Foyle's was founded in 1903 by brothers William and Gilbert Foyle. They opened "the world's first purpose-built bookshop" on Charing Cross Road, London in 1906 and it quickly became one of the capital's  best known literary landmarks. William's daughter, Christina, built friendships with some of the leading writers of the time and pioneered bookshop author events, beginning a lecture series in the 1920s and founding the famous Foyles Literary Luncheons in 1930.

 

This double-sided enamel flange sign for an 'Agent for Foyle's 2D (twopence) Library' has survived in remarkably good condition. The flanged sign was designed to sit out at 90 degrees from a shop front so that it would be visible from both directions. The fact that there is no chipping / damage to the enamel around the mounting holes on the sign's flange would imply that this sign has never been mounted / displayed - this fact supported by the wonderfully thick and even glossy enamel surface and vibrant / unfaded colours - it seems very unlikely that this sign has ever encountered any weather.

 

It has been stored somewhere a little damp and despite it's wonderfully original condition there is some corrosion bubbling through the enamel aroud the outer edges. There's also a patch of enamel loss to the middle of the upper edge and a little bit of chipping around the outer edges plus a few light surface scratches and a little 'blooming' to the enamel, most notable on the outer-face. Generally though this sign is vibrant and glossy and about as good as you could hope to get - it's likely to date to the 1930s and so some signs of it's decades on this planet are to be expected. 

 

The sign measures 51cm wide x 38cm high and the flange is 5.5cm deep. 

 

S/N: #1270