It’s amazing how much New Old Stock continues to come out of old stores, basements, attics, closets, junk drawers. Remember the big New York Times story about Retro Renovation last fall? “New old stock is golden,” and “…surfing the blog is like visiting a time-warp Home Depot.” Yup: That’s my goal! Today in the RR depot: Script house numbers — but check first that these are approved in your town; some towns ban them… some pastel sinks… and homey needlepoint. Once you’re into the seller’s listing, there’s generally even more. DOUBLE ALERT: Dig the one at the very end — that seller has oodles of stock, all kinds of numbers!
[ebay carousel now defunct]
To go to a particular item, click on its photo (NOT on the ebay logo) — then, click on the lime green “View and Bid” box, which will take you to ebay. Disclosure: When you buy anything from these ebay carousels or after you click into ebay here, it nets me a teensy commission.
Also, thanks to seller iwaslookin4that, for giving me permission to feature the listing photo.
Ann-Marie Meyers says
YAY! I finally am getting rid of the bright “brass” house numbers the former owner …ahem…cleverly…placed around the doorbell, so the zero had the doorbell inside of it. Isn’t that just to die for? Uh, no.
I have hated it ever since I bought the house, but was looking for some house numbers that were more 1960’s looking. I got ’em.
Thanks, Pam. Now, if I could just get rid of that awful vinyl siding.
Sarah says
Yay! I got my twelve twelve! I’ve been wanting spelled out numbers for a long time, but getting them custom made is outrageously expensive. I plan to leave the digits I currently have in place on the front porch for EMS purposes, and put the script numbers over the carport.
clampers says
That is a great idea…putting the numbers over the garage or carport. Genius, I say!
J D Log says
About a year ago I went to pick up an old kitchen cabinet which I got off ebay to restore as it was a deceaesed estate and they were bulldozing the place I picked up a fair few things.
Amongst the outside decorations was a number six exactly the same as the one advertised it had been exposed to the sun and rain since the early sixties and it has not faded or become brittle unfortunately it was not my number but I still have it. These were once common in Australia as well
JKaye says
Back in the day, people would come up with weird configurations, such as stacking the words on top of each other:
One
Thousand
Sixty
Three
Or they’d combine words and numbers:
Eight 0 Five
Or neighboring houses would have two different configurations:
Two Hundred Fourteen
and
Two Sixteen
This insconsistency made word addresses sort of a pain to figure out sometimes. Word addresses seemed more like a way for homeowners to be clever, rather than a way to actually help anyone find your house.
pam kueber says
🙂
Mrs Beckinsale says
What a coincidence! I was searching your blog yesterday for possible stockists of these. I found the same eBay seller. I’ll have to trawl the other comments for more suppliers, coz this eBay store doesn’t have my number. 🙁
pam kueber says
there are actually two sellers – the one at the front of the carousel, then a different one at the end.
gsciencechick says
I will check into this. We also have our house number painted in black and white on the curb. Some people think the paint is is a requirement, but it’s not where we live. I would love the script if it is allowed.
gsciencechick says
Sadly, not allowed.
Jeanne says
My last house had “Thirteen Twenty One” script on the porch overhang. I added numbers by the porch light because at night if the porch light was on, you couldn’t see the porch overhang address.
hannah says
On my old drive to work I passed a house that still has the ‘word’ numbers for their address. So, guessing in my local that it’s ok. Even if it’s not in my area (not too far away from where this other house is) I have the luxury of having a side entry (wet room? but almost like an enclosed porch) that I could display these on, leaving the regular numbers out front. I’d need 444 anyway, but I do look now and then for such a thing.
Elaine says
I am gettng Eighteen to post on my garage. I will have 18 next to the front door though. The garage around the corner on another street, very confusing for people. Now I need the street name in script to match.
Jason says
I love these – alas they are out of 2 I would need. I have a very long 4 digit number and it may be not 911 certified to have these out front in some locals, I know where I grew up when they gave everyone new 911 approved addresses, you had to display the number a certain way near the road. But that was rural, in town they didn’t change I don’t think.
Anyway – I think it’d be great along your fence near a patio, in a porch, etc. if you aren’t using it out front.