When did advertising become popular?

People have been advertising their wares for thousands of years scratching into bricks and painting wooden signs and pottery. However the emergence of the printing press meant that from the 17th Century onwards printed advertising became cheap and easy to produce through newspapers, gazettes, magazines, flyers, and journals. Better quality images through copper plate processes emerged from the mid 18th Century and colour tones began to be printed from the start of the 19th Century. While the approach to advertising has not really changed over the years, the sheer quantity has, in part due to even more mediums emerging such as radio, television and internet.

What are the most popular vintage advertisement items?

Most collectors of old advertising are drawn to the works for their own unique reasons, either because of the subject, Era or artwork. Enamel signs and posters are the most popular fields collected due to their variety and versatility. In each case condition and rarity determine the price, but all forms of advertising are collected from labels, cards and signs to far more unusual novelty items.

What is the oldest antique advertisement item?

The first known purpose made advertisements were written onto Papyrus and date to at least 3000 B.C from ancient Egypt. However people will have been scratching their shop or business name on to wood or clay even before that.

Why does retro advertising create nostalgia?

In an era when marketing focuses primarily on the future, the purpose of retro advertising art is to transport us back to the past where life is simpler. This type of advertising tells us about the fashions, fads and innovations from years gone by. If we were alive at that time it can remind us of who we were at the time, and if the advert is older than us we can still be transported in our mind to that other era

Antique, Vintage & Retro Advertising Memorabilia for Sale Online

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Tales to Tell Antiques

Two French Printed Advertising Fans

£ 45

€52

$61

Two French Printed Advertising Fans

£ 45

€52

$61

Tales to Tell Antiques

Elmgarden Antiques

Very Large Gold Brass Odeon Cinema Exit Sign

£ 1,350

€1,555

$1,826

Very Large Gold Brass Odeon Cinema Exit Sign

£ 1,350

€1555

$1826

Elmgarden Antiques

Elder Books & Collectables

Original 1877 Complete Booklet for Pear's Soap Adverts For Complexion & Children

£ 26

€30

$35

Original 1877 Complete Booklet for Pear's Soap Adverts For Complexion & Children

£ 26

€30

$35

Elder Books & Collectables

Deviantik

Decorators Brass Sign

£ 99

€114

$134

Decorators Brass Sign

£ 99

€114

$134

Deviantik

Elmgarden Antiques

City of London Glass Edwardian Street Sign - Lothbury E.C.2

£ 1,250

€1,440

$1,690

City of London Glass Edwardian Street Sign - Lothbury E.C.2

£ 1,250

€1440

$1690

Elmgarden Antiques

12ft Long Hovis Advertising Baker’s Shop Sign

£ 4,500

€5,184

$6,085

12ft Long Hovis Advertising Baker’s Shop Sign

£ 4,500

€5184

$6085

Elmgarden Antiques

London Fine Ltd

Pair of Antique Butchery Pigs, English, Plaster, Shop Display Figure, Edwardian

£ 1,695

€1,953

$2,292

Pair of Antique Butchery Pigs, English, Plaster, Shop Display Figure, Edwardian

£ 1,695

€1953

$2292

London Fine Ltd

D and A Binder LTD

1950s Remember Sabine Pass Sign

£ 330

€380

$446

1950s Remember Sabine Pass Sign

£ 330

€380

$446

D and A Binder LTD

Deviantik

Doctors Name Plaque O’mahony Poole

£ 89

€103

$120

Doctors Name Plaque O’mahony Poole

£ 89

€103

$120

Deviantik

Brass Solicitors Sign “Reginald Leather”

£ 79

€91

$107

Brass Solicitors Sign “Reginald Leather”

