Berkeley Signs designs and manufactures a wide range of period-sensitive sign art for commercial and private use. Our specialties include hand-lettering, wall-painting, carving, specialty glass work, gilding, wrought-iron and custom structures. We also offer graphic design consulting, illustrating, pictorial painting and faux-finishing. We often work with business owners, graphic designers, architects, and varied artists to enhance their projects in unique ways.
Steven Vigeant is dedicated to researching and sustaining traditional sign and related crafts that are becoming a rarity in today’s sign market. He is a long-standing participant in the International Letterhead movement which seeks to preserve and support the legacy of finely-crafted signage. This association with some of the world’s best sign makers has made it possible for Berkeley Signs to develop a repertoire of vintage techniques to meet an array of graphic and architectural design goals.
The Camelia Tea Room sign suits a classic Victorian style cafe in downtown Benicia. The Western Cedar plank is routed for depth and finished with brass leaf. The center panel is glue-chipped glass with 23k gold water-gilding.
The Flora sign is a late 1950’s addition to the historic Floral Depot building in downtown Oakland. The paint and neon were restored and modified from original wording “FLORAL” to “FLORA” to suit the new restaurant that salvaged the sign. Berkeley Signs worked with master neon artist Bill Concannon of Argon Neon, Crockett, CA. to completely revitalize the the vintage sign.
Occasio Winery entry with dimensional sign art inspired and adapted from the fantasy wine-making illustration and logo designed by Chickadee Branding. It was a compelling challenge to capture the spirit of the original flat artwork using sculpted elements in conjunction with found objects The sculpture consists of carved wood with rusting paint, clay, leather, sewing machine and tractor parts The letters are copper leaf-gilded acrylic.
This storefront was designed in collaboration with the owners of Crixa Cakes who were inspired from their travels in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. The sign graphics were rendered with enamel paint and the sign was finished with custom steel.framing and hardware.
This sign from the Berkely shop “Castles in the Air” features authentic gilding and paint techniques from a classic period of advertising art. The glue-chipped and chemically silver-mirrored glass is typical of the style of Rawson & Evans Co., circa 1890s.
San Francisco City Hall entrance. The Wedding Window! 23k gilded lettering with black outline by Berkeley Signs
Cole Hardware in San Francisco’s North Beach. Berkeley Signs handcrafted the sign with urethane letters with brass-gilded finish, painted background with silver border. The window item band was lettered with 23k gold and paint.
Resurrection Oakland Church. Hand carved sign with traditional incised and 23k gilded lettering by Steve Vigeant of Berkeley Signs. The oak frame was made by Lou Kern of Functional Art.
