"Minium Factive" Enamel Sign - France, circa 1900

Old enameled plate with the inscription "MINIUM FACTIVE", from a set of enameled plates that equipped the drawers of an old paint merchant's cabinet. Minium referred to an orange-red pigment based on lead oxide, formerly widely used in painting and particularly for the protection of metal surfaces. Paint merchants supplied pigments, paints and various raw materials to painters, decorators and craftsmen; their drawer cabinets allowed these numerous powders and preparations to be stored separately, each compartment being identified by a plate like this one.

✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920
✦ Origin: France, former paint merchant
✦ Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm
✦ Material: Enamelled plate
✦ Condition: Good used condition, with enamel chips, oxidation marks, signs of wear and tear due to age.

Old enameled plate "Minium Factive" from a paint merchant's cabinet, an interesting curiosity related to pigments and old painting trades.