Tile advertising

Does anyone remember Mabor’s tile advertising panels or the Michelin man?

For years, tiles panels were an integral part of the National 1 road landscape. Strategically positioned on the sides of the houses, so that drivers could see them. Over the Years, many have been removed and other have been constantly covered with advertising or painted signs, but still resist.

I mentioned National 1 road because it is the most used by my family but is tis funny to see that they are in the most remote or unlikely places in our imagination.

I specked the brands above for being the first ones I remembered; however, their use is transversal to several industrial and commercial activities, being possible to find them in the most diverse types of establishments and industries.

Its production/use date back to the second half of the 19th century, being initially merely informative like Mabor’s and later with the introduction of images and the new artistic styles according to the time and evolution of graphic and advertising art. Its strongest period was the first half of the 20th century.

Across the contry, YET, is still possible to see many of these advertising panels, many of them endowed with great creativity and beauty, in which they adapted the product to the establishment they advertised. When I mentioned, yet, it is a lot due to the risk they run, since they are placed on facades of private properties or because the represented activity is no longer that existing.

Fortunately, there are many who like this art and some intend to preserve or opt for this medium yet to be announced.