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Tokens for Sweethearts, in Times of War
American Picker Dream, Part I: Mike Wolfe On His Love Affair With Bikes
From colorful Victorian trade cards of the 1870s to the Super Bowl commercials of today, advertising has gone from a small component of everyday life to a ubiquitous presence.
Perhaps the most easily recognizable advertising medium of the late 19th and early 20th centuries is the porcelain sign. Starting in the 1880s, companies saw the advantages of porcelain as a material that was both durable and weather resistant. Although these signs were first made in Germany, the manufacturing technique soon spread to America, where their bold colors and eye-catching graphics were put to good use advertising cigars, motor oil, railroads, and soda pop, especially Coca-Cola. With the onset of World War II, however, many of these signs were destroyed for the base metal they contained. Their resulting rarity makes them attractive to collectors.
A similar fate befell tin signs, which were often produced as a cheap alternative to porcelain ones. Unlike their porcelain companions, however, tin signs were prone to rust and degradation, so many of those that have survived the years are in poor condition...
On the other end of the size scale were celluloid pinbacks, cheap buttons that were meant to be worn and displayed. Some companies distributed pinbacks to encourage newspaper subscriptions or the purchase of particular brands of cigarettes, while others were handed out at political rallies as campaign pieces.
Alongside ads that were meant to be seen were ads that were meant to be used. Coca-Cola, for one, realized that practical pieces of advertising would last much longer than signs and posters, which were routinely discarded. Common types of “utilitarian” ads included thermometers, calendars, mirrors, and clocks, all of which bore a company’s brand name and image in some way or another. Some small storeowners, for example, kept their vintage Coca-Cola thermometers displayed in their stores, for the simple reason that they remained useful. Items that were never or barely used, of course, command the most attention from collectors.
Other advertising collectibles include produce crate labels, salesman samples, tobacco tins, beer trays, and door push and pull signs.
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Interviews & Articles
What Were We Thinking? The Top 10 Most Dangerous Ads
Often the criticism of vintage ads focuses on their inherent sexism, racism, or other displays of social prejudices, which we find… [more]
When the Wild Imagination of Dr. Seuss Fueled Big Oil
Ever had an encounter with a Zero-doccus, a Karbo-nockus, a Moto-raspus, or a Moto-munchus? These fantastical creatures are some o… [more]
Who's That Kodak Girl? Early Camera Ads Depict Women as Adventurous Shutterbugs
My father had a camera store, so I grew up with cameras and used Kodak film. These days I like digital better, but I still have a … [more]
Signs, Tins, and Other Advertising Antiques
How did I get started collecting advertising antiques? My dad was a lecturer and tutor in graphics and art from the 1960s onwards,… [more]
The Disappearing Art of Porcelain Signs
I liked to collect things even as a child. Things that didn’t cost anything, like different colors of stones. There was somethin… [more]
Early American Packages
One of America's famed industrial designers sat at his quite modern desk (which he thinks was designed in 1936 but which was alrea… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Truth in Advertising
This gallery of cigarette magazine advertising from the 1940s and 50s contains no surgeon general's warning, just p… [read review or visit site]
Advertising Antiques
This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) … [read review or visit site]
Ad Access
Duke University's library has pulled together an impressive collection of over 7,000 ads printed in U.S. and Canadi… [read review or visit site]
Plan 59
From the Nostlagia Factory in Virginia comes this celebration of 'mid-century automotive advertising illustrations'… [read review or visit site]
American Package Museum
Ian House's gallery of early 20th Century American package designs. Browse the exhibits in slide show mode or view … [read review or visit site]
Found in Moms Basement
Paula Zargaj-Reynolds’ blog, an extensive collection of 20th century vintage advertising, is a visual feast. Scro… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Advertising
Other Great Reference Sites: Advertising
Top eBay Auctions
Gm General Motors Original Porcelain Neon Gas Oil Dealership Sign
Original Cadillac Dealership Neon Clock Sign From Gas Oil Dealership
Rare 1930's Anheuser Busch Budweiser Porcelain Neon Beer Sign Non Oil Gas Soda
Frontier Gas Porcelain Sign
Rare Vintage C.1930 Ford Genuine Parts Car Dealership 24" Porcelain Gas Oil Sign
Rare Packard Motor Oil Sign For Packard Automobiles Large Metal Original
Vintage 50's Levis Struss Denim Advertisement Banner Sign For Solid Comfort
Vintage Texas Hereford Association Porcelain Sign 2 Sided Bull Cow Fantastic !!
