In recent years, antique signs have become a hot collector's item. Coveted for their nostalgic charm, these classic pieces are great for decorating one's home or business. These general guidelines will be useful to those who are looking to buy vintage signs for sale.
Originating in 1880's Europe, the earliest models were fashioned from porcelain enamel. Each distinct color layer of the powdered glass was attached to a rolled iron placard and then heat fired, and the designs were then applied using a silkscreen or stencil. Tin was more durable and took over as the most common material used, and was predominant by the 1920's. Many of both types of signage were lost during World War II, during the scrap metal drives, so few genuine pieces still exist.
Another style of sign which was very popular by the twenties and thirties were the glowing neon designs. These delicate and rather costly models were still very popular with many businesses both large and small. They feature a series of hollow glass tubes bent in a particular manner which and filled with neon or another inert gas which lights up when the voltage reacts with it.
Cardboard signage from the mid-1900's is also a collector's item. These were mostly used to advertise various products and events. There are also some other special designs such as those made for doors which are also in demand by collectors. Some concentrate on collecting a specific type of sign from one industry in particular, while others will collect any kind.
The vintage sign collector must be aware that there are many fakes out there being sold as authentic by dishonest sellers. These mass-produced replicas may look genuine, but with closer inspection usually one can spot the differences which set them apart from the real ones.
It's important for the collector to recognize these fakes, as to avoid getting duped. Often the material they are made from is not one which used in the period the sign supposedly dates from. If they state a price of the item being advertised, this too can indicate a replica, as this was not the normal practice to display this information. When a sign has aged naturally there is likely to be chips, rust, pitting and the like here and there, not just a little rusty around the edges. If the buyer sees several copies of one sign, this is usually the biggest hint that they are fakes.
A real antique usually has slight variations in its lettering, as these were normally hand drawn or printed with a hand cut silk screen. There will also generally be some visible brush strokes, and the signs will be a standard size. Marks of aging will be uneven, evenly distributed damage may easily have been produced using chemicals to make it appear so. Real old designs are metal and will draw a magnet, newer ones are often made from aluminum and will not.
With the increasing popularity of vintage signs for sale, the price of these items has also one up. Collectors may have to shop around in order to find a bargain. They can check out both regular and online auctions, antique dealers, and even estate and yard sales where people who don't know how much these are truly worth are selling them for a low price.
Originating in 1880's Europe, the earliest models were fashioned from porcelain enamel. Each distinct color layer of the powdered glass was attached to a rolled iron placard and then heat fired, and the designs were then applied using a silkscreen or stencil. Tin was more durable and took over as the most common material used, and was predominant by the 1920's. Many of both types of signage were lost during World War II, during the scrap metal drives, so few genuine pieces still exist.
Another style of sign which was very popular by the twenties and thirties were the glowing neon designs. These delicate and rather costly models were still very popular with many businesses both large and small. They feature a series of hollow glass tubes bent in a particular manner which and filled with neon or another inert gas which lights up when the voltage reacts with it.
Cardboard signage from the mid-1900's is also a collector's item. These were mostly used to advertise various products and events. There are also some other special designs such as those made for doors which are also in demand by collectors. Some concentrate on collecting a specific type of sign from one industry in particular, while others will collect any kind.
The vintage sign collector must be aware that there are many fakes out there being sold as authentic by dishonest sellers. These mass-produced replicas may look genuine, but with closer inspection usually one can spot the differences which set them apart from the real ones.
It's important for the collector to recognize these fakes, as to avoid getting duped. Often the material they are made from is not one which used in the period the sign supposedly dates from. If they state a price of the item being advertised, this too can indicate a replica, as this was not the normal practice to display this information. When a sign has aged naturally there is likely to be chips, rust, pitting and the like here and there, not just a little rusty around the edges. If the buyer sees several copies of one sign, this is usually the biggest hint that they are fakes.
A real antique usually has slight variations in its lettering, as these were normally hand drawn or printed with a hand cut silk screen. There will also generally be some visible brush strokes, and the signs will be a standard size. Marks of aging will be uneven, evenly distributed damage may easily have been produced using chemicals to make it appear so. Real old designs are metal and will draw a magnet, newer ones are often made from aluminum and will not.
With the increasing popularity of vintage signs for sale, the price of these items has also one up. Collectors may have to shop around in order to find a bargain. They can check out both regular and online auctions, antique dealers, and even estate and yard sales where people who don't know how much these are truly worth are selling them for a low price.
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