Signs
to
57
361
204
574
10
1
109
104
41
26
15
9
6
3
1
1
1
1
1
8
73
493
11
131
180
147
14
5
20
21
24
45
19
80
38
19
366
198
87
68
63
284
266
222
76
49
585
584
585
3
2
1
1
1
Signs For Sale
Vintage school education display Die Baumwolle (Cotton) by Josef Galler, Germany
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Vintage school education display Die Baumwolle (Cotton) by Josef Galler made in Germany in the 1960s.
Josef Galler the German creator of educational displays and school manuals on va...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Cotton, Glass, Wood
Large Vintage Green Iron Facade Letter I , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “ I “was made during the 1970s in former Czechoslovakia and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 4 kg.
Category
Late 20th Century Czech Industrial Signs
Materials
Iron
Hot Air Balloon Race Metal Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unusual metal sign from an old air show. Great colors and content. Sign was advertising a hot air balloon race. Great piece of nostalgia, fun piece of art. Metal sign with wear as sh...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Aluminum
Dubied Italian Tin Advertising Sign
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Dubied Italian tin advertising sign.
A fabulous metallic tin in reliefs finely printed by stone lithography for "Dubied" An international knit...
Category
20th Century Italian Signs
$2,495 Sale Price
23% Off
Large Vintage Yellow Iron Facade Letter Š, 1960s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “Š” was made during the 1960s in former Czechoslovakia and comes from an old inscription POŠTA. In czech language Post Office. The weight of th...
Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Signs
Materials
Iron
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
Early 20th Century Piano Teacher Sign Board
Located in Peabody, MA
Hand painted sign for the services of a "modern" piano teacher. This would likely have meant ragtime or jazz, as these were often referred to as new approaches to the instrument as o...
Category
1930s North American Folk Art Vintage Signs
Materials
Wood, Paint
Old Advertising Sign for Blood Oranges Displaying a Horse, Pottery, Italy, 1920s
Located in Vienna, AT
A decorative advertising sign, made of ceramic, dated around 1920s, made in Italy. An advertising sign for selling Italian blood oranges, displaying a white horse. Good condition wit...
Category
1920s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Signs
Materials
Pottery
Vintage Red Iron Facade Letter N, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “n” was made during the 1970s in France and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 0,7 kg.
Category
1970s French Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
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
Large Vintage Yellow Illuminated Letter T , 1980s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade illuminated letter T was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a metal body and a plexiglass cover. It i...
Category
1980s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Chrome, Iron
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
Large Vintage Green Iron Facade Letter V , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “V”was made during the 1970s in former Czechoslovakia and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 4 kg.
Category
1970s Czech Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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 Vintage Green Iron Facade Letter A, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “ A “was made during the 1970s in former Czechoslovakia and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 4,5 kg.
Category
1970s Czech Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Large Vintage Green Iron Facade Letter A, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “ A “was made during the 1970s in former Czechoslovakia and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 7 kg.
Category
1970s Czech Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
Large Vintage Green Iron Facade Letter N , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “N “was made during the 1970s in former Czechoslovakia and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 9 kg.
Category
1970s Czech 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
$956 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Fairgrounds Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage 1980s Fairgrounds sign in a unique and bold oxblood base color with white font. Eye catching and fun, this piece has the trappings of Americana wall art...
Category
1980s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
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
Rare giant vintage American gold fiberglass boot shop display / bar sign 60s 70s
Located in Hastings, GB
Giant vintage American gold shop or bar display boot. Looks like a swashbuckling / pirate boot.
Gold fibreglass with metal rod and hanger. Try and find another one- you won't !
Lots...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Signs
Materials
Metal
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
Large Illuminated 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. It is equipped with a LED neon strip. The weight of the letter ...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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 Illuminated Letter T, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage Industrial illuminated letter T was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It features a black metal ...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Antique American Art Deco Early Frigidaire Metal Advertising Sign
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce, likely one-of-a-kind, antique American Frigidaire enameled metal advertising sign, early 20th century, period Art Deco styling, the sign reads: "See Arkadelphia Hardware Co...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Signs
Materials
Metal, Enamel
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
Vintage Yellow Illuminated Letter T , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial plastic illuminated letter T was made in Italy during the 1970s and comes from an old advertising banner. It is equipped with a LED st...
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Plastic
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
Large Vintage Grey 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 1,5 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Large Vintage Grey Iron Facade Letter C , 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “C” was made during the 1970s in Italy and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 1,5 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage Blue Iron Facade Letter Z, 1970s
Located in Kojetice, CZ
This vintage industrial facade letter “Z” was made during the 1970s in Italy and comes from an old advertising banner. The weight of the letter is 0,8 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Signs
Materials
Iron
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
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
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
19th Century Boucherie Chevaline French Tradesign
Located in London, GB
Boucherie Chevaline
We are proud to offer a late 19th century Boucherie Chevaline, zinc gold leaf hand beaten butchers advertising trade sign. These items have become rare over the years especially the original gold leaf finished examples. Untouched in form in very presentable condition, with age related wear you may come to expect from an item of its age. This highly decorative object comes with its own bespoke cast iron display...
