Signs

About Vintage Signs

Antique and vintage signs are highly sought after by collectors for their beauty, enduring historic value, and because they make great discussion pieces. Used to advertise everything from soda to farm equipment to household appliances, key genres include wood, porcelain (aka enamel), tin, and neon.

Porcelain enamel signs were first produced in Europe in the late 1800s, and became popular in the U.S. in the 1890s. Porcelain signs were made of powdered glass fused onto rolled iron. Different colors were stenciled on and fired, creating a different layer for each color; although later porcelain signs were silkscreened. Porcelain signs were durable and able to withstand exposure to the elements, so tens of thousands were made. But during the World War II scrap drives, many were melted down. Eventually high labor costs caused porcelain signs to fall out of favor in the 1950s...

Tin signs were also melted in WWII scrap drives, halting production almost permanently. Although some tin signs were made after the war, their reemergence was short lived. Tin signs reached their peak of popularity in the 1920s and were usually painted, screenprinted, or stamped. But they were not as durable as porcelain signs, and were prone to rust.

The first neon sign was introduced in 1912, for a Parisian barber. Neon signs contain tubes filled with neon or inert gasses that glow when a high voltage is applied. Though popular in the 1920s and 1930s, they were expensive to make and very fragile. In the 1940s and '50s, custom-made neon signs were produced in small quantities for businesses like restaurants, clubs, bars, hotels, and auto dealerships. More modern mass-produced neon signs for companies like Budweiser and Coca-Cola can also be collectible.

Some collectors also seek out vintage cardboard signs, which were popular in the mid-20th century and were used to advertise a broad range of consumer items (soda, beer, candy, etc.) and upcoming events, like the circus. Other sign formats, like and door pushes and pulls, are highly sought after as well.

Although some collectors focus exclusively on signs, many pursue the hobby as an adjunct to another collecting interest. Therefore antique and vintage signs related to these areas are in high demand, like automobile, oil and gas, travel, farm, food, smoking, beer, and railroad signs. Signs from the west coast are in especially high demand.

With antique and vintage signs, condition, visual appeal, and scarcity are important influences on value. Many signs have bullet holes from being shot at or rust or crazing from exposure to the elements. Do your homework before buying - many reproductions have been made and many signs have been restored.

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Porcelain Advertising Sign Collector Michael Bruner

I liked to collect things even as a child. Things that didn’t cost anything, like different colors of stones. The… [more]

An Interview With Antique Advertising and Porcelain Enamel Sign Collector Alex Renshaw

How did I get started collecting advertising antiques? My dad was a lecturer and tutor in graphics and art from the… [more]

Signs for Mariners

Signs have always furnished a vivid means of advertising wares and attracting the attention of prospective buyers. … [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Advertising Antiques

Advertising Antiques

This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) … [read review or visit site]

Historical Marker Database

Historical Marker Database

If you're the type who pulls over when you see a 'historic marker ahead' sign, you'll love this site. Orchestrated … [read review or visit site]

Pittsburgh Signs Project

Pittsburgh Signs Project

This group artistic effort to catalog the signs of Pittsburgh captures many vintage signs (porcelain, neon, wood, t… [read review or visit site]

Falvo Collectables Gallery

Falvo Collectables Gallery

Ralph and Carol Falvo's excellent collection of automobiles, petroliana, jukeboxes, soda, and general store items. … [read review or visit site]

Jersey Vintage Ford Collectibles

Jersey Vintage Ford Collectibles

Sam Baker's excellent collection of vintage Ford porcelain and neon signs and related memorabilia from the 1920s an… [read review or visit site]


