Vintage and Antique signs have become in high demand with collectors and lay people alike. Their attractiveness and charm, as well their historical significance make them highly sought after. Boutiques, Restaurants, Hotels and people's homes feature these classic pieces - from the first branded products to road and street signs, Vintage signage comes in everything from neon, wood, enamel, and tin.
The very first signs to be massed produced were made of Porcelain enamel and began overseas in the late 19th century and soon made their way to the states. These were constructed by fusing powdered glass into iron. Initially, colorations were added by applying stencils whereby a unique layer was made for every color. As coloration techniques were improved upon the silk-screening method became the primary way to add design and color. Because of Porcelain's enduring nature these signs were super long-lasting and able to hold-up in any climate which made them ripe for mass production. However as time went on, the cost of production of Porcelain signs became unprofitable and around the middle of the twentieth century they began to lose favor.
During the 2nd world war their was a huge need for raw materials and many signs made of both Porcelain and Tin were melted down to help with the war effort. By this time tin signs had already peaked and were on their way out primarily because they just weren't as sturdy as their Porcelain counterparts and were prone to decay such as rusting. There were a lot of tin signs produced in the twenties. Coloration and design of tin signs was typically done via painting, screen-printing or stamping.
The world's first neon sign was unveiled in barbershop in Paris in the 1912. Neon signs get their pretty glow from the application of a strong electrical current to reactive substances contained within tubing of the sign. The heyday of the Neon sign ran from about 1920-1930. While they were very unique and eye-catching they were also costly to produce and broke easily. They did remain popular throughout he rest of the 20th century for lot's of small businesses and establishments but were more made as custom orders rather than mass produced. Of course their were a few exceptions with companies as will popular soda and beer companies.
A smaller niche of vintage signs are those made from cardboard. These were in favor after WWII and covered all areas of business, from products, to sporting events and shows. Collectors are highly interested in these items as well. A lot of times collectors of these items are also much broader collectors of vintage artifacts. The signs can be the missing piece to a collection or the cherry on top (so to speak) for another related piece. The major area's of interest are in cars. gasoline, beverages and food, farming, trains and travel.
When buying a vintage sign use your common sense. Ebay is a great resource for these items but be sure to spend a moment checking out the sellers profile and history. Make sure to ask any questions that you may have and gauge the seller's responsiveness to you. Is just telling you what you want to hear or is he being truly helpful and friendly. It is usually pretty apparent when someone is running a scam or is unscrupulous but do your best to investigate because there are a lot of reproduction signs (newly made) that are sold-off as vintage.