An unusual piece and undoubtedly a rare survivor, this double-sided ceramic 'Sortie' (Exit) sign is bright and vibrant with it's iconic blue and white colour combo. 

This isn't a piece I've encountered before and subsequently isn't a piece I can definitively tell you a whole lot about... It is, obviously, French and the fact that it is made from ceramic and has a fine craquelure across the surface glaze would probably date it to the 1940s/'50s - perhaps a little earlier. As it's double-sided I suspect that it would originally have sat in a bronze framework allowing it to be hung from a ceiling and viewed from both directions. It's use probably originates on the train / underground network, maybe the famous Paris Métro?

 

It has, somewhat miraculously, survived in excellent condition without any notable chips, cracks or staining. There are a couple of dark spots / losses to the surface glaze (detailed in the close-up photograph) but in my opinion these add to the character of the piece rather than detracting from it..

 

The sign measures 57cm wide x 38.5cm high x 1cm thick.