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About Antique 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 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 stone…  [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 fr…  [more]

Signs for Mariners

Signs have always furnished a vivid means of advertising wares and attracting the attention of prospective bu…  [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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Recent News: Signs

Source: Google News

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Examiner.com
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... veterans Dave Meece (17 years) and George Glass (36 years) as well as a quirky antique sign out front that turns heads with the words: "3 Barbers & Gil. ...

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Caliva, originator of the new tour, dredged up antique signs, a treasure-trove of old black-and-white photos of performers, some vintage costumes and other ...

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Top eBay Auctions    (get weekly Signs email)

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*** Braender Tires Tin Flange Sign Extremely Rare$9,200 Ends Friday 17 bids 130 watchers
United Motors Service Neon Sign Delco Gm Chevy Original$1,568 Ends in 17 hours 8 bids 53 watchers
Small Early Frys Enamel Advertising Sign$1,383 Ends in 23 hours 11 bids 70 watchers
Rare 1939 Coca Cola Neon Sign Buy it Now$1,125 Ends Sunday 3 bids 31 watchers
Gmc Trucks Sign Neon Original 1950 $1,026 Ends Thursday 3 bids 34 watchers
Old Original Sinclair Gasoline Station Porcelain Sign$965.89 Ends Wednesday 22 bids 75 watchers
Vintage Nos 1941 "orange Crush" Sign With "crushy Boy"$860.00 Ends Sunday 16 bids 68 watchers
Wolverine 145 Nabisco Variant Cgc Ss 9.8 Sign Stan Lee$810.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 28 watchers
48 In. Double Sided Porcelain Shell Sign Gas Pump Globe$749.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 21 watchers
Old Pacific Lager Beer Porcelain Sign 15 By 20 Inches$709.00 Ends Sunday 12 bids 51 watchers
1930's Shell Gas Oil Air Meter 2 Sided Porcelain Sign$708.00 Ends Thursday 11 bids 63 watchers
Vintage 1938 Grain Belt Porcelain Neon Sign 2 Sided$660.00 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 36 watchers
Vintage Lighted Ford Tractor Dealership Sign Circa 1964$635.00 Ends Tuesday 8 bids 22 watchers
Old Porcelain Sign Mccormick Deering Service Tractor$512.76 Ends Monday 2 bids 12 watchers
Original Porcelain United Motors Service Auto Sign.$510.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 28 watchers
Antique 1950's Gulf Gas Metal Sign With Metal Stand$405.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 43 watchers
Nice Egyptienne Cigarettes Sign, Grt Grafix $395.00 Ends in 58 mins 2 bids 9 watchers
1928 Studebaker Erskine Dealership Sign - Original$370.52 Ends in 23 hours 4 bids 37 watchers
Hamm's Beer Bar Scenarama Motion Light Sign Hamms Sign$365.00 Ends Sunday 9 bids 27 watchers
2009 Budweiser Mlb All-star Neon Sign$360.85 Ends in 19 hours 6 bids 10 watchers
Vintage Porcelain Corner Sign Garland Stoves And Ranges$355.00 Ends Sunday 3 bids 49 watchers
The Dunes Wildwood Nj Doo Wop Neon Motel Sign!$350.00 Ends Sunday 10 bids 15 watchers
Original Chrysler Plymouth Service Porcelain Sign$338.66 Ends Tuesday 8 bids 38 watchers
1926 Havoline Motor Oil, Porcelain Sign - Very Nice !$328.63 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 30 watchers
Old Texaco Porcelain Gas Station Sign Original Nice$300.44 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 30 watchers
Original Phillips 66 Gas Oil 30x30 Porcelain Sign 1948$290.99 Ends Sunday 8 bids 46 watchers
Texaco Enamel Sign C1937 Single Sided -bright Red Type$282.37 Ends Monday 4 bids 46 watchers
Wonderful Condition Coca-cola 16" Button Sign No Res$275.00 Ends Sunday 15 bids 55 watchers
Vintage Original 40's Ac Service Fuel Pump Flange Sign $263.08 Ends Sunday 21 bids 8 watchers
1960's Studebaker Dealership Lighted Sign$260.55 Ends in 23 hours 16 bids 32 watchers
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Vintage Shell Gasoline Porcelain Sign$255.00 Ends Monday 6 bids 39 watchers
1950s Diecut Shell Kerosene Flange Gas Oil Sign Nos$249.28 Ends Sunday 7 bids 33 watchers
Coca-cola Vintage 1946 Tin Sign$225.00 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 20 watchers
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Porcelain Sign Thermometer Original Chicago $214.50 Ends in 17 hours 2 bids 33 watchers
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Original Gulf Gas Oil Porcelain Letters Sign Excellent!$202.50 Ends Sunday 11 bids 42 watchers
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1950's Nehi Beverages Tin Metal Sign Soda Mint!$201.99 Ends Sunday 4 bids 25 watchers
New Corona Extra Neon Light Sign Beer Bar-no Reserve$201.00 Ends in 4 hours 19 bids 16 watchers
Original Union Ice Company Porcelain Sign$200.00 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 16 watchers
Hudson Motor Company Neon Sign$199.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 2 watchers
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1950's Willys Authorized Service 20" Porcelain Sign$199.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 35 watchers

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