• 19th Century American Misc

• Levi Jones Tavern Sign , 1810
• painted on wood
• 34 in. x 30 3/4 in. x 1 1/2 in. (86.36 cm x 78.11 cm x 3.81 cm)

• Unknown American
• American

• Bequest of Elizabeth Jones, 1976.24

• On View

Levi Jones (1774-1847), a farmer in Union, New Hampshire, kept a tavern on the main road from Portsmouth to Wolfeboro. The sign for the tavern survives; it displays the date 1810 and, though it is now missing, once bore the Masonic emblem of keys, square, and compass. These symbols are thought to signify initiation, firmness and stability, and delineation, respectively. Jones was an active member of the Masonic Order and he served three times as the Master of Humane Lodge, number 21, which he had also helped to found. His inn is believed to have functioned as a meeting place for the members.

For centuries, European tavern owners used signs with prominent illustrations to advertise their business because much of the population was illiterate. The colonists brought this tradition to America. The early signs featured a unique image, often the name of the owner or the interests or associations of the owner as depicted through symbols or icons. Street signs used art for a single purpose—to arrest and hold attention. As exemplified by the Inn Sign, the colors were bright, the lines strong, and the shapes simple and bold.