A selection of historic enamel signs advertising a variety of products, Herefordshire, Great Britain
An enamel sign is a
sign
A sign is an object, quality, event, or entity whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object—for instance, thunder is a sign of storm, or me ...
made using
vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also called porcelain enamel, is a material made by melting, fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between . The powder melts, flows, and then hardens to a smooth, durable vitrification, vitreous coating. The wo ...
. 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 Harbor ...
in 1889 — the Patent Enamel Company. The technique of porcelain enamelling on cast iron was developed in Central Europe in the early 1800s.
History
The idea for enamel signs was first patented in 1859 by Benjamin Baugh in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
with him creating one of the first dedicated factories for enamel signs created in 1889. It is thought to be the first, but the Chromatic Enamel Company started three years earlier in 1886. The use of enamel signs appeared in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
around this time as well.
The use of enamel signs died down around
World War Two
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilisi ...
due to cost and use of metals needed for wartime efforts. Some specialty enamel sign construction companies exist today; however, they do not produce on a
mass market
The term "mass market" refers to a market for goods produced on a large scale for a significant number of end consumers. The mass market differs from the niche market in that the former focuses on consumers with a wide variety of backgrounds with ...
scale.
Technique
Enamel signs are created by layering powdered glass over a base such as
rolled iron
Rolling is a type of motion that combines rotation (commonly, of an axially symmetric object) and translation of that object with respect to a surface (either one or the other moves), such that, if ideal conditions exist, the two are in contact ...
. The design is first created through the use of markers or
stencils
Stencilling produces an image or pattern on a surface by applying pigment to a surface through an intermediate object, with designed holes in the intermediate object. The holes allow the pigment to reach only some parts of the surface creatin ...
. The sign is then heated and fused with the enamel per area and layer. Some later signs included the use of
neon
Neon is a chemical element; it has symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is the second noble gas in the periodic table. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with approximately two-thirds the density of ...
.
Popularity among collectors
Enamel signs are popular among collectors due to their striking designs and sturdiness. Collecting enamel signs rose in popularity during the late 1970s.
Some collectors are interested in signs about
gasoline
Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...
or about domestic products such as
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
. A sign gets its value by a combination of size, design, condition, and product advertised. More recently more of the value is tied purely to the condition of the sign.
Common damages to enamel signs include scratches, bullet holes, and
crazings.
See also
*
References
Signage
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