The signs, they-are-a-changin', which is why collectors and enthusiasts are prizing these authentically distressed vintage enamel signs more than ever.

Widely seen in the fifties and sixties and noted for their durability, enamel signs simply exude character as they speak to us of the golden age of advertising.

Today these beauties look great anywhere, but can usually found adorning the walls of games rooms, kitchens and the very smartest garages. We bring a few in from the US every year, generally acquired from barn sales and amateur collectors, and contrary to our usual policy we carry out no restoration bar a swift wipe with damp cloth! We like 'em rough and ready, and if there's a few rust scabs or the odd bullet hole scarring the surface then so much the better!

This example is extolling the virtues of New No-Nox motor oil - a lubricant that was supposedly capable of preventing those unwelcome banging sounds under the bonnet.