Elegant Swells, Flourishes, and Preferential Weathering
This hand-lettered sign displaying shaded Spencerian script with Gilded Age flourishes fits perfectly in the late Victorian / early Gay Nineties commercial aesthetic – hand-painted by a professional signwriter. The script was heavily influenced by Spencerian penmanship (popular 1850s – 1890s). The exaggerated shading (thicker downstrokes, thinner upstrokes) and looped terminals are hallmarks of commercial sign painting during the 1870s – 1890s. Mixed case usage (“No Admittance” in title case, “Without Consent of the” in sentence case) is typical of late 19th-century signage. The Ornamental flourishes (swirls and cartouches centering “Owners”) are pure Gilded Age—very common in 1880s–early 1900s trade signs, especially for businesses, factories, or estates.
Preferential weathering is the primary factor in the subject signs raised lettering.
Item Date: 1885-1895
Measurement: 38.5" x 13" x 1"
Material: Painted white pine with original surface; square-cut nails
Item Condition: Excellent, consistent with age and weathering, A genuine, untouched late 19th-century American trade sign, a beautiful survivor.
SOLD
SKU 210-329
For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.
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