original hand-crafted early 20th century american exterior new york city double-sided hanging storefront optician trade sign. the original polychrome enameled and/or hand-painted finish has been retouched over the years, especially in and around the lenses containing the eyes and brows. the fanciful bridge (between the flanking or opposed lenses) remains structurally sound and stable. one side contains more paint loss than the other. unidentified sign maker. unidentified artist. the trade sign took many forms in early america. when education was a privilege and literacy rare, the ideal trade sign immediately caught the attention of a passerby and, because of its design, was totally self-explanatory. folk artists, sometimes including itinerant portrait painters, created signs that bore pictures that visually explained the name of the establishment or the services to be found within. these signs usually carried pictures or lettering on both sides and were hung from a tall post at right angles to the road, so as to be visible to travelers approaching from either direction. three-dimensional carved trade signs were often produced in the same workshops as figureheads and other ship decorations and usually displayed the same broad-planed carving style that typified american figureheads. the introduction of electric signs, which could advertise a business in the dark, led to the decline of the carved trade signs. measures 39 x 10 inches.