Although advertising has a history that goes back thousands of years, it is the Americans who have made it into an art form. Advertisements were put on everything from pocket mirrors to memo pads, the sides of barns to the sides of carriages and buses. A history of advertising printed in the 1880s even show an advertisement on a tombstone. With the advent of color lithography in the late 1800s, some of the most beautiful and highly collectible items were created. Tin signs with colorful, strong images, often embossed, were made for stores, and often found their way into homes. Paper...

Although advertising has a history that goes back thousands of years, it is the Americans who have made it into an art form. Advertisements were put on everything from pocket mirrors to memo pads, the sides of barns to the sides of carriages and buses. A history of advertising printed in the 1880s even show an advertisement on a tombstone.With the advent of color lithography in the late 1800s, some of the most beautiful and highly collectible items were created. Tin signs with colorful, strong images, often embossed, were made for stores, and often found their way into homes. Paper...