Category
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Signs
Materials
Zinc
Original Antiques Store Hand Painted Wooden Sign With Dragon
Unicycle
Located in West Chester, PA
Orginal one of a kind double side antique store sign hand painted on both sides reading "Antiques Legal Junk, Funk & Gradue" with depictions of a d...
Category
Late 20th Century American Rustic Signs
Materials
Wood
English Country Painted 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
Vintage Yellow
Black Painted Steel
FRESH OIL
Traffic or Street Sign
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage traffic or street sign.
With text that reads: FRESH OIL.
In reflective yellow paint.
Simply a great vintage sign!
Date:
Mi...
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Signs
Materials
Steel
French Military Plaque
Located in Fredericksburg, TX
Vintage French Foreign Legion Plaque divided into sections of blue, white and red with a black and yellow stripe, possibly representing a specific regiment or campaign distinction. ...
Category
20th Century Signs
Materials
Wood
Cast Iron Clock Face Surround from Observatory Clock Tower Double-Sided
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Very cool cast iron clock face surround, observatory time. Double-sided with great paint surface. Substantial heavy duty iron hooks. Lots of potential...
Category
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Signs
Materials
Iron
Vintage Large Wooden “Bakery” Trade Sign
Located in Dekalb, IL
Large hand-crafted wooden storefront sign featuring raised block letters reading BAKERY across a shaped gilt panel. Each letter is individually cut and mounted in relief, creating a ...
Category
Early 20th Century American American Colonial Signs
Materials
Wood
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
Advertising Sign for an Optician, from 1920s
Located in Vienna, Austria
Hand painted metal advertising sign for an optician.
The shield was attached to the facade on an optician shop and is painted with the same motive on both sides.
Signed from the si...
Category
1920s Czech Modern Vintage Signs
Materials
Metal
$1,825 Sale Price
20% Off
Woods Hole Golf Club Antique Sign from Cape Cod
Located in Sandwich, MA
Antique sign from the Woods Hole Golf Club in Falmouth, MA circa 1900. Includes original wrought iron bracket meant for mounting on a square post. Great original surface. Also reads ...
Category
1890s American Antique Signs
Materials
Wrought Iron
French Large Size Mid-19th Century Zinc Clock Trade Sign on Custom Stand
Located in Atlanta, GA
This French large size clock trade sign from the mid-19th century depicts an oversized pocket watch with round bow at the top. Made of zinc, this grey...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Signs
Materials
Iron, Zinc
Vintage California Historical Landmark Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Interesting vintage California highway sign for Adobe Rios-Caledonia. This is a California historical landmark and on the National Register of...
Category
1970s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Steel
19th Century Reliquiae Sanctorum Sign
Located in Pease pottage, West Sussex
Remarkable original "Reliquiae Sanctorum" sign on sheet metal.
Later mounted to weathered backboards.
Italy, Circa 1850.
Category
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Signs
Materials
Sheet Metal
Hand Painted Wooden Circus Ticket Office Sign
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
A hand painted circus ticket office sign.
CREATOR Unknown.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.2000-2005.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Painted Wood.
CONDITION Good. Wear con...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Industrial Signs
Materials
Wood
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
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
Enamel Sign for Colman’s Mustard
Located in Cheshire, GB
Enamel sign for Colman’s Mustard, of rectangular form decorated in blue and yellow enamel.
Dimensions
Height 16 inches
Width 62.5 inches
Depth 0.5 ...
Category
Early 20th Century British Signs
Materials
Enamel
$1,321 Sale Price
41% Off
Painted Tin Letter of Luminous Signs U, Rewired with Bulbs, USA, 1930
Located in Milan, IT
Painted tin letter of luminous sign (U) red color, rewired with bulbs, USA, circa 1930. The Letter U has been rewired for the US.
Category
1930s American Vintage Signs
Materials
Tin
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
English Pub Sign, "Fountain Head"
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic English pub sign (one-sided) featuring a painting of a Classical urn or fountainhead spouting cascades of water in a park setting, entitled: Worth Brewery - The Crickete...
Category
20th Century English 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
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 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
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.
Still Thinking About These?
All Recently ViewedMore Ways To Browse
Bakery Sign
Dairy Signs
Dentist Sign
Glasses Trade Sign
Key Trade Sign
Marquee Sign
Mortar And Pestle Trade Sign
Used Marquee Signs
Verre Eglomise Signs
Watchmaker Sign
Wooden Advertising Signs
Antique Metal Advertising Signs
Antique Sign Pole
Corona Beer
Medical Sign
Mortar And Pestle Sign
No Smoking Sign
Oversized Store Display