Old enamel sign "Pierre Ponce Pou.", circa 1900

Old enamel plate bearing the inscription "PIERRE PONCE POU.", from a set of enamel plates that equipped the drawers of an old paint merchant's cabinet. Powdered pumice stone was used as a fine abrasive for polishing and preparing various surfaces; its use is notably documented in the old trades of painting and lithography. Paint merchants supplied pigments, colors, and various raw materials to painters, decorators, and artisans; their drawer cabinets allowed these numerous powders and preparations to be kept separately, each compartment identified by a plate like this one.

✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920
✦ Origin: France, old paint merchant
✦ Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm
✦ Material: Enamel plate
✦ Condition: Good used condition, with small enamel chips, traces of oxidation, scratches, and wear consistent with age.

Old "Pierre Ponce" enamel plate from a paint merchant, a beautiful trade object related to old techniques of polishing, painting, and surface preparation.