48" X 48" Double Sided Shell Oil Porcelain Clam Shell Sign 
Rare Vintage 1920's Sinclair Opaline Motor Oil Can 48" Porcelain Metal Sign~neat
Coca Cola C.1940's 8 Sided Octagon Neon Clock Not Sign
42" Porcelain Clamshaped Shell Gasoline Sign
Mobiloil Strip Sign Beautiful Porcelain
Mobilgas Porcelain Sign-30"-rare Ethyl Doublesided
Standard Oil Sign
1940's Porcelain Rainbow Bridge Niagara Falls Directional Road Sign *original* 
Antique Sinclair Oil Sign
Vintage 1950's Massey Harris 28" X 8' Sign ! Big !
John Deere Dealer Sign
Original, Vintage Porcelain Goodyear Tires Sign C. 1949!
Mobiloil Gargoyle Lolipop Sign With Base
New Old Stock Vintage Large Gas Pump Lighted Sunoco Sign Everbrite Co
Nice Vinage Goodyear Tire Sign
Suzuki Dealers Lighted Sign 6 Foot Tall
Vintage Chevron Gas Station Hanging Porcelain Sign Mint
Minty Nos Vintage Nu Grape Soda Cola Bottle Cap Non Porcelain Nugrape Sign Wow~~
Alemite Lubricanis Porcelain Advertising Sign 5 Ft.by 27.5 Inches 
Dr. Pepper "good For Life" Thermometer
15" Round Porcelain Socony Motor Oil Sign "no Reserve Aucton"
Vintage Cattle Bull Cow Porcelain Sign Farm
Old Coca Cola White Things Go Better 16" Button Sign With Paper Nos
Vintage C.1920 Dodge Brothers Car Dealership 2 Sided 40" Porcelain Gas Oil Sign
1930's Sinclair Opaline Motor Oil Sign - Porcelain - 48x20 Oil Can Nice Graphics
Amoco American Porcelain 1960,s Oil Gasoline Gas Sign Double Sided Ford Mopar 
Mcquay Norris Piston Rings Engine Chassis Parts Gas Oil Non Porcelain Neon Sign
Pontchartrain Beach Tin Sign 1930's - Very Rare! Excellent Condition!!
