Petite Boots & Shoes Trade Sign

Circa 1870: This lovely 29.75" x 7.75" C.W. Clarke Boots & Shoes wooden trade sign in original black smalt paint and gold lettering on a single thin poplar board has a simple 1/2 inch deep frame and is constructed with square nails and has a penciled 1868 dated on the reverse. Smalt paint came into popularity in the United States just after the Civil War, and we believe the date on the back of the sign, though scripted at a later date, is a fairly accurate representation of the sign's age. This lightweight boot and shoe maker's trade sign exhibits typical minor warping and has a few old but later typical round nail replacements, but, other than that, is in completely untouched and original condition. Trade signs this small, this early, this honest, and this attractive are etremely hard to find, and we know the next owner will be pleased with this early American trade sign.