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...
Metal
Palm Desert City Limit Highway Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The sign reads “Palm Desert, City Limit, Pop 14,200, Elev 238.”
Metal
Los Angeles Freeway City Limit Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Super cool Los Angeles freeway sign. Made in the late 1990s. This sign welcomed you as you entered the city of Los Angeles. Stamped "PROPERTY STATE OF CALIFORNIA" on bottom right. St...
Aluminum
Los Angeles City Limit Freeway Sign, USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amazing City of Los Angeles freeway sign. This sign welcomed you as you entered the city of Los Angeles. Reflective letters and border as well as a protective plastic sheet over the ...
Aluminum
1978 Austin City Limit Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible vintage Austin city limit freeway sign from 1978. Made in a 3/4" thick plywood with hand painted lettering on a reflective metallic sheet covering the front.
Wood, Paint
City Limits Sign
Located in Seattle, WA
Double-sided wooden city limits sign painted black and white. Pale green lichen covers most of this item giving it a fabulous patina.
Wood
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.
Steel
Vintage 'Lodging" Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage highway sign in cobalt blue reflective metal. Depicts a person sleeping in bed. Sign was used to direct drivers to hotels/motels up the road. Large size at 30" x 30".
Steel
Vintage Los Angeles Pedestrian Crossing Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive yellow pedestrian crossing sign from Los Angeles. Great coloring. Dent going through the middle. Still very presentable.
Steel
Vintage Prison Road Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage metal road sign for a United States Prison. Sign is letting the car know that they are now "LEAVING the TRAVEL RESTRICTED AREA." Interesting piece of automotive memorabi...
Steel
'Enter Here' Vintage Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage metal street sign illustrating 'Enter Here.' Sign is affixed to a pipe with reflective tape on the front. Meant to be driven into the ground. Good vintage condition.
Steel
Vintage 'Phone' Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage highway sign in cobalt blue reflective metal. Depicts a large white phone on a blue background. Sign was used to direct drivers to a callbox or phone up ahead. Large siz...
Steel
Monumental California Drunk Drivers Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great vintage highway sign that reads Report Drunk Drivers Call 911. Stamped "Property of State of California" at the bottom. Blue reflective sign with white lettering and trim. Grea...
Steel
Los Angeles 5 Freeway Shield
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Los Angeles freeway shield from the 5 freeway in Los Angeles. Interstate 5 runs from the Tijuana/California border all the way up to the Canadian border near Blaine, Washingt...
Steel
Long 'Dead End' Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage highway sign. Dead End Rd. Over 3 feet long. Cool vintage sign with good subject matter. Reflective material.
Steel
Vintage Los Angeles County Horse Crossing Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very cool vintage sign from Los Angeles County. Massive yellow sign with black horse and rider. Marked Los Angeles County on front. Great piece for a barn. Excellent vintage condition.
Steel
Vintage "We Love Our Children" Street Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fun vintage street sign that reads "Please Drive Slowly. We Love (Heart) Our Children". Black lettering and trim on a reflective silver background. Fun details like a red heart to re...
Metal
Vintage Gas Station Ahead Highway Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage highway gas station sign from Texas. Blue sign with white graphics. Great coloring. Good condition.
Steel
Large Vintage Los Angeles Street Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great vintage Los Angeles street sign. Reflective material with black plastic lettering and large green circle. Cool piece of art.
Steel
1959 California Highway 'Signal Ahead' Sign with Reflectors
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare 'Signal Ahead' yellow sign from a California Highway. Letters are made of reflectors. Stamped 'State of California' on the back with the date, 1959. Almost 4 feet wide. Extremel...
Steel
Wood 'Lunch' Sign, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Prominent 1980s reversible LUNCH sign in a unique and bold blue base color with white font and borders. The reverse side features colorful flowers and the word "ROSE" painted in maro...
Wood
Vintage "NEW" Road Sign
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Interesting vintage road sign made of steel. Depicts the word "NEW" at the bottom with an orange reflective panel above. Great vintage condition.
Steel
$53,651
H 98.43 in Dm 84.65 in
Italian Murano Glass Chandelier, Floral & Multicolored — Giovanni Dalla Fina
By Giovanni Dalla Fina Gallery
Located in Villaverla, IT
Italian Murano glass monumental multi-tier chandelier crafted during the nineteen sixties showcases theatrical, festive Venetian Baroque revival lighting design by Giovanni Dalla Fin...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Cowhide Area Rug in Multiple Colors
Located in New York, NY
A selection of cow hide area rugs in a range of colors. USA, circa 2000. Rug in main photo, in buff shades of off-white and tan, is available for viewing at the 1stdibs NYDC sh...
Cowhide
19th Century Italian Marble Well Head
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very rare 19th c. Italian Marble Well Head signed by Professor Polizi, Firenze, Italy
Marble
$22,500
H 33 in W 26 in D 44 in
Italian Baroque Rocking Chair by Pauly & Co., 19th Century Silver Leaf
By Pauly & Co.
