Handmade Signs & Gold Leaf

We make carved quarterboards, gold leaf boat names, custom life rings, and dimensional signs and letters.

We also hand-gild house numbers and transom windows on historic homes in Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington, DC.

What We Do

We make handmade signs that last for generations: carved quarterboards, gold leaf boat names, custom life rings, dimensional signs and letters, and gold leaf house numbers.

Every sign is designed, built and finished in our Edgewater, Maryland shop, then installed or shipped wherever it needs to go.

Design

We draw up a custom design and refine it with you until it’s right.

Manufacture

We carve, paint and gild every sign by hand in our shop..

Install

We install locally or ship your finished sign, ready to hang.

Our History

Designs & Signs was founded in 1976 by Brendon J. Brandon, whose sign making career has taken him across Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and the United States. He is a past President of the International Society of Gilders and spent six years as head editor of its magazine, “The Gilder’s Tip.” He has taught gilding and sign making for the Smithsonian Institution, the Fashion Institute of Technology and other organizations. Today, his son Travis Brandon, also a master gilder, runs the shop in Edgewater, Maryland, carrying on the same traditional craft.

Meet The Team

From The Portfolio

Burnished Silver Leaf Boat Name: Hummingbird on a Fleming

by Travis Brandon | Oct 17, 2026 | Silver Leaf Boat Names

Hummingbird is another Fleming yacht with a boat name in burnished silver leaf. We lettered her name in a large, flowing script, and we set her hailing port, Pensacola, Florida, in capitals below. Like our silver leaf boat name for Pearl, this name pairs silver leaf...

Silver Leaf Boat Name: Pearl, a Fleming at Burr Yacht Sales

by Travis Brandon | Oct 17, 2026 | Silver Leaf Boat Names

This silver leaf boat name belongs to Pearl, a Fleming yacht we lettered at Burr Yacht Sales in Edgewater, Maryland. We lettered the name in burnished silver leaf film in a beautiful brush script, and we set her hailing port, Venice, Florida, in classic capitals...

Mahogany Boat Sign: Gold Leaf and a Marlin for reKUPPERation

by Travis Brandon | Oct 17, 2026 | Carved Quarterboards

This mahogany boat sign for reKUPPERation is now on display at Burgee Bar. The name is a clever play on words, so we wanted the design to have some fun with it. As a result, a blue marlin sweeps across the board and curls right into the lettering. A Mahogany Boat Sign...

Palladium Leaf Quarterboard: Katalyst on Display in Key Largo

by Travis Brandon | Oct 17, 2026 | Carved Quarterboards

Katalyst is a palladium leaf quarterboard we made in our Edgewater shop. Today it hangs on display at the Burgee Bar in Key Largo, Florida. The board is mahogany with notched corners, and its bold, flowing script matches the energy of the name. Script Lettering with...

Fishing Boat Quarterboard: Fish Whisperer in Gold Leaf

by Travis Brandon | Oct 17, 2026 | Carved Quarterboards

Fish Whisperer is a fishing boat quarterboard we carved in mahogany in our Edgewater shop. The board measures 48 inches long and 10 inches tall. It also has notched corners and classic serif lettering. As a result, the name has a little personality. Carved Mahogany...

Mahogany Quarterboard: Chelsea, Carved and Gilded in Gold Leaf

by Travis Brandon | Oct 15, 2026 | Carved Quarterboards

We made Chelsea, a traditional mahogany quarterboard, in our Edgewater shop and shipped it to the Burgee Bar. The board is 47 inches long and 13 inches tall. Notched corners and tall, narrow letters give the name a classic nautical look. We carved the letters into the...