These cup and saucer shaped Nectar Tea enamel signs are an iconic piece of early, English advertising. Produced by the Patent Enamel Co Ltd, this sign is likely to date to the 1920s and were primarily displayed on train station platforms up and down the country. This piece still has it's original, paper distribution label addressed to the Station Master attached to the reverse... 

 

Often reproduced it's wonderful to find an unquestionably original example - this one is good, clean and honest. The sign retains a deep surface gloss (see third photo along where I've tried to demonstrate this as best as possible) and is bright and vibrant. There are a couple of patches of enamel loss to the main surface of the sign, one in the brown 'tea' and one to the rim of the saucer and there's some inevitable nibbling around the edges, but for an early piece this has survived well and in my opinion the 'defects' add to the character of the piece without affecting it's legibility or impact. 

 

The sign measures 53.5cm wide x 32cm high.

 

S/N - #0751