£ 79

€91

$107

Deviantik

Brass “Physician & Surgeon” Sign

£ 79

€91

$107

Brass “Physician & Surgeon” Sign

£ 79

€91

$107

Deviantik

Tales to Tell Antiques

Victorian Painted Cast Iron Embossing Press Stamp

£ 25

€29

$34

Victorian Painted Cast Iron Embossing Press Stamp

£ 25

€29

$34

Tales to Tell Antiques

Elder Books & Collectables

1951 Large Film Lobby Card Pandora & The Flying Dutchman James Mason Ava Gardner

£ 32

€37

$43

1951 Large Film Lobby Card Pandora & The Flying Dutchman James Mason Ava Gardner

£ 32

€37

$43

Elder Books & Collectables

1963 Original Large Film Poster Lobby Card The Sadist Starring Arch Hall

£ 38

€44

$51

1963 Original Large Film Poster Lobby Card The Sadist Starring Arch Hall

£ 38

€44

$51

Elder Books & Collectables

1967 Film Poster Lobby Card The Spy With A Cold Nose Daliah Lavi Laurence Harvey

£ 30

€35

$41

1967 Film Poster Lobby Card The Spy With A Cold Nose Daliah Lavi Laurence Harvey

£ 30

€35

$41

Elder Books & Collectables

1951 Large Size Film Lobby Card For Amor Perdido Amalia Aguilar Original Print

£ 48

€55

$65

1951 Large Size Film Lobby Card For Amor Perdido Amalia Aguilar Original Print

£ 48

€55

$65

Elder Books & Collectables

1941 Large Film Poster Lobby Card For The Great Train Robbery Original Print

£ 35

€40

$47

1941 Large Film Poster Lobby Card For The Great Train Robbery Original Print

£ 35

€40

$47

Elder Books & Collectables

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

British 1940's Enamel Southern Railway Target Sign From Dover Priory Station

£ 5,000

€5,760

$6,761

British 1940's Enamel Southern Railway Target Sign From Dover Priory Station

£ 5,000

€5760

$6761

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

British 1940s Enamel Southern Railway Target Sign Ramsgate Train Station

£ 5,000

€5,760

$6,761

British 1940s Enamel Southern Railway Target Sign Ramsgate Train Station

£ 5,000

€5760

$6761

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Trade Antiques

Enamel Street Sign No Parking L.A Traffic Dept 1960s

£ 185

€213

$250

Enamel Street Sign No Parking L.A Traffic Dept 1960s

£ 185

€213

$250

Trade Antiques

Large Enamel Funfair Sign 1960s 5 Foot 8 Length

£ 585

€674

$791

Large Enamel Funfair Sign 1960s 5 Foot 8 Length

£ 585

€674

$791

Trade Antiques

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Rare Antique Canadian Trans Pacific Ships Advertising Poster Framed Showcard

£ 2,500

€2,880

$3,381

Rare Antique Canadian Trans Pacific Ships Advertising Poster Framed Showcard

£ 2,500

€2880

$3381

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Early 20th Century Double Sided Enamel Westminster Virginia Cigarettes Wall Sign

£ 950

€1,094

$1,285

Early 20th Century Double Sided Enamel Westminster Virginia Cigarettes Wall Sign

£ 950

€1094

$1285

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Beau French Boutique

Super Large Reclaimed Neon Sign Letters V & G Industrial Salvage Distressed

£ 295

€340

$399

Super Large Reclaimed Neon Sign Letters V & G Industrial Salvage Distressed

£ 295

€340

$399

Beau French Boutique

Elder Books & Collectables

1920's Packaging Adverting Label From Rangoon for J. A. Begbie & Co

£ 60

€69

$81

1920's Packaging Adverting Label From Rangoon for J. A. Begbie & Co

£ 60

€69

$81

Elder Books & Collectables

1920's Packaging Adverting Label From Rangoon Oosman & Abdul Sattar

£ 55

€63

$74

1920's Packaging Adverting Label From Rangoon Oosman & Abdul Sattar

£ 55

€63

$74

Elder Books & Collectables

Large 1920s Packaging Adverting Label from Rangoon Oosman & Abdul Sattar

£ 60

€69

$81

Large 1920s Packaging Adverting Label from Rangoon Oosman & Abdul Sattar

£ 60

€69

$81

Elder Books & Collectables

Large 1920s Packaging Adverting Label from Rangoon Oosman & Abdul Ganny

£ 60

€69

$81

Large 1920s Packaging Adverting Label from Rangoon Oosman & Abdul Ganny

£ 60

€69

$81

Elder Books & Collectables

Deviantik

Prudential Name Plate

£ 145

€167

$196

Prudential Name Plate

£ 145

€167

$196

Deviantik

D and A Binder LTD

Original Coca Cola Crate in Yellow

£ 42

€48

$57

Original Coca Cola Crate in Yellow

£ 42

€48

$57

D and A Binder LTD

Original Coca Cola Crate in Red

£ 42

€48

$57

Original Coca Cola Crate in Red

£ 42

€48

$57

D and A Binder LTD

Original Coca Cola Crate in White

£ 42

€48

$57

Original Coca Cola Crate in White

£ 42

€48

$57

D and A Binder LTD

Antiques-Interiors

Denim Neon Sign

£ 195

€225

$264

Denim Neon Sign

£ 195

€225

$264

Antiques-Interiors

Elder Books & Collectables

Coffee House Adverts From 1876 & 1877 for R Thompson, Tea & Coffee Merchants.

£ 150

€173

$203

Coffee House Adverts From 1876 & 1877 for R Thompson, Tea & Coffee Merchants.

£ 150

€173

$203

Elder Books & Collectables

D and A Binder LTD

1950s Cutout & Countered Sign

£ 570

€657

$771

1950s Cutout & Countered Sign

£ 570

€657

$771

D and A Binder LTD

Elder Books & Collectables

1885 Anti Gladstone Cartoon Practice vs Preaching, Sudan Military Campaigns

£ 120

€138

$162

1885 Anti Gladstone Cartoon Practice vs Preaching, Sudan Military Campaigns

£ 120

€138

$162

Elder Books & Collectables

Witch Antiques

Pair of Edwardian Oak Framed Tailors Signs

£ 585

€674

$791

Pair of Edwardian Oak Framed Tailors Signs

£ 585

€674

$791

Witch Antiques

Deviantik

Victorian Post Office Sign

£ 95

€109

$128

Victorian Post Office Sign

£ 95

€109

$128

Deviantik

London Fine Ltd

Framed Antique Advertisement, English, Advert, Carbosil Soap - Victorian c.1900

£ 575

€662

$778

Framed Antique Advertisement, English, Advert, Carbosil Soap - Victorian c.1900

£ 575

€662

$778

London Fine Ltd

Marlborough Antiques & Interiors

England Lithographic Poster by Feliks Topolski

£ 850

€979

$1,149

England Lithographic Poster by Feliks Topolski

£ 850

€979

$1149

Marlborough Antiques & Interiors

Antique Advertising For Sale

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Vintage Advertising & Antique Advert Memorabilia