Antique "Baggage Express" Hand-Painted Wooden Sign

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This double-sided hand-painted wooden trade sign with bold yellow block lettering on a field of worn black advertises the services … Read more This double-sided hand-painted wooden trade sign with bold yellow block lettering on a field of worn black advertises the services of Stuart Sasenbury's Baggage Express in Boonville, New York. Originally a venture in hauling ice, Sasenbury expanded to baggage, lumber, and grocery hauling, delivery, and couriering. Mr. and Mrs. Sasenbury also owned a diner and gas station in Boonville, which might have contributed to this expansion, especially as refrigeration made it to more rural areas.

The sign is constructed from a single shaped plank, the sign features heavy, stenciled-style typography with deep craquelure across the painted surface, bearing all the hallmarks of time and weather. Four corner mounting holes suggest it was likely affixed to a building or cart. This trade sign is a striking survivor of regional commerce, built with function in mind and aged to near-perfection. See less