Set of four cream-coloured brocante enamelled storage containers for coffee, sugar, tea and rusk with reseda green letters

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Set of four cream-coloured brocante enamelled storage containers for coffee, sugar, tea and rusk with reseda green letters.

• Manufacturer: unknown
• Date of manufacture: early 20th century

Description
Set of four enamel storage tins in a cream-coloured version for coffee, sugar, tea and a tall tin for rusk. The buses are all equipped with a separate aluminium lid. The canisters also have a wide pewter edge at the top and are also decorated with a pressed-in ridge that serves as a stop edge for the lid. The letters on these buses are enamelled in reseda green and have relief. There is a gold-coloured decorative line on the top and bottom of the buses. The insides are also white enamelled.

Condition
This set of enamel storage tins for coffee, sugar, tea and rusk is in a vintage condition with traces of use and age-related traces of wear. At the bottom of the tea caddy, some enamel is missing. The rusk tin has been slightly touched up at the bottom. Photos are part of description.

Size

Coffee, sugar, tea

• Height: 15.5 cm.
• Diameter: 11 cm.

Rusk

• Height: 21.5 cm.
• Diameter: 11 cm.

Brocante
The word 'brocante' is originally from French and literally translates as 'second hand' or 'flea market'. In Dutch, 'brocante' often refers to products with an old and used appearance, such as an old cupboard, table or mirror. Brocante are often old and have a lived-in character. Brocante are just not old enough to be seen as antiques. Antiques must be at least 50 years old. Within brocante there are two types: old and new brocante.

Old brocante is, as the word implies, old, used and lived through. For example, the paint has peeled off, cracks are visible or the legs are crooked. This gives the old flea market their characteristic and lived-in appearance, which entails a rural atmosphere. This gives brocante a casual and rural atmosphere to the interior, which makes brocante very popular. These small 'defects' of brocante are also a difference compared to antiques, where these kinds of 'defects' are not desired and are often repaired.

Enamel is the protective layer of molten glass applied to metal or earthenware objects to protect, insulate or decorate them.

An enamel layer has several useful properties: enamel is very smooth (hygienic), it is very hard, non-flammable and durable, it is very resistant to the effects of chemical substances and to discolouration by UV radiation (high colour fastness). Metal is protected against corrosion by the enamel layer. The enamel layer also becomes decorative by adding coloured oxides.

Metals that can be enamelled include copper, aluminium, stainless and plain steel, cast iron, gold, and silver. Because an enamel layer is less flexible than the metal to which it is applied, it can crack if handled without care and pieces can even come off.

Metal outer surfaces of cooking appliances, pans and the like are traditionally enamelled. Predominantly white enamel is used here. Other colours were also used for the paraffin stove and pans, such as reseda green, dark green, petrol blue, black, red, orange flamed, mint green, cream and grey clouded. However, some of these versions are outdated.

Examples of enamel kitchen items are sand-soap-soda, milk cooker, coffee and teapots, pans, storage containers, lunch boxes, spoon rack, nest bowls, colander, paraffin stove, soap dish, measuring cup, sconce, ewer, kettle, buckets and much more.

Some translations come from an automated system and may contain errors