Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Sign -  Vinyl Decal Design 4
Size: 12" wide Pennsylvania Dutch Hex signs are an intriguing example of folk art with a long history. The "Luck of the Irish" design - This sign represents the luck of the Irish. The design is centered around the Irish symbol for good luck, the shamrock. It features two Irish Distelfinks which add double luck to the sign. The trio of tulips represent hope, faith and charity. The outer scalloped circle represents smooth sailing throughout life. Decorating everyday items with colorful designs was a common practice for the German Lutheran and Reformed settlers of Eastern Pennsylvania. Furniture, to clocks, to birth certificates were decorated with symbols and motifs which the first settlers had been acquainted with in Europe. Many of the motifs used in these decorations included birds, hearts, tulips and very often, geometric designs which would imitate the stars, sun, and moon. Sometime in the mid 19th century folk artists began to transform the old geometric designs by enlarging them and painting them on barns. These designs would get the name Hex Signs in the 1920's. It appears that the name and the legend of Hex signs was due largely to two events. The term “hexsign” is derived from the Pennsylvania Dutch word “hexafoos” which means “witches foot”. The term was coined in 1923 by Wallace Nutting. While traveling throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, he became curious about the mysterious signs painted on barns in the area. Being an “Auslander” or foreigner, the local farmers weren’t interested in telling their secrets. So Nutting decided to fill in the blanks and give these interesting symbols a name of his choosing. Superstitions began to arise after this and have made the hex sign a fun part of the Pennsylvania Dutch folklore. This decal is made with indoor/outdoor vinyl. It can be applied to any smooth dry clean surface. If you have any questions please let me know. All our decals are made with top quality vinyl and are weather resistant. They are easy to apply and remove. If you need a custom size or more than one let me know prior to purchase. Check out the other Hex sign decals listed in my shop. Thanks!