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Minneapolis Moline Neon Porcelain Sign-mint!!$4,000 Ends Wednesday 15 bids 70 watchers
Beautiful John Deere Tractor Neon Dealership Sign !!$4,000 Ends Wednesday 19 bids 54 watchers
72" Red Crown Gasoline Thermometer Sign$1,247 Ends Saturday 15 bids 89 watchers
Hamms Hamm's Beer Motion Blinking Mugs Neon Light Sign$1,200 Ends Thursday 32 bids 129 watchers
Original Porcelain Studebaker 48" Dealer Service Sign$1,200 Ends Thursday 7 bids 22 watchers
Ford / Fordson Dealer Sign Antique$1,000.00 Ends in 8 hours 8 bids 33 watchers
Drink Coca Cola Ice Cold Gas Today Tin 54"x18"sign $999.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 18 watchers
Super Nice Porcelain Die Cut Mack Truck Bulldog Sign$988.00 Ends Wednesday 19 bids 78 watchers
Hamms Hamm's Beer Scene-a-rama Motion Clock Light Sign$800.00 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 111 watchers
"jukebox" Neon Acrylic Panels Custom Sign$750.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
Vintage Porcelain Gas Station Sign Automotive Oil Can$735.00 Ends Wednesday 22 bids 58 watchers
Vintage Revolving Hamms Beer Sign Light$700.00 Ends in 13 hours 10 bids 53 watchers
Old Winchester Self-loading Shotguns Roll Sign 16 By 27$697.78 Ends Wednesday 12 bids 47 watchers
1947 Coca Cola Pilsner Sign$676.66 Ends in 5 hours 21 bids 35 watchers
Great Old Porcelain Sign With Dairy Cow Visit Our Dairy$650.99 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 35 watchers
1950's - 1940's Chevrolet "bowtie" Dealership Sign $618.00 Ends Saturday 10 bids 52 watchers
Antique Barber Pole Copper Plate------trade Sign$550.00 Ends Friday 1 bid 8 watchers
Porcelain Sign From Mercury Dealership$519.00 Ends in 4 hours 8 bids 29 watchers
Miller Lite Coast To Coast Motion Signs #1 & # 2$500.00 Ends in 8 hours 1 bid 12 watchers
Kist Soda Beautiful Embossed Die Cut Bottle Shape Sign$499.99 Ends Thursday 3 bids 20 watchers
Holley Carburetor Vintage Lighted Sign Clock$498.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 48 watchers
Porcelain 1930's Goodyear Tires Dealership Sign$456.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 65 watchers
1926 Havoline Drain & Refill Power Oil Porcelain Sign$455.00 Ends Friday 3 bids 38 watchers
Antique Telechron Advertising Orange Crush Clock Sign $449.00 Ends in 15 hours 20 bids 81 watchers
1930's Texaco Motor Oil 22" Round Porcelain Curb Sign$438.98 Ends in 13 hours 9 bids 34 watchers
Antique Breyers Ice Cream Advertising Pam Clock Sign $435.00 Ends Wednesday 28 bids 72 watchers
Miller High Life Fiber Optic Sign$420.01 Ends Thursday 25 bids 23 watchers
Vintage 48 Inch Sinclair Hc Gas 2-sided Porcelain Sign$405.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 59 watchers
Coca Cola Crossing Guard Sign - "policeman"$405.00 Ends Friday 10 bids 17 watchers
Rare Maytag 1950's Porcelain Neon Sign; Great Shape!$399.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 11 watchers
1941 Lollipop Cola Cola Porcelain Double Sided Sign $398.93 Ends Saturday 7 bids 36 watchers
Antique Ncr Cash Register Top Sign Bronze/brass$360.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 19 watchers
Old 2-sided Sherwin-williams Porcelain Enameled Sign$355.00 Ends in 3 hours 20 bids 75 watchers
Ih Farmall International Mccormick Porcelain Sign$346.00 Ends Sunday 21 bids 38 watchers
Large Chevrolet Lighted Sign$340.99 Ends in 12 hours 4 bids 11 watchers
Federal Tire Dealer Sign Antique$338.00 Ends in 8 hours 4 bids 15 watchers
Org 30s-40s Ford Oval D/s Porcelain Sign - Burdick $330.57 Ends Sunday 8 bids 51 watchers
Aa1 Quart Oil Can, Sign$330.00 Ends in 10 hours 13 bids 41 watchers
Antique, Vintage Jax Brewery Tin Beer Sign$310.12 Ends Saturday 5 bids 24 watchers
1940's Minneapolis-moline Tractor Sign Not Porcelain$306.99 Ends Sunday 5 bids 29 watchers
Ferrari Prancing Horse 110v Lighted Dealership Sign New$306.00 Ends Wednesday 12 bids 32 watchers
Porcelain Sign From Lincoln Dealership$305.00 Ends in 4 hours 5 bids 22 watchers
1950's Texaco Havoline Motor Oil Tin Sign$302.77 Ends Friday 8 bids 23 watchers
Vintage Gulf Lighted Sign$300.00 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 18 watchers
Texaco Key Hole Agent Porcelain Sign Dated 3-33 Nice !$299.00 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 16 watchers
Rare....1920's Indian Refining Havoline Porcelain Sign$281.85 Ends Sunday 3 bids 11 watchers
Early Chicago Motor Club Porcelain Sign Veribrite 24"$278.00 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 21 watchers
1930's Texaco Crankcase Service Porcelain Sign$275.00 Ends Wednesday 10 bids 40 watchers
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Original Texaco Motor Oil Porcelain Double Sided Sign$255.00 Ends Monday 3 bids 42 watchers

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Recent News: Signs

Source: Google News

Sale Preview: The Inside Scoop on a Mid Century Modern Store Sale
ChicagoNow (blog), January 14th

The era is Mid century Mod, vintage signs, displays, metal advertising signs, glassware, furniture, good junk, over 1000 records, about 12 mint condition...Read more

High turnout at Tavern auction
Crain's New York Business, January 13th

And another trademark Tavern on the Green item, a vintage sign with the green and white floral pattern sold for $4275 as bidders were quick to try and claim...Read more

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