Old enamel sign bearing the inscription "BLANC DE CRAIE" (Whiting), from a set of enamel signs that equipped the drawers of an old paint merchant's cabinet. Whiting referred to pulverized white chalk, mainly composed of calcium carbonate, used as a white pigment and filler, especially in distemper paints and various pictorial preparations. 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 stored separately, each compartment being identified by a sign like this one.
✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920 ✦ Provenance: France, former paint merchant ✦ Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm ✦ Material: Enamel plate ✦ Condition: Very good used condition, with small enamel chips on the edges, slight traces of oxidation, scratches, and wear due to age.
Old "Blanc de Craie" (Whiting) enamel sign, an interesting professional piece related to white pigments, pictorial techniques, and old paint and color merchants.
