$165.00
Sapolio was a brand of soap noted for its unique and clever advertising, led by Artemas Ward from 1883–1908. Bret Harte, an American short story writer and poet, wrote jingles for the brand, and the sales force also included King Camp Gillette, who went on to create the fabulously successful Gillette safety razor and the razor and blades business model. Time magazine described Sapolio as "probably the world's best-advertised product" of its time period!
This pleasant trio of Sapolio Soap die cuts is in excellent condition and comes protected in an attractive, walnut-toned, oak decorative frame!
This very rarely found advertising trio together create quite a visually appealing decorative piece!
$325.00
Marked "Copyright 1924", in the lower left hand corner, this extremely hard-to-find advertising piece measures 10.5 inches wide x 13.5 inches high. Colorful and visually interesting, the heavy cardboard die cut depicts an engaging Uncle Wabash serenely strumming his banjo on his front porch! Guess the message to the consumer was, "Eat one of Uncle Wabash's cupcakes to experience your own little slice of heaven and serenity!"
Condition of this charming piece of Black Historical ephemera is quite good given its nearly 100+ years of age!! Old water staining to bottom of the die cut does little to detract from the piece. Crease line to one cupcake edge. Appropriate age-related foxing to back.
$75.00
Taken right out of her sewing room where it had hung for decades on the wall, the black and gold sign, which is painted on a heavy particle-type board, has a very lovely, warm, aged patina. It was very difficult to photograph as the black background paint readily picked up the slightest light source. The very first photograph most accurately depicts the color and appearance of this piece. Any white glare in any of the photographs should be completely disregarded, as both the color and tone of the sign are quite uniform.
Measuring 24" wide x 6" long, the sign has three eyelet-type holes in each of three corners (one corner is missing) to facilitate hanging. It comes with a heavy, ancient piece of wire that was used to hang the sign in the seller's home.
As noted in the close-up photos, the sign has its share of surface rubs, scratches, paint edge wear and three of the four corner edges missing-- all appropriate examples of wear for a well-used sign that is nearly 100 years old! Close examination of the sign suggests that the background was painted completely black first and then the gold edge-work and lettering were stenciled on top of the black background.
Just LOVE the look of this sign!
$255.00
The black-painted, metal frame houses a plastic, cream-colored insert that features an embossed lettering and design technique that advertises the name of the product for sale. The background of this insert sports a streamlined, horizontal, raised "striping" reminiscent of the Art Deco era. When light is allowed to pass through the plastic, translucent insert, the insert appears to be magically illuminated so that the green-colored backside of the sign shines through with brilliance. This effect can be enjoyed by either hanging the sign in front of a window or by fastening tiny LED lights (not included) on the backside of the frame.
The dimensions are approximately 48"L x 5.5"W x 3/4"D, and the overall condition of the sign is very good. The plain metal frame has been repainted in a durable, semi-gloss, black finish. The painted finish is in very good condition with areas of minor surface imperfection and slight areas of roughness here and there.
The vintage plastic insert is laminated in two tones, with the front noting a rich, aged, cream color, and the back noting a rich green tone. The front of the insert has faint surface imperfections and some areas of uneven discoloring. The lower left portion of the letter "M" has a minor, small, unobtrusive crack. Overall, the insert retains a nice glossed surface patina commensurate with its age.
A note: the first photo best represents what the sign will look like when illuminated from the back with LED or natural window lighting.
$38.00
This cleverly-designed image dates to the late 1890s to the early 1900s as it advertises the product as a CURE for all headaches. The passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act requiring that foods and drugs bear truthful labeling statements and meet certain standards for purity and strength, prohibited the previously popular and loose use of the word "cure" in product advertising from that point forward.
This delightful song book cover is framed in a 1930s era metal frame measuring 10" x 8". The graphics are quite sharp, and the paper appears aged, consistent with its 100+ years of existence.
$425.00
Lettering is original and in very good condition except for some unobtrusive scuffing and loss. Please note that the lettering is bordered with black enhancement. There are 2 holes, one on each side which were originally used for mounting on the building exterior.
Will make a great addition to your collection.
$45.00
The 2 inch thick wood sign measures 20 inches long by 5.5 inches wide and is in very good condition. The sign has some areas of faint edge splits, minor paint loss and other unobtrusive imperfections commensurate with age and use. The patriotic colors and embossed lettering create a striking display piece. Ready for hanging above your home bar or within your golf memorabilia collection!
