History and Care of
Hex Signs

     About 300 years ago, groups of religious refugees from the Rhine region of Germany migrated to southeastern Pennsylvania. These settlers, peasant farmers, came to take advantage of the religious freedom being offered by William Penn. They included Amish, Mennonites, Lutherans and other Reformed groups. These people became known as "Pennsylvania Dutch".             

   Bringing their old-world customs and traditions to Pennsylvania, the "fancy" farmers decorated their distinctive bank barns with large, colorful geometric patterns. Mystical bird and floral designs graced birth and marriage certificates, family bibles and some furniture. These very colorful symbols, now called Hex Signs, had meanings or "legends". A design was selected based on both its aesthetics and meaning for the family.               

   Some of the more popular symbols included, but not limited to: sun wheel for warmth and fertility, hearts for love, birds (called Distlefink) for good luck and happiness, tulips for faith and stars for luck. The specific colors used also had meaning: red for your emotions, yellow for love of man and the sun, green for growing things, blue for protection, white for purity, and brown for Mother Earth.               

   Early hex signs were painstakingly hand painted directly on walls, doors, books, etc. Jacob Zook, an 11th generation PA Dutchman, had a boyhood fascination with hex symbols that developed into a "Love Affair" as he grew older. On or about 1942, he began experimenting with hand silk screening of these symbols on round disks. Silk screening would make hex signs available at a modest cost for everyone's enjoyment. Hex Signs are still made this way today. Most hex symbols are screened using four paint colors. Each color is applied as a separate step with about a day allowed for the paint to air dry before applying the next color. It's only after the fourth or final color is applied that the hex design becomes recognizable.

   Artists who design and hand paint Hex Signs are known as "Hexologist", there are many silkscreen manufactures producing silkscreen signs today, but only a few Hexologist are practicing their art today and offer their Hex Signs hand painted such as Ivan Hoyt. In my online store https://unclejacksdelights.com/hexspec.htm and eBay, that it is my pleasure to offer both Jacob Zook (Zook's Dutch Novelties) and Ivan Hoyt (Conestoga) designed "silkscreened" Hex Signs. My Hex Signs are now being enjoyed throughout the world. Their color, beauty, originality and affordability make them unusual delightful gifts for family and friends.

Symbol Meanings


 

 
Indoor Use / Outdoor Use 

8" Size: Put one small rustproof screw or nail (Brass) in the hole near the center of the Hex Sign.
16" size: Put one small rustproof screw or nail (Brass) in the hole near the center of the Hex Sign. Drill 3 small holes, equally spaced, near the outer edge. Fasten with 3 rustproof screws or nails (Brass).
24" size: Put one small rustproof screw or nail (Brass) in the hole near the center of the Hex Sign. Drill 4 small holes, equally spaced, near the outer edge. Fasten with 4 rustproof screws or nails (Brass).