Painted Signs 1920s-1960s

Goldleaf Glass Signs

The gilded glass sign hung in a Verona, NJ optical shop for more than 50 years, before the business was purchased by new owners. The piece is still in excellent condition and is a testimony to the career of Sam Priapi (deceased), who was well known in North Jersey for his gilding technique. The sign was donated by the new owners.

The gilded glass sign dates to the late 1920s and was the work of William H. Cohen (deceased), founder of Signs O' Life, Boston, MA. The sign was donated by his son-in-law, Al Barber, who has worked at the company for more than 50 years and is well known in New England sign circles.

This Smart Frocks, 30 x 31-in. Art Deco, goldleaf sign once hung in an upscale Cincinnati-based women's store.

One of three Alf Becker goldleaf signs in the Museum's collection, each of which measures approximately 14 x 22 in and are framed in copper. This particular piece is signed by Alf Becker. Becker was the author of a series of alphabets for Signs of the Times magazine, beginning in the 1930s. What was originally planned to be a series of 24 alphabets grew to 320, spanning over two decades. The most popular 100 alphabets were later compiled into a book.