A selection of historic enamel signs advertising a variety of products, Herefordshire, Great Britain
An enamel sign is a
sign made using
vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also called porcelain enamel, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between . The powder melts, flows, and then hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating. The word comes from the Lati ...
. These were commonly used for advertising and street signage in the period 1880 to 1950. Benjamin Baugh created the first purpose-built factory for making such signs in
Selly Oak
Selly Oak is an industrial and residential area in south-west Birmingham, England. The area gives its name to Selly Oak ward and includes the neighbourhoods of: Bournbrook, Selly Park, and Ten Acres. The adjoining wards of Edgbaston and Harborn ...
in 1889 — the Patent Enamel Company. The technique of porcelain enamelling on cast iron was developed in Central Europe in the early 1800s.
See also
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References
Signage
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