Located in Queens, NY
Italian Venetian Grotto (19th cent.) silver gilt rocker with carved seashell seat & back and seahorse sides (att: Pauly et Cie, Venice)
Silver Leaf
A Victorian Ebonised Bobbin Magazine Canterbury
Located in London, GB
England, circa 1890 An unusual late nineteenth century ebonised bobbin canterbury, with four divisions and two lower shelves, all supported on bobbin feet. Height 57.00cm Width 44....
Wood
$28,000
H 45.28 in W 40.56 in D 1.19 in
Rare Monumental French Gothic All-Wrought Iron Double Castle Door
Located in Doha, QA
Among the rarest survivals of medieval architectural ironwork, this monumental pair of Gothic castle doors (one door-two wings) represents an extraordinary achievement in the art of ...
Wrought Iron
$63,000
H 72.45 in W 37.8 in D 4.73 in
Exceptionally Rare Medieval Castle Door with Protective Horseshoes, 14th-15th C.
Located in Doha, QA
An extraordinary and exceptionally rare medieval castle door, traditionally attributed to the 14th century, preserved within a medieval castle of 13th–14th century origin. Retaining ...
Iron
Victorian Nécessaire de Voyage
Located in New Orleans, LA
A work of extraordinary craftsmanship, this exquisite English vanity case is as much an item of luxury as it is of necessity. Known as a nécessaire de voyage, the case features a lux...
Velvet, Glass, Wood
$1,133 / item
H 0.8 in Dm 39.4 in
"My Moon My Mirror" Round Wall Mirror in Printed Glass by Moroso for Diesel
By Diesel Creative Team 1, Moroso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"My Moon My Mirror" is a round wall mirror, designed by Diesel Creative Team and manufactured by Moroso, featuring a tempered glass mirror silvered and with a picture of the moon pri...
Glass
Magnavox Television Factory TV Sign, circa 1950s
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Incredible giant TV sign that graced the circa 1950s . Magnavox TV factory in Utah. Just under 11 feet tall. Mounted on original heavy iron pole. Original white paint and green/blue ...
Iron, Sheet Metal
Large Egyptian Green Stone Heart Scarab for Nes-Ptah
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A magnificent example, in both quality and condition, this beautifully preserved heart scarab is carved masterfully from a rich greenstone. The head, wingcase and legs are all well ...
Stone
$6,369 / item
H 39 in W 96 in D 33.5 in
"More Bench" Four-Seat Upholstered Sectional Wood Frame Sofa by Moroso, Diesel
By Moroso, Diesel Creative Team 1
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"More Bench" is a four-seat sectional sofa, designed by Diesel Creative Team and manufactured by Moroso, featuring stress-resistant polyurethane foam with differentiated densities an...
Leather, Fabric, Velvet, Wood, Ash
Murano Venetian Glass Water Fountain
By Gino Cenedese
Located in New Orleans, LA
An unquestionable masterpiece of Venetian glass artistry, this incredible glass fountain is the rarest and most fascinating form of Murano glass ever created. Masterpieces requiring ...
Gold Leaf
$69,259 / item
H 112 in W 170 in D 13.77 in
"Tecnica Library" Modular Shelving Bookcase by Jaume Tresserra for Dessie'
By Dessie Studio, Jaime Tresserra
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Tecnica Library" is a shelving bookcase unit, designed by Jaume Tresserra and manufactured by Dessie', featuring six modules with antique nickel finished metallic parts provided wit...
Metal, Nickel
$14,950
H 85 in W 41 in D 7 in
French Napoleon III Gilt and Silvered Carved Wood and Gesso Full Length Mirror
Located in Tarzana, CA
A fine 19th century French Napoleon III gilt and silvered carved wood and gesso full length pier mirror. The arched rectangular plate surmounted by foliage and centered by semi nude...
Giltwood
Samba Pinball Machine From 1961
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Vintage pinball game from Nice, France. Edited by Alben. Complete with original instructions and technical sheet.
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.
At Waddesdon Manor, artist Joana Vasconcelos has installed a three-tiered patisserie inspired by the narrative tile work of her homeland. We take a look at the cake sculpture and how Portuguese tiles have been used in architecture from the 17th century to today.
The streets of fin-de-siècle Paris were set aglow with colorful poster ads, thanks to the printing techniques invented by Jules Chéret. Now, the Milwaukee Art Museum is celebrating this undersung talent in America's first solo show dedicated his exuberant works.
Expert Jeff Bridgman explains the history and meaning behind the twinkling constellations that have graced Old Glory.
The iconoclastic style setter displayed African and Oceanic art, as well as works by indigenous peoples of the Americas, alongside pieces by such major modernists as Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock.
Perfect for July 4th weekend, a new show at Philadelphia's Museum of the American Revolution displays an array of antique red, white and blue flags.
Designers are beginning to see this enigmatic form of folk art in a whole new light.