This is the sign of a Grocer, the tapered cylinders represent 'sugar loaves' i.e hard refined 'white' sugar. The refining process was not allowed to be carried out by the British Govt.within the Caribbean region (where the unrefined 'brown' molasses was grown/produced) and was processed in either the UK or other colonies as a liquid form to 'white' then poured into earthenware moulds to cool , hence the shape seen above.
A Pawnbrokers Sign, is usually 3-balls , a sign for short term 'money-lending', adapted from the coat-of-arms of the ancient De Medici family in N.Italy who were early financiers and bankers
Jim McGlothlin
30-Nov-2011 15:35
That is a pawn broker's sign with the traditional symbol for such.
