Vintage Plein Air Paint Set

[SourGurken]

I recently purchased this vintage paint set. I have not been able to find any information about this item anywhere. If anyone has any clues, I would very much appreciate it!

 

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[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet.

From the “Made in Germany” assignation and the lettering style, I would think pre-WWII and likely from the 1920s or 1930s. There seems to be a maker’s name below the dog which might help pin down the date.

Perhaps you can see it more clearly on the tin than I can from enlarging your pictures (or provide a sharper close-up), but it looks to me like “ROSENFABRIK”, followed by another word or words that are less clear. “FABRIK” means “factory” in German and commonly appended to a surname to give a company/manufacturer name. The second word or words will likely be a town or city where the manufacturer was based, but I can’t make it our apart from the last two letters possibly being “…IN”

 

[SourGurken]

Welcome to Tnet.

From the “Made in Germany” assignation and the lettering style, I would think pre-WWII and likely from the 1920s or 1930s. There seems to be a maker’s name below the dog which might help pin down the date.

View attachment 2071890

Perhaps you can see it more clearly on the tin than I can from enlarging your pictures (or provide a sharper close-up), but it looks to me like “ROSENFABRIK”, followed by another word or words that are less clear. “FABRIK” means “factory” in German and commonly appended to a surname to give a company/manufacturer name. The second word or words will likely be a town or city where the manufacturer was based, but I can’t make it our apart from the last two letters possibly being “…IN”

Thank you so much for that information! Here is another photo of the text. Hopefully, you can see it better.

 

[Red-Coat]

Sorry... still can't make it out. I was hoping the last word might turn out to be "BERLIN", but I can't convince myself that it is... and even then I can't find a Berlin company called "Rosenfabrik" that relates to art materials. There was one of the right era relating to horticulture ("rosen" also means "rose" in German), but I'm sure that won't be the one.

 

[tamrock]

Neat old tin. Only thing I can say is, probably not many of those left around anymore.

 

[tamrock]

Sorry... still can't make it out. I was hoping the last word might turn out to be "BERLIN", but I can't convince myself that it is... and even then I can't find a Berlin company called "Rosenfabrik" that relates to art materials. There was one of the right era relating to horticulture ("rosen" also means "rose" in German), but I'm sure that won't be the one.

A for effort RC 👌

 

[Red-Coat]

Neat old tin. Only thing I can say is, probably not many of those left around anymore.

A for effort RC 👌

Thanks Tamrock.

Here's a couple more, both marked "Made in Germany" but no maker name given or visible. The first one is said to be "antique" and the second one, missing its paints, "circa 1920s". The general imagery used (for all three) suggests to me that these were probably aimed at children.

 

[tamrock]

Thanks Tamrock.

Here's a couple more, both marked "Made in Germany" but no maker name given or visible. The first one is said to be "antique" and the second one, missing its paints, "circa 1920s". The general imagery used (for all three) suggests to me that these were probably aimed at children.

View attachment 2072090
View attachment 2072091

I believe those would have been marketed towards children for a range of ages. My mother would buy them for me when I was a child and I never cleaned the brush well enough before all the colors turned brown. My sister was much better at keeping her set nice and in order. I believe merchandise designed towards involving children at all kinds of creativity goes back to prehistoric times. I've spent unknown amounts on such items of creativity for my own children and now my grandson who I watch almost every Friday since he was a baby. I believe it's almost a human instinct for an adult to provide such activities or so it seems to me? Maybe a part of it has to do with my own entertainment in seeing them develop ?

 

[SourGurken]

Thanks Tamrock.

Here's a couple more, both marked "Made in Germany" but no maker name given or visible. The first one is said to be "antique" and the second one, missing its paints, "circa 1920s". The general imagery used (for all three) suggests to me that these were probably aimed at children.

View attachment 2072090
View attachment 2072091

Those are really neat! Its the same style as the one I have as well. Interesting that it says made in Germany, but the packaging for all of them is in English though it seems to be a german made product. Not sure if they are valuable. I paid about $45 for mine. I want to test the paints and see what they look like. Maybe do a small painting with them!

 

[Red-Coat]

Those are really neat! Its the same style as the one I have as well. Interesting that it says made in Germany, but the packaging for all of them is in English though it seems to be a german made product. Not sure if they are valuable. I paid about $45 for mine. I want to test the paints and see what they look like. Maybe do a small painting with them!

Yes, those would have been specifically made for export to the US and other English-speaking countries. From March 1891 the McKinley Tariff Act required that all goods imported to the U.S. were marked in English with the country of origin (ie “Deutschland” wouldn’t have been accepted). In 1914 the act was amended, requiring the addition of the words "Made In…" (or an equivalent term) plus the country of origin but this was not rigorously enforced until around 1921. Some exporters adopted the required wording before it became mandatory, but that was the exception rather than the rule.

Obviously, Germany wasn’t exporting to America during the war years and, after WWII, the country was divided into East and West Germany as separate countries.

I have no idea on value, but it’s a scarce item and scarcer still with the paints still in it.