This is one of the largest, rarest and most impressive items we now have in the collection, an original Chandy tin advertising sign; and we remain forever indebted to Rob Shaw for getting in touch with us about it and enabling us to add it the museum’s collection.    

 

It’s a large tin sign, measuring approximately 82cm tall by 56cm wide, and it dates from the 1950s. We can say with every confidence that the sign does date from that period, not just from the dress and hairstyle sported by the Chandy-drinking young lady it depicts, but from the slogan from the very early days of Chandy promotion ‘It’s Heavenly – try some”.

 

Its authentic 60 years of age have inevitably taken a slight toll on the sign – it has the odd mark or scratch here and there, and there’s one point (on the left hand side about half way down) where a little of the paint is missing, apparently having been damaged by heat or fire. (I’ve protected this spot with a little clear matt varnish to prevent any further paint loss.) Nevertheless, after a little cleaning with nothing stronger than a damp microfibre cloth, the sign has come up really well and presents really nicely as the picture shows.

 

The fact that in its day the sign would have likely been mounted on the external wall of a pub or a shop, say, to advertise Chandy to passers-by makes it absolutely remarkable that the sign has survived to this day in any condition. We don’t know of any other examples – never having seen or heard about another one that has survived – but, of course, if you know differently we’d love to hear from you. Contact us.