Vintage enamel sign "Lead Mine Paq."

Old enamel plate bearing the inscription "MINE DE PLOMB PAQ." (LEAD MINES PKG.), from a set of enamel plates that equipped the drawers of an old paint merchant's cabinet. "Mine de plomb" commonly referred to graphite, also called plumbago, a material used for drawing and also as a pigment in certain preparations. Paint merchants supplied pigments, paints, and various raw materials to painters, decorators, and artisans; their drawer cabinets allowed these numerous powders and preparations to be stored separately, each compartment identified by a plate like this one.

✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920
✦ Origin: France, former paint merchant
✦ Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm
✦ Material: Enamel plate
✦ Condition: Good used condition, with enamel loss on the left ear, chips on the edges, traces of oxidation, and wear due to age.

Old enamel plate "Mine de Plomb" from a paint merchant's cabinet, a beautiful craft object related to the history of graphite, pigments, and artist's supplies.