Mid-20th Century Cut Metal Amphora Trade Sign From Anduze - 35½"

Cut from sheet metal, this mid-20th-century French trade sign takes the silhouette of an amphora with graceful scