Pawnbroker’s Sign

Description:

This is a copper pawnbroker’s sign, most likely hung outside a pawnshop in upstate New York during the Depression Era. Pawning, or putting an item up as collateral for a short period of time, has been in practice since at least the 5th century in China, and gained popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages. Pawnshop owners during the Middle Ages began using this symbol, the three spheres, to designate the type of service they offered since around this same time. The three spheres most likely represent three (gold) coins, but spheres are more recognizable than flat objects when using them for signage. Immigrants arriving to the United States during the early years most likely brought and continued this tradition from Europe.

General Subject Association: Business

Subject:

See more items in: Work and Industry: Retail and Marketing, Advertising, American Enterprise

Exhibition: American Enterprise

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Credit Line: Gift of Wendy A. Woloson

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 2012.0156.01Accession Number: 2012.0156Catalog Number: 2012.0156.01

Object Name: sign

Physical Description: metal (overall material)copper (overall material)Measurements: overall: 24 in x 23 1/2 in x 8 3/4 in; 60.96 cm x 59.69 cm x 22.225 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-9b24-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1424934

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