Shop Sign Collection

Horse drawn vehicles and barrows in Borough High Street, London, 1904
Horse drawn vehicles, barrows and shop fronts, 309-317 Borough High Street, London, 1904. Men and boys wait with barrows and horse-drawn carts

A Chinese shop, Limehouse, London, c1900 (1901). From Living London, Vol. 1, edited by George R. Sims. [Cassell and Company, Limited, London, Paris, New York & Melbourne, 1901]

Little Wooden Midshipman shop sign, c. 1750 (wood)
3071350 Little Wooden Midshipman shop sign, c.1750 (wood) by English School, (18th century); 85.5x35x29 cm; Charles Dickens Museum, London

The national pop-shop in Threadneedle Street, 1826. Artist
The national pop-shop in Threadneedle Street, 1826. Two designs side by side. On the left is the exterior of a pawnshop (representing the Bank of England) and on the right is the interior

A barbers shop in a small trading centre near Iringa in Southern Tanzania

Drinking party at the Christopher public house for a society of old Etonians that stole inn and shop signs
FLO4618807 Drinking party at the Christopher public house for a society of old Etonians that stole inn and shop signs. Signs for a pawn shop, milliners, optician, wineseller, fishmonger, cobbler

Irkutsk. Ivanovskaia Street, 1904-1917. Creator: Unknown
Irkutsk. Ivanovskaia Street, 1904-1917. National Library of Russia

Old Buildings In High Street, Nos. 17-27 (#16), Printed 1900. Creator: Thomas Annan
Old Buildings In High Street, Nos. 17-27 (#16), Printed 1900

Wharf, Santa Cruz, California, USA, 2022. Creator: Ethel Davies
Wharf, Santa Cruz, California, USA, 2022. Illuminated sign for a fish restaurant at the wharf, Santa Cruz, California, USA

Wharf, Santa Cruz, California, USA, 2022. Creator: Ethel Davies
Wharf, Santa Cruz, California, USA, 2022. Illuminated sign for a cafe at the wharf, Santa Cruz, California, USA

View of the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome, 1750. Creator: Thomas Bowles
View of the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome, 1750. A View of the Church & Hospital of the Holy Ghost at Rome

Scene from "Pefroen with the sheep head", 1740. Creator: Cornelis Troost
Scene from "Pefroen with the sheep head", 1740. "Pefroen met het schaapshoofd", farce by Y. Vincent

Pardridge & Blackwell building, Detroit, Mich. between 1900 and 1915. Creator: Unknown
Pardridge & Blackwell building, Detroit, Mich. between 1900 and 1915

John C. Graul's art store, 217 Fifth Avenue, New York, between 1900 and 1905. Creator: Unknown
John C. Graul's art store, 217 Fifth Avenue, New York, between 1900 and 1905

Glove Shop Sign, c. 1938. Creator: Joseph L. Boyd
Glove Shop Sign, c. 1938

Butcher's Shop Sign, c. 1939. Creator: Laura Bilodeau
Butcher's Shop Sign, c. 1939

Tradesman's Sign, c. 1937. Creator: George Constantine;Constantine, George
Tradesman's Sign, c. 1937

Shop Sign, c. 1939. Creator: Frances Cohen
Shop Sign, c. 1939

Tea importer's sign, probably 1937. Creator: George Constantine
Tea importer's sign, probably 1937

Music Shop Noise, Queen Street, Lostwithiel, Cornwall. April 1992
Michael Ransley, who owns instrument making premises in Queen Street, has been forced to move out because of constant road works outside his shop

Chinese sign and colonial buildings, Macau, China

Shop sign, Provence, France

Old Ceramic Butchers Shop sign, Gmunden, Salzkammergut, Upper Austria, Austria

Shop Sign, Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Shop Sign Detail, Old Town, Prague, Czech Republic

The Nakadaya teahouse, Japan, c. 1794 / 95. Creator: Kitagawa Utamaro
The Nakadaya teahouse, Japan, c. 1794/95

Shop Sign, 1938. Creator: John Sullivan
Shop Sign, 1938

Shop Sign, c. 1938. Creator: John Sullivan
Shop Sign, c. 1938

Shop Sign Spectacles, 1935 / 1942. Creator: John H. Tercuzzi
Shop Sign Spectacles, 1935/1942

