This mid-century, embossed tin Ricard sign features simple, bold design with equally bold, primary colours and it has aged wonderfully. This piece certainly hasn't had an easy few decades, but in my opinion it looks so much better for the dints, dents, scratches and surface rust - rich in the kind of character / patina that just cannot be replicated. 

 

Ricard is a pastis (an anise and licorice-flavored aperitif) created by Paul Ricard in Marseille, France in 1932. This sign is likely to date to the 1950s and is very typical of French advertising design from this period. These lithographically printed tin signs, unlike their earlier enamel counter parts, are more vulnerable to weathering / damage and subsequently few examples generally survive. The embossed lettering on this piece is unusual and a sign of quality... 

 

Obviously this sign is no collectors piece - the dents, scratches and creases are too numerous to list but are are part of the piece and it's history... As is the fact that someone has decided to coat the entire piece in a thick lacquer. It's this that gives the sign a thick gloss and slightly lumpy surface... It's not something I've seen done before and it's thick application has caused drip marks to form (mainly along the bottom edge) and probably accounts for the slight yellowing of the colours (most notable on the lettering) but it does result in a glossy surface and has served to preserve the sign in it's current state and stop it from weathering further. The last photo shows the creases in the sign much better than the square on photos do (though arguably over emphasise them). The sign does display well and can be hung using it's original mounting holes. 

 

Definitely the 'industrial vintage' aesthetic, this sign would be great for any vintage themed cafe, bar or kitchen or would make for an excellent piece of man cave decor. 

 

The sign measures 94.5cm wide x 48cm high. 

 

S/N: #1266