Country Store Wooden Painted No Smoking Trade Sign

Circa 1900-1925: Smoking was much more prevalent and socially acceptable 100 years ago than it is today, and this 24 3/4" x 9 7/8" NO SMOKING / ALLOWED IN HERE sign (in different fonts no less) , which most probably was nailed over a shop's doorway and certainly cast its stern proclamation to all who entered, seems dryly humorous when viewing it from a 21st century perspective. This sign was obviously made by a professional sign painter because its single pine board is enclosed and recessed in a mitred frame, because the sign and frame are carefully painted even so far as the artist lining the inside of the frame in white paint to exaggerate the sign's depth, and because the painter, who would have a number of stenciled letter designs onhand, chose to use a separate typeface for each line in order to catch more attention from the store's patrons. This seemingly simple sign is actually subtly complex, being well constructed and well conceived by someone who knew how to get a point across quickly and effectively. This sign remains in excellent untouched as found condition with a few nicks and tight age splits associated with age and use and remnants of some old paint around the back edge of the frame, where someone all those years ago failed to remove the sign when the wall was repainted and simply cut around it with a brush.