Q: This metal advertising sign for Hamilton Watch Company was given to me. The sign and frame are one piece of molded metal. I'd like to know the age and history of the building. Is this sign worth anything?
A: Collectors like tin signs like yours that advertise a known company and picture a building with smoke coming out of the chimney. The Hamilton Watch Company was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892. The factory was built in 1874 for an earlier watch manufacturer and additions were made until 1963. Watches were made at the factory until 1969. A subsidiary of Hamilton Watch Company occupied the factory until 1982, when the site was sold and put on the National Register of Historic Places. Six of the buildings were renovated and converted into apartments, two were converted into offices, and others were torn down because they had treated or stored hazardous waste. Signs with smoking chimneys date from the late 1800s to early 1900s when smoke meant jobs and prosperity. Your metal sign, if about 2 by 3 feet, could be worth as much as $1,000 to $3,000.
As a collector of Hamilton Watches and related advertising, I find this to be a great sign. I see this is an old posting, but please contact me if you ever wish to sell.
This is special. I can imagine someone really adoring it.