Atlantic Refining Company Gasoline And Polarine, Cobalt Blue Ceramic Sign
Vintage 1950s Coca Cola Outboard Motor Style Dispenser - Good Original Condition
Vintage Rare Neon Light Up Coca Cola Sign
Socony Air-craft Oils Original Porcelain Sign From 1930s
Antique Advertising Door Push Porcelain Sign -hercules Overalls -mint Original
Vintage C.1930 Standard Oil Red Crown Gasoline 42" Porcelain Gas Station Sign
Large Vintage C.1950 7up 7 Up Fresh Up Soda Pop Bottle 54" Embossed Metal Sign
Pure Tiolene Arrow Oil Litho Tin Die Cut Flange Motor Gas Pump Dbl Side Old Orig
Vintage Porcelain Two Sides D-x Sign Circa 1946 With Steel Frame 6 Ft X 40 In
Vintage Mobilgas Mobil Porcelain Sanitary Rest Room Sign Pegasus Winged Horse
Large Pioneer Corn Hybrid Seed Sign Farm Tractor Seed & Feed 
Original Coca-cola Flange Sign Nos Early 1960's Near Mint 18" X 15"
1940s Frostie Root Beer Bottle Cap Metal Soda General Store Gas Station Sign
American Indian Chief Full Headdress Tin Litho Sign Calumet Ins. Co. Chicago 
Rare Vintage 1951 Exide Batteries Porcelain Advertising Sign Gas Pam Oil Clock
Scarce Nos Vintage Grandpa Grafs Soda Cola Door Push Kicker Non Porcelain Sign
Deep Rock Porcelain Lease Sign, Oil, Gas, Pipeline, Kerr Mcgee
Beautiful Old Bsa Motorcycles Porcelain Sign Motorbicycles
Antique 1920-30's Art Deco Double Sided Wood Frame Metal Sign Rooms & Meals Yqz
Original Standard Polarine 42" Porcelain Sign Antique Vintage Rare
Golden Sun Feeds Sign (near Mint Condition) 
1927 Everyday Drink Orange Crush Tin Sign With Ribbed Bottle
Very Rare Vintage 1930's The Iron Fireman Coal Burner Porcelain Advertising Sign
Vintage Greyhound Bus Depot Porcelain Sign Non Gas Oil Soda
Recent News: Advertising
Source: Google News
Morphy's auction a high-quality mix of antique advertising, coin-op machines ...
Art Daily, May 23rdMorphy's is like a second home to antique advertising collectors, who regard the central Pennsylvania company's auctions as a premier source of fresh-to-market pieces from long-held collections. On June 1st, Morphy's will conduct a 537-lot specialty...Read more
Samsung 'Evolutionary Husband?' Ad Outrages Fox News, Men's Rights Activists
Huffington Post, May 23rdLeave us a comment, or join the conversation on Twitter @HuffPostWomen! Also on HuffPost: Loading Slideshow ... Working Wife. Via <a href="http://www.tressugar.com/Vintage-Advertising-21966615?slide=41" target="_hplink">Tressugar</a>. It's A Man's...Read more
Vintage Ladies Home Journal Ad Shows Some Interesting Stereotypes
Huffington Post, May 22ndLeave us a comment below, or join the conversation on Twitter @HuffPostWomen. Also on HuffPost: Loading Slideshow ... Working Wife. Via <a href="http://www.tressugar.com/Vintage-Advertising-21966615?slide=41" target="_hplink">Tressugar</a>...Read more
Laurence Juber to reveal life with Wings and solo career details in new book
Examiner.com, May 22ndThe book will also feature 250 photos, including never-seen-before color and black & white pictures, vintage advertising materials, guitars, equipment and memorabilia. “In the thirty-something years since Wings folded, I would look at the boxes of...Read more
Email “That's Amore: Travel Posters to Love” at International Poster Gallery
ArtfixDaily (blog), May 22ndIn addition to gallery shows and special exhibitions, IPG's award-winning website, www.internationalposter.com offers one of the largest, most comprehensive online collections of vintage advertising posters in the world. Originally launched in 1998...Read more
'Cosmopolitan' Magazine Parody: 'Inner Beauty' Issue By Nathan Yaffe
Huffington Post, May 17thtips in the joke illustration. We've gotta say, we might actually buy this issue if it existed. Also on HuffPost: Loading Slideshow ... Working Wife. Via <a href="http://www.tressugar.com/Vintage-Advertising-21966615?slide=41" target="_hplink...Read more
Retro-Fantastic Posters from Mads Berg
Visual News, May 15thIt's hard to create more nostalgia than with the faded tones of a vintage advertising poster. Those glorious old ads push just the right buttons, bringing back memories of blissfully warm days, breathtaking views while traveling and good times spent...Read more
How To Figure Out How Much You Should Pay For A Car
Jalopnik, May 13thVW is known for some spectacular vintage advertising, ads which were instrumental in their success as a viable large-car alternative in America, itself a stepping stone to the international behemoth of modern-day Volkswagen. During this time, the Type...Read more