$55.00
Black with hand-painted, gold lettering, this interesting advertising display would sit nicely on a shelf! In fine, all-original condition with the expected nicks and superficial surface scratches.
$145.00
This die cut was manufactured to advertise a specific item, store or location but was never used for that purpose or otherwise personalized. Likely, this vintage advertising piece was discovered and then framed so that it could be enjoyed despite its anonymity.
This pleasant die cut is in excellent condition and comes protected in an attractive, walnut-tone, oval decorative frame! The frame bears some minor veneer loss that does not impact the frame integrity, nor is it immediately noticeable.
A sweet piece!
$125.00
Veterinary signs of any type are quite scarce! Wonderful patina!
$195.00
The sign advertises the office of "James H. Groom. Dentist.", and remains in fine condition with rich, deep-toned, original patina and some very minor warping due to its many years of age. The lettering is actually impressed into the surface and is painted black. Any white marks appearing on the front of the sign are due only to light/sun reflection---the sign has a very even-toned coloration.
The sign has a hole at each corner to facilitate hanging, or it may be easily displayed upon a shelf!
A fabulous, scarce, rich-looking display piece with great "eye appeal"!
*****SOME HISTORY*****
We were contacted by the granddaughter recently with this insightful information.
I thought you might be interested to know that I have a photograph in my family photo archive that shows this very sign in situ. The photo has my great grandfather in the doorway of a chemist shop called Nicholls in Camborne, Cornwall. On the door post I can just make out this brass plaque (using a magnifying glass and good light - takes quite a bit of concentration). Anyway, I thought it would help if you knew where it came from. On the 1911 UK Census, there is a James Henry Groom age 28, living as a Boarder at the house of Jane Bray, 19 Basset Street, Camborne. His occupation is described as 'Dentistry' and it says he was born in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. The photo I have is probably taken after 1911 but probably before 1920. Interesting for whoever might buy it to know its history.
$225.00
The black-painted, metal frame houses a plastic, cream-colored insert that features an embossed lettering and design technique that advertises the name of the product for sale. The background of this insert sports a streamlined, horizontal, raised "striping" reminiscent of the Art Deco era. When light is allowed to pass through the plastic, translucent insert, the insert appears to be magically illuminated so that the green-colored backside of the sign shines through with brilliance. This effect can be enjoyed by either hanging the sign in front of a window or by fastening tiny LED lights (not included) on the backside of the frame.
The dimensions are approximately 33"L x 5.5"W x 3/4"D, and the overall condition of the sign is very good. The plain metal frame has been repainted in a durable, semi-gloss, black finish. The frame is missing an approximate 5 inch piece at the top half of the left side of the frame; It is not noticeable when the frame is hanging.(see photo) There is also an unobtrusive crimp to the left edge of the frame. (see photo) The painted finish is in very good condition with areas of minor surface imperfection and slight areas of roughness here and there.
The vintage plastic insert is laminated in two tones, with the front noting a rich, aged, cream color, and the back noting a rich green tone. The front of the insert has faint surface imperfections and some areas of uneven discoloring. The lower left portion of the letter "M" has a minor, small, unobtrusive crack. Overall, the insert retains a nice glossed surface patina commensurate with its age.
A note: the first photo best represents what the sign will look like when illuminated from the back with LED or natural window lighting.
$350.00
Framed in sturdy wood, this metal sign is hand-painted in stunning blues, whites, and oranges and reads: “JOHN E. MELVIN – PLUMBER – TEL. CONN”.
Measuring approximately 32.5 inches wide x 18 inches high, this vintage tin sign, a most unusual find, has wonderful visual graphic appeal and would add great decorative interest to any room!
The condition of the sign is quite good with lovely patina and appropriate surface wear for its 90+ years of age. Note a small unobtrusive piece of framing missing from the bottom right.
$85.00
Given away as a premium for opening a bank account, this still bank advertises the Mechanics Savings Bank of Hartford, Connecticut.
The bank is complete with the famous Liberty Bell crack down its front as well as this slogan etched around its top, "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All The Inhabitants Thereof. LEV XXV 10".
Manufactured by the Bankers S & C System Company, Cleveland, Ohio, this bank bears a patent date of February 18, 1919, as inscribed on its base.
