, Iron

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

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

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

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

Antique Dutchess of Poughkeepsie NY Fire Insurance Reverse Painted Glass Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Dutchess of Poughkeepsie NY Fire insurance reverse painted glass advertisement sign. Item features "Dutchess of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Fire Ins...
Category

19th Century Victorian Antique Signs

Materials

Glass, Oak

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

Hand Painted Oversized Fiberglass Cheeseburger Pop Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oversized vintage cheeseburger pop art in fiberglass. Likely used as a store display. Hand made in fiberglass and hand painted with great detail. ...
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Paint, Fiberglass

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

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

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

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

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 Blue Illuminated Letter Y, 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial blue illuminated letter Y was made in Netherlands during the 1980s and comes from the old advertising banner. I featuers a grey iron body and blue plexiglass ...
Category

1980s Dutch Industrial Vintage Signs

Materials

Iron

Antique Early 20th C Hanging Trade Shop Sign "Antiques" Star of David Solomon
Located in Lowestoft, GB
Hanging double sided trade sign, sheet metal with a black ground and gilt lettering. Two pretty cast iron riveted hanging brackets. A small Star of Solomon is located in the corner ...
Category

Early 20th Century English Signs

Materials

Metal

Giant Bayer Pill Pop Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental vintage Bayer pill in cream plaster/ceramic. 7" diameter. Likely used as a store display. Whimsical desktop object or paperweight. Black felted bottom. Great piece of art ...
Category

1970s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Plaster, Paint

Fair Play 1960s Electro-Magnetic Basketball Scoreboard
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage basketball scoreboard by Fair Play, made in the 1960s. Taken down from a high-school in Ohio. In full working order with controll...
Category

1960s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Aluminum

Think Big Giant Matches and Matchbox
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic set of oversized matches and matchbox, made by Think Big NYC in 1984. Set contains all 8 original matches. Box slides open as a normal matchbox...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Felt, Wood, Paint, Plastic, Paper

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

Vintage Yellow & Black Painted Steel 'Slow Children' Traffic or Street Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage traffic or street sign. With graphics of a child running & large block letters spelling: 'SLOW CHILDREN'. Simply a great vintage ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Signs

Materials

Steel

Art Deco Port Advertising Sign, 1930s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Art Deco port sign of Porto Rolaria. Old advertising sign for the aperitif drink Port - Porto. What a beautiful design: 2 bottles of Port:...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Signs

Materials

Paper

Vintage "We Love Our Children" Street Sign, 1980s USA
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...
Category

1980s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Metal

'Scenic Route' California Highway Sign, USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very cool California freeway sign reading "scenic route" with a snow-capped mountain in the background, and brightly colored orange California Poppy (California State Flower) in the foreground. Great coloring and condition. Fantastic piece of California ephemera...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Signs

Materials

Steel

Vintage Porcelain Beer Sign
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage porcelain beer tray. This enameled metal beer tray was designed and made for the Belgian Beer: CTS Stout Wielemans, a dark Belgian Beer made by the Brewery Wielemans which was located in Brussels. Black orange yellow beer tray with the typical long Stout glass on. This porcelain beer tray is in used condition so does have some traces by age. It's a great beer sign - beer collectable - Belgian Beer Sign - Vintage beer tray...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Signs

Materials

Metal

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

Antique Tray Chocolate Michiels- 1905 - 75 years Independence Belgium
Located in Antwerp, BE
Antique advertising tray - advertising sign made for Belgian Chocolate Michiels, which was located in Brussels Belgium. This Art Nouveau lithographi...
Category

Early 20th Century Belgian Art Nouveau Signs

Materials

Metal, Tin

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

Action Sports Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Wrought iron ACTION SPORTS sign.
Category

1960s French Vintage Signs

Materials

Wrought Iron

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

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

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

19th Century Tole Locksmith's Trade Sign
Located in Downham Market, GB
An early toleware Locksmith's trade sign. A wonderful 19th century gilded metal trade sign, delightfully original & untouched with the perfect patina...
Category

19th Century British Victorian Antique Signs

Materials

Metal

Vintage Double Sided Metal Motor Oil Sign c.1930
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An original distressed double sided metal sign "Super Motor Oil" on one side and "Sonoco Hottest Brand Going" on the other side. CREATOR Unknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE ...
Category

Early 20th Century Industrial Signs

Materials

Metal

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

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

Nevco LED Basketball Scoreboard, 2000s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic green metal LED scoreboard by Nevco. Made in the early 2000s in the US. Can be used for multiple sports. 100% functional and gone through. Running clock, guest and home sco...
Category

Early 2000s American Signs

Materials

Aluminum

Los Angeles County Line Freeway Sign, 1990s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Super cool Los Angeles freeway sign. Made in the late 1990s. This sign welcomed you as you entered the county of Los Angeles. Reflective letters an...
Category

