well-maintained antique american 19th century original oversized solid carved wood exterior storefront bootmaker trade sign the wood carver or artist/sign maker is not known. the solid wood boot purportedly hung in the philadelphia area. the solid pine wood boot contains an older red and black paint finish. the original finish was likely a gold leaf (based on careful analysis of the surface). likely repainted in the early 20th century. great overall condition, considering age. the original wrought iron hanging brackets are amazingly intact. impressive boot form. 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 6 x 16 x 30 inches.