Old enameled sign bearing the inscription « NOIR À LA CHAUX » (Lime Black), from a set of enameled signs that equipped the drawers of an old paint merchant's cabinet. Lime Black refers to a black pigment compatible with lime-based preparations, but also with plaster, cement, and various pictorial techniques; current formulations are notably based on black iron oxide. 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 sign like this one.
✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920 ✦ Origin: France, former paint merchant ✦ Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm ✦ Material: Enameled sign ✦ Condition: Good used condition, with enamel chips on the edges, traces of oxidation, scratches, marks, and wear consistent with age.
Old enameled sign "Noir à la Chaux", an authentic professional object related to traditional pigments and old painting and decoration techniques.