1990s American Signs

Materials

Aluminum

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

Art Deco Chrome & Glass Skyscraper Directory Sign
Located in Hanover, MA
Vintage 1940's chrome frame building directory sign with beveled glass double panels. This came from the famous Boston (North End) restaurant 'Joe Tecce's' which closed in 2010 after...
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Signs

Materials

Aluminum, Steel, Chrome

1960s California Prison Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique California state prison sign that reads "KEEP OUT CALIFORNIA STATE PROPERTY". Yellow background with bold black print. Scuffs, scratches and rust gi...
Category

1960s American Vintage Signs

Materials

Steel

Vintage Road or Street Sign from Florida, Lake Worth, Blanchette, U.S.A
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Original vintage metal road sign from the crossing: Lake Worth / Blanchette in Florida.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs

Materials

Metal

Vintage Hand Painted on Wood Advertising Sign for Golf Equipments, 1920s
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
This vintage sign for collectors is truly special. Made of wood with relief decorations and hand painted. The advertising sign was dedicated to the golf attire and equipment.
Category

1920s Scottish Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood

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

Wood Carved Red and White American Folk Art Barber Pole Trade Sign Sconce, C1920
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Great Americana! c. 1920s American Folk Art wood and iron carved barber pole. Layers of thick original red and white hand painted surface. Substantial iron mounts and iron strapping around neck of sconce. Unique wall sconce...
Category

1920s North American Folk Art Vintage Signs

Materials

Iron

20th Century Blacksmith's Sign on Custom Mount
Located in Chicago, IL
A bold and striking 20th century American blacksmith's sign with an arm swinging a hammer against a block of metal on an anvil, and with sparks flying from the impact. We've had this...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Industrial Signs

Materials

Steel

Vintage Hand Painted on Wood Advertising Sign for Golf Equipments, 1920s
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
This vintage sign for collectors is truly special. Made of wood with relief decorations and hand painted. The advertising sign was dedicated to the golf attire and equipment.
Category

1920s Scottish Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood

Vintage Enamel & Steel 'Pratt & Lambert Paint & Varnish' Advertising Store Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage double-sided enamel advertising sign. For the famed Pratt & Lambert paint company. With yellow & red decoration on a white ground. The text reads: 'PRATT & L...
Category

20th Century North American Signs

Materials

Enamel, Steel

Antique London Covent Garden & Borough Market Trade Shop Signs Thomas
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A decorative pair of trade signs for J B Thomas of either Borough Market or Covent Garden London, a red ground with gilt/yellow hand painted lettering. ...
Category

Early 20th Century British Signs

Materials

Pine

Matched Pair of Edwardian Milk Glass Shop Signs
Located in London, GB
Matched pair of Edwardian milk glass shop signs. We share what we love, and we love this rare, matched pair of Edwardian milk glass shop signs. One stating “All kinds of repairs” ...
Category

1910s British Edwardian Vintage Signs

Materials

Milk Glass

Vintage Hand Painted on Wood Advertising Sign for Golf Equipments, 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 golf attire and equipment.
Category

1920s Scottish Vintage Signs

Materials

Wood

Chinese Signboard with Gold Coloured Calligraphy from Hardwood, C. 1900
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
With a wood coloured base this signboard (crafted entirely from wood) highlights 3 large gold coloured Chinese Characters. The signboard dates to the early 20th Century and has aged ...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Signs

Materials

Wood, Paint

Wood, Iron and Enamel "Jefe" Sign
Located in Chicago, IL
Wood, iron and enamel "Jefe" sign. "Jefe" means boss. From a Buenos Aires railway station. For your bossman/woman.
Category

1920s Argentine Vintage Signs

Materials

Iron

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

Antique Vintage Industrial British Railway Station Enamel Advertising Sign
By British Railways
Located in Sale, GB
- An original British Rail sign, circa 1940. - This Midlands Region sign has the inscription 'Rights Of Way Act 1932 The British Transport Commission Hereby Give Notice That This Wa...
Category

Mid-20th Century British Signs

Materials

Enamel

Boucherie Chevaline Trade Sign
Located in London, GB
Boucherie Chevaline Trade Sign A hand crafted Boucherie Chevaline, zinc gold leaf hand beaten butchers trade sign. A highly decorative wall hanging in untouched condition with or...
Category

Early 20th Century French Victorian Signs

Materials

Zinc

Original 1950's Route 66 Neon Café Sign
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
An original Route 66 double sided neon CAFE sign in its original paint, circa 1950.
Category

20th Century American Signs

Materials

Tin

Lifesize Johnnie Walker Shop Advertising Display Man
Located in Antwerp, BE
Lifesize Johnnie Walker display man. A lifesize advertising display - shop display - store display figure for Scotch whisky. The typical striding man with top hat, coat, boots and walking stick. A black and gold advertising figure for the Johnnie Walker black label, black label limited edition, gold label, Christmas edition, anniversary edtion. This Johnny Walker statue...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Signs

Materials

Fiberglass

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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