There may have been a thousand inns and hostels called ‘The Sun’, but only one that carried the original of this wonderful trade sign. Distinguished but friendly, making for a warm welcome. Made from hand-shaped hammered tin.

Not surprising that with its changing phases the Moon was seen as a magical place, with both its own Goddess and the Man who helped kids fall asleep. Our trade sign will be welcome décor to any kid’s bedroom. Made from hand-shaped hammered tin.

Big game hunt, Hemingway lore and legendary trophies...the Sign of a Fish... The fish market was housed under an elegant 1880s cast iron roof set on slender columns. It must have been during the late 1970s as I was taking my family through the aisles gazing at the contents of a veritable sea-aquarium. Except that most species on display were dead and for sale. Under a brightly painted trade sign of a swordfish stood a stout woman, sleeves rolled up, bloody hands resting on the marble display slab. Our Marlin trade sign is made from hand-shaped hammered tin.

Our Salmon trade sign is made from hand-shaped hammered tin.

Our Salmon trade sign is made from hand-shaped hammered tin.

The House With a Whale... In an age when streets were not numbered, houses were described by gable stones or their specific architecture. Trade signs became one way of achieving recognition. Talented tinsmiths competed to fashion artistic trade signs and three-dimensional images of animals and other subjects for which houses were named. Our expert reproductions, hand made in tole, hand painted and distressed, might as well be the originals once adorning the front of a harbor side fishmonger, the godown storing baleen and whale-oil, a tavern serving fresh seafood. All of our tole trade signs are hand shaped in hammered metal sheet. Each takes days to manufacture, paint and distress.

When did you last see a seahorse? I’m trying to imagine how early sailors, superstitious and ignorant, dealt with the strange and impressive animals they encountered, and how information filtered back to folks at home. If there was ever a connection between a whale and a mythical seahorse, it must have been in the Middle Ages, when huge sea animals from the deep were blended together with lore and myth. Trading ships kept close to shore and navigation was uncertain. Storms, however, swept ships out to strange and unknown places. Whales were many, and when found beached offered popular if rather smelly attractions. True sailor’s stories about huge octopuses keeping ships in a deadly embrace made less sense than the reputed existence of a horse with a fish tail, riding the waves and carrying mermen to visit their favorite mermaids.  All of our tole trade signs are hand shaped in hammered metal sheet. Each takes days to manufacture, paint and distress.

Made of wrought iron. Fits all trade signs except the Sun and Moon.