Union Touristique & Automobile - French Tin Sign
Stock No
2970
2016
- £180.00
- €207 Euro
- $243 US Dollar
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Item Description
With fantastically mid-century graphics and wonderful, natural ageing - for me, the aesthetics of this sign are just perfection.
The Union Touristique et Automobile (UTA) was a French motoring organisation that produced travel guides and acted as a recommending body for hotels and restaurants.
This lithographically printed tin sign would have been displayed on one of the organisations recommended hotels / restaurants in much the same way as the "AA Hotel" signs would have been used in this country.
The sign was produced by Parisian litho-printers Elie Mardini and probably dates to the 1950s/'60s. These tin signs were never as hardy as their enamel counterparts and this example certainly shows the effects of decades exposed to the elements (and looks all the better for it). Looking at other examples it would seem that there was originally a gold-foiled layer used for the lettering at the steering wheel - this has worn away entirely leaving the exposed base metal to rust and darken... All but the lower left corner have worn and the sign has had additional mounting holes drilled. There are scuffs, scratches etc etc but that's all part of this sign's charm. It displays very well.
It measures 50cm high x 35cm wide.
Item Info
Seller
Seller Location
London, London
Item Dimensions
H: 50cm W: 35cm D: 0.2cm
Period
1950s
Item Location
Margate, England
Seller Location
London, London
Item Location
Margate, England
Seller Contact No
+44 (0)7703104788
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