Advertising antiques are period objects originally made to promote a product, brand or business, now collected for their design, rarity and historical interest. The category includes enamel signs, shop display cabinets, showcards, mirrors, clocks, tins, bottles, counter dispensers, figures and other point-of-sale items, mostly dating from the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The growth of branded goods in Victorian Britain created a demand for durable, eye-catching promotional material. Enamel signs for railways, tobacco, cocoa and household products, decorated tins for biscuits and tea, and glass-fronted display cabinets for haberdashery and confectionery became familiar features of shops. Garage and motoring material, often called petroliana, is a lively specialist field, as are breweriana and pharmacy display items. Collectors value pieces with strong graphics, recognisable brands, original surfaces and good provenance from shops or businesses. Condition affects price significantly, but a degree of wear is acceptable and often expected. Fakes and reproductions are widespread, especially of signs and tins, so it is important to check construction, printing methods and evidence of age. In interiors, advertising antiques add colour, wit and nostalgia to kitchens, bars and commercial spaces.