Shop Sign Key, 1935 / 1942. Creator: Henry Tomaszewski
Shop Sign Key, 1935/1942

Boot Shop Sign, c. 1937. Creator: Alice Stearns
Boot Shop Sign, c. 1937

Hardware Shop Sign, 1937. Creator: Alice Stearns
Hardware Shop Sign, 1937

Shop Sign, 1935 / 1942. Creator: Albert Ryder
Shop Sign, 1935/1942

Shoe Sign, 1939. Creator: Albert Ryder
Shoe Sign, 1939

Sheaf of Wheat Shop Sign, 1935 / 1942. Creator: Robert Pohle
Sheaf of Wheat Shop Sign, 1935/1942

Shop Sign - Grapes, c. 1938. Creator: Robert Pohle
Shop Sign - Grapes, c. 1938

Shop Sign, c. 1939. Creator: Robert Pohle
Shop Sign, c. 1939

Shop Sign, 1937. Creator: Henry Murphy
Shop Sign, 1937

Shop Sign: Mans Shoe, c. 1939. Creator: Dorothy Handy
Shop Sign: Mans Shoe, c. 1939

Cup and Ball Fair, late 17th century (engraving)
KDC384100 Cup and Ball Fair, late 17th century (engraving) by French School, (17th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Cobbler (chromolitho)
974009 Cobbler (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cobbler. Educational card, late 19th or early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Medieval butcher (chromolitho)
974008 Medieval butcher (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Medieval butcher. Educational card, late 19th or early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Hullabaloo against a Tailor (engraving) (b / w photo)
CHT163964 Hullabaloo against a Tailor (engraving) (b/w photo) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Miseries of London: "Breast against breast with ruinous assault and deadly shock they come", pub
GHL42958 Miseries of London: " Breast against breast with ruinous assault and deadly shock they come", pub. by Ackermann, 1807 (engraving) by Rowlandson

Fol. 122v Merchants at the Lendit Fair near St. Denis, from the Grandes Chroniques de
XTR96387 Fol.122v Merchants at the Lendit Fair near St. Denis, from the Grandes Chroniques de France, 1375-79 (vellum) by French School, (14th century); Bibliotheque Municipale, Castres

Shopping in Sedan Chairs in the Last Century (colour litho)
2775517 Shopping in Sedan Chairs in the Last Century (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Shopping in Sedan Chairs in the Last Century)

Advertisement for Denyer & Dyson, Limited, silk mercers, linen drapers, house furnishers and upholsterers, Windsor
5997316 Advertisement for Denyer & Dyson, Limited, silk mercers, linen drapers, house furnishers and upholsterers, Windsor, Berkshire (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Delaware Avenue, north from Market Street (albumen print)
955442 Delaware Avenue, north from Market Street (albumen print) by American Photographer, (19th century); Free Library of Philadelphia; eFree Library of Philadelphia; American, out of copyright

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Step back in time and explore the captivating world of shop signs from different corners of the globe. In 1904, amidst the bustling Borough High Street in London, horse-drawn vehicles and barrows adorned the streets, showcasing a vibrant array of goods. Traveling further back to 1826, Threadneedle Street housed The National Pop-Shop, an artistic masterpiece that captured the essence of its era. Delving deeper into history, we encounter a little wooden midshipman shop sign dating back to approximately 1750. Crafted from wood with meticulous attention to detail, this sign exudes maritime charm. Limehouse in London takes us on a journey to c1900 (1901), where a Chinese shop stood proudly among its surroundings. Venturing beyond borders brings us to Southern Tanzania's small trading center near Iringa. Here lies a quaint barber's shop sign that serves as a testament to local commerce and community spirit. Meanwhile, Queen Street in Lostwithiel, Cornwall resonates with music enthusiasts as it echoes with melodies emanating from various shops - an auditory delight for all passersby. Crossing continents once more leads us to Macau in China; colonial buildings stand tall alongside traditional Chinese signs - an enchanting fusion of cultures preserved through architecture and signage alike. Provence in France boasts its own unique charm through vibrant shop signs that add splashes of color against picturesque landscapes. Austria's Upper Austria region reveals an old ceramic butcher's shop sign located in Gmunden within Salzkammergut - an exquisite relic preserving bygone traditions while adding character to modern-day streetscapes. Montalcino in Tuscany beckons visitors with its charming Italian ambiance enhanced by inviting shop signs adorning every corner. Continuing our journey eastward brings us to Prague's Old Town in Czech Republic where intricate details grace each individualized shop sign – true works of art capturing the city's rich history.