"Grey Earth" pigment enameled plate - France, circa 1900

Old enameled plate bearing the inscription "TERRE GRISE" (Grey Earth), from a set of enameled plates that equipped the drawers of an old paint merchant's cabinet. Grey earth was a mineral color used in painting; it appears notably in old pigment nomenclatures alongside ochres, Siennas, umbers, and blacks. 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 identified by a plate like this one.

✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920
✦ Origin: France, former paint merchant
✦ Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm
✦ Material: Enameled plate
✦ Condition: Very good used condition, with small enamel chips on the edges, slight traces of oxidation, marks, and wear commensurate with age.

Old enameled plate "Terre Grise," an authentic professional item related to traditional pigments and old paint businesses.