The 1894 Sign Co
The 1894 Sign Company produce a range of handmade vintage signs that are manufactured using traditional methods developed over 120 years and inspired by the world's oldest supplier of number plates.
Established in 1894 in the steel manufacturing city of Sheffield, the company is in our fourth generation of Jepson family ownership.
Available in a variety of sizes and capable of being tailored to your specific tastes, this classic and evocative part of Britain’s industrial heritage will mature with age and comes with a lifetime manufacturing guarantee.
The 1894 Sign Co aluminium signs are completely unique, all handmade and are suitable for indoor or outdoor use. Whether it's a treat for yourself or for a loved one, it's the perfect personalised gift and suitable for any occasion!
20 Stylish Colours
From muted to bold, we have 20 stylish colour choices available for you to choose from when creating your personalised 1894 sign, all inspired by the great city of Sheffield and suitable for any home or taste.
Our best-selling high-gloss range comes in all 20 colours for a beautiful, premium vintage enamel finish, suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Fixings
We offer a variety of hole options so you can display your signs the way you want to. Whether it's ribbon, twine, chain or you're fixing your sign straight into the wall! We can pre-punch holes in your sign so you can display them however you like, indoors or outdoors.
How the signs are made
Step 1 – The raw aluminium is pressed using, in some cases, digit dies that are over 80 years old.
Step 2 – The raw aluminium is chemically cleaned in an alkali solution to remove dirt and grease, then rinsed in water before soaking in a bath of solution which prepares the surface for painting and gives corrosion protection.
Step 3 – The base coat is applied to the aluminium sign first, which is the digit colour. All paints are stoved enamel paint that are hand sprayed on to the sign – then baked for 30 minutes on racks in a 125°c oven.
Step 4 – The sign is sprayed a second time with the chosen background colour, this is then left to ‘flash off’.
Step 5 – Using a combination of thinners, the top layer of paint is removed over the digits exposing the coloured lettering from the base coat used.
Step 6 – Final bake at 125°c for 30mins and then your sign is left to cool before posting.