Made of metal and wood. The whereabouts of the original key is unknown but it is likely that any flat metal key of the period and appropriate size would open it.
A fine decorative piece for either the still bank collector or Revolutionary War buff!
$95.00
The very popular Mary Jane paper doll series was featured each month in Good Housekeeping Magazine for months, with little girls everywhere excited to immediately cut out the doll and her accessories for play!
From the 1920s through the 1960s, paper dolls were an extremely popular play toy with a wide variety of paper doll "books" sold in the 5 & 10 cent stores of the day such as Woolworth, Berdine and Kresge, to name a few. The Mary Jane paper doll always conformed to seasonal themes, with the coloring and artistry of Berta and Elmer Hader never failing to please little girls everywhere.
Given the extreme play-time popularity of paper dolls, it is very rare to find an uncut sheet such as this!
Berta and Elmer Hader worked together to design children's sections for Good Housekeeping, McCall's, Pictorial Review, Asia, Century, and The Christian Science Monitor. They created pictures and cut-outs, often featuring children dressed in national costumes. In Berta and Elmer Hader's Picture Book of Mother Goose, the couple collated pen-and-ink and color drawings they had done for Monitor and Good Housekeeping to great acclaim. When the US Postal Service dis-allowed the sending of magazines with cut-out segments in 1926, the Haders switched gears, gaining a contract with MacMillan for a series of children's books. They began writing the stories for some of the books in this period. Demand for their product soared, and they worked incessantly from 1927–1931, illustrating, in some cases writing, producing, and helping to sell thirty-four titles. They stayed busy for the rest of their lives, producing another seventy or so books before they retired in 1964. One book in particular, Billy Butter (1936), so impressed writer John Steinbeck that he requested Elmer Hader do the cover to The Grapes of Wrath (1939). Hader eventually did covers for two other Steinbeck works, East of Eden (1952) and The Winter of Our Discontent (1961).
Professionally matted and framed some many, many years back, this lovely piece of wall art advertising measures 10.5 inches wide x 13.5 inches long and remains in excellent original condition given its 100 years of age! Any discoloration, facing of color or reflection seen in photos is related to the difficulty photographing an object under glass and is NOT an imperfection to the piece.
$45.00
$65.00
Featuring a delightful, cartoon-like caricature of a black man, this board is in very good condition with minor edge wear, slight age-discoloration and a teeny missing piece of the front rim of the hat.
An interesting, seldom-found piece of Black Memorabilia!
Please disregard reflections in photos that are due to the presence of protective plastic wrap.
$15.00
Featuring a double heart motif, the advertising slogan spouts, "When Two Hearts Beat As One, It's Time To Buy Your Furniture From "Old Reliable" Petersburg Furniture Company, "Petersburg's Oldest Furniture Store!
Neat mid-20th-century advertising piece in very fine original condition!
$575.00
The signs were purchased directly from the fish shack owners, and were, thirty-something years later, sold out of that purchaser's estate sale. During the purchaser's lifetime, the signs hung, one-over-the-other above the fireplace in the purchaser's den. They have been in my personal collection since 2003.
These signs have a very colorful, folk-art appeal and are certainly utterly unique! They very much fit into the American, Southern "Outsider Art" collecting genre, a genre which highlights the work of self-taught, rural area artists who create fabulous and highly expressive art using the media and materials that they have at hand and which reflects the world that they know and live in.
The signs are quite heavy as each is painted on a solid wood board. The signs are nearly identical in size and measure approximately 25 1/2 inches wide x 14 5/8 high x 3/4ths of an inch thick. One of the signs has very, very slight warping, but the warping is not readily evident as seen in pictures. Each sign has 2 holes from which to hang them, and the old rusted hanging wire which is seen in the photos has been replaced with new wire.
$75.00
This type of display would have been placed on the counter next to the checkout register with the gum and candy to entice little girls and boys to purchase!
The display box cover features a city policeman demonstrating the authentic and powerful amplitude of the whistles. The cover has a perforated seam that was meant to be unfastened when the box was displayed open so that the policeman and city skyline stood tall above the whistles. The cover has yet to be displayed in this manner.
Marked ALL AMERICAN PLASTIC WHISTLES with no other maker’s mark evident. Very Cool and Colorful Baby Boomer Collectible!