Vintage Vicks Cold Relief Young Girl Tin Litho Advertising Sign – Circa early 1950s

A Stunning Piece of Mid-Century American Advertising History

Step back into the golden age of American advertising with this original vintage Vicks Cold Relief tin lithograph sign, dating to approximately the early 1950s. Measuring an impressive 17" x 22", this colorful single-sided advertising sign combines wonderful period graphics, classic pharmaceutical history and the unmistakable nostalgia of one of America's most recognized household brands.

Dominating the sign is the wonderfully expressive portrait of a blue-eyed young girl with a blue ribbon in her hair, accompanied by the bold message “VICKS Relieves Suffering of COLDS.” Her image, combined with the soft turquoise and cream background and dramatic red and dark-blue typography, creates the kind of visual impact that made mid-century advertising so memorable.

Some collectibles preserve history. Others transform a room. This spectacular circa-1950-53 Vicks treasure does both.

Size: 17x22"

* See enlargeable images

Condition:  The sign has very minor scratches expected for a 70+ year old sign, otherwise it's in excellent condition. Please view photos. 

An Incredible Snapshot of the Vicks Product Line

Perhaps the most fascinating feature is the colorful display of vintage Vicks products across the bottom, including Vicks VapoRub, Va-Tro-Nol nasal medication, Vicks Inhaler, Medi-Trating Cough Syrup and Vicks Medicated Cough Drops.

These beautifully illustrated packages transform the sign into a virtual time capsule of the American drugstore. The presence of Vicks Medi-Trating Cough Syrup, which Vicks dates to 1950-53, provides an important clue placing this sign firmly within the early-1950s era.

Another terrific period detail is the bold advertising claim:

“OVER 159 MILLION VICKS PACKAGES USED YEARLY”

with earlier totals of 117, 53 and 17 million dramatically crossed out, cleverly illustrating the tremendous growth and popularity Vicks had achieved.

More Than Advertising — Authentic American Pop Culture

This isn't simply an old advertising sign. It represents an era when colorful tin lithography, memorable slogans and beautifully designed product packaging filled America's drugstores, pharmacies and retail establishments.

Today, surviving original advertising pieces such as this have become sought-after decorative collectibles precisely because they were never intended to become works of art. They were commercial objects created for everyday display—and the examples that survived offer a genuine connection to America's consumer and advertising history.

Vintage Advertising That Demands Attention

At 22 inches wide, this sign has outstanding presence. The combination of the child's portrait, oversized VICKS lettering, vintage product illustrations and wonderfully aged surface gives it the character that modern reproductions simply cannot duplicate.

Displayed in a home office, den, vintage kitchen, pharmacy collection, advertising collection, restaurant, retail space or eclectic gallery wall, it becomes an instant conversation piece.

For collectors of vintage advertising, antique drugstore memorabilia, pharmaceutical advertising, tin lithograph signs, Vicks collectibles and mid-century Americana, this is the type of original piece that brings both history and extraordinary visual appeal to a collection.

Original vintage advertising. Iconic American branding. Fantastic graphics. A true piece of mid-century Americana.

Produced for the Vick Chemical Company, Greensboro, North Carolina. Original American tin lithograph advertising sign, circa early 1950s, marked “LITHO IN U.S.A.” Manufacturer/lithographer unknown.

Early-Mid 20th Century; Original, 17” height, 22” width, single-sided tin litho sign titled “Vicks Cold Relief Relief Suffering of Colds” displaying products with a portrait of a young girl. Lower right is marked “Litho in USA.” The sign has very minor scratches, otherwise it's in excellent condition. Please view photos. 

Smith Richardson, the boy who inspired Vapo-Rub’s creation in 1894, understood better than most that Vicks products needed to provide relief you can feel. Recognizing that his father’s Croup & Pneumonia Salve contained unique and noticeable vapors, he recommended changing the product’s name to VapoRub in 1911, as well as changing the jar to the familiar blue color

Note: CVtreasures stamp Not on original