Brooke Bond & Company was founded by Arthur Brooke in the mid 19th century. The name was chosen because it was Brooke's 'bond' to customers to provide a quality tea. The firm expanded into wholesale tea sales in the 1870s. Brooke Bond's most famous brand is PG Tips, launched in 1930. By 1957, Brooke Bond was probably the largest tea company in the world, with one third share of both the British and Indian tea markets. 

This particular sign probably dates to the 1930s-'40s and was produced by the Patent Enamel Co. of Birmingham. Measuring in at just over 1m square, this is a large + striking piece, the square format is unusual. Like other formats of Brooke Bond's early advertising this is set against a vibrant orange background with a black and white checker border.

The sign remains in very good condition. The orange background remains wonderfully vibrant, the black lettering remains glossy though the background has dulled in areas (see the angled photo for a better representation / understanding of this). There are, inevitably, small areas of loss around the outer edges which have been touched in and there is one small area to the right edge (just below middle) where a small area of loss to the orange background has been touched in. Generally though the main area of the sign remains remarkably undamaged. The sign retains all of it's original mounting holes and is ready to hang. In the photographs it's only been hung from the upper edge on strings - hence looking slightly out of square, when fixed to the wall it will display well. 

The sign measures 102cm square. 

 

S/N: #1895