Antique enameled sign "Lead Mine Poud." - circa 1900

Old enameled plaque bearing the inscription "MINE DE PLOMB POUD." (Lead Pencil Powder.), from a set of enameled plaques that fitted the drawers of an old color merchant's cabinet. "Mine de plomb" referred to graphite or plumbago; in powdered form, this material could be used in various preparations and applications related to drawing and artisanal crafts. 19th-century technical sources explicitly mention "graphite powder, called 'mine de plomb'". Color merchants supplied pigments, colors, and various raw materials to painters, decorators, and artisans; their drawer cabinets allowed these many powders and preparations to be kept separately, each compartment identified by a plaque like this one.

✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920
✦ Origin: France, former color merchant
✦ Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm
✦ Material: Enameled plaque
✦ Condition: Used condition, with pronounced enamel wear, scratches, traces of oxidation, and small chips on the edges.

Old enameled plaque "Mine de Plomb Poud.", an interesting trade-related piece linked to the pigment, graphite, and artist supplies trade.