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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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by Interviews & Articles
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]
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]
Signs for Mariners
Signs have always furnished a vivid means of advertising wares and attracting the attention of prospective buyers. Pictorial desig… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
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
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
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
Ralph and Carol Falvo's excellent collection of automobiles, petroliana, jukeboxes, soda, and general store items. … [read review or visit site]
Other Great Reference Sites: Signs
Top eBay Auctions
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Rare Vintage C.1940 Budweiser Beer 49" Embossed Metal Sign~nice~very Neat!
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Hulk Faux Bronze Bowen Statue Sign #36 Avengers Iron Man Not Sideshow Kotobukiya
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Schlitz Neon Beer Sign Vintage 1960s 2 Color Flashing Neon
Vintage Texaco Lubster (lubester) With Origional Porcelain Signs
Vintage 1920s Standard Motor Oil Gasoline Gas Station 2 Sided 30" Porcelain Sign
Porcelain Automobile Green Book Officially Endorsed Enamel Porcelain Sign
Vintage C.1950 Coca Cola 24" Porcelain Metal Soda Pop Bottle Button Sign~neat!
Old Antique 68" Pontiac Indian 2 Sided Porcelain Metal Sign 
Scarce Vintage Coca Cola Coke Bottle Cap Cup Tin Litho Non Porcelain Soda Sign 
Vintage 1947 Mobil Mobilgas Pegasus Gasoline Gas Pump Plate Metal Porcelain Sign
1940s-1950s? Arden Ice Cream Porcelain Sign
Vintage Miniature Canoe Sign Salesmen Sample Western *h S Trask* Shoe
Vintage 2'x5' Pennzoil Metal Sign Motor Oil Gas Tin Old & Very Rare With Seal!
Large Vintage 1930's Metz Beer 41" Porcelain Neon Metal Sign~very Neat~noreserve
1960s Blatz Beer Bottle Man Light Up Motion Beer Sign! Vintage Bar Tavern Sports
1960s Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Hardware Store Display Animated Motion Sign
1955 Vintage Coke Coca Cola Non Porcelain Soda Bottle Cap Tin Litho Sign Nice!
Vintage Huge 4 
Improved Order Of Redmen Enameled Metal Advertising Sign Vintage 1920s 30s Sign
Vintage Aaa Porcelain Sign Auto Club Of Buffalo Emergency Services Nr
Vintage Original Santa Fe Route - Porcelain - Railroad Sign - 23 X 14 - Rare
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1965 Hamms Rippler Motion Lighted Beer Sign Works Perfectly Sky Blue Water
Recent News: Signs
Source: Google News
Local artist shows off hex signs exhibit at Starry Nites Café
Brighton-Pittsford Post, May 15thThe Shoe Factory Art Co-op located in Rochester's Neighborhood of the Arts. Her business Moonblossom Signworks features her hand painted signs for home or business, and vintage style faux antique signs. She teaches drawing and painting for teens and...Read more
Menomonie Blue Caps to open second season
Chippewa Herald, May 12thCorporate sponsors for the Menomonie Blue Caps are: the Dunn County Historical Society, Visit Eau Claire, Vintage Sign Shop, WEAU-TV 13 News, Lammer's Food Fest, Bill's Distributing, and the Vintage Base Ball Factory. For more information about...Read more
Love for music, friendship found at Moonshine Maggie's hair 'saloon'
Gulf Coast News Today, May 6thThe walls of her single-chair salon are lined with framed, autographed pictures of singers and songwriters along with antique signs. A guitar sits on a chair, waiting to be played by a musician who might trade a haircut for a couple of songs. Margaret...Read more
Yummy Rummy's to open doors April 15 - The Belton Journal
Belton Journal, May 6thThe walls are decorated with vintage signs. The most eye-catching piece of furniture in the shop is the spirit table, that has the Belton Tigers' face and the saying "Big Red, Nuff Said" on its table top. The shop is roughly a week out from opening and...Read more
Sackville Rod and Gun Club supper huge success
Sackville Tribune Post, May 5thThe live auction included an antique sign, four cords of firewood, a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, several prints and a cake. Proceeds from the fundraiser are used to support events and projects in the Sackville area. The membership of the Sackville Rod...Read more
A new Kodak is set to emerge from bankruptcy
Boston Globe, May 1stfilm and cameras hung outside a Chicago store this week,. Scott Olson/Getty Images. A vintage sign advertising Kodak film and cameras hung outside a Chicago store this week, but the company has sold off almost all of the businesses that made it famous...Read more
Vacated senior center now Lansdale Music Factory record store, concert venue
The Reporter, April 29thThe corner snack bar sports large vintage signs. “It's the same, it's just decorated different,” Griffo said. Visitors to First Friday Lansdale were the first to check out the live music space with a soundtrack of live guitar music by Jeff Lohan. An...Read more
Sign collector's focus disturbing
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, April 28thOther interesting ones are the vintage signs, mostly from the United States, that have very creative and amusing graphics and messages. Also from the U.S., there are many attractive signs from the various casino hotels and Disney hotels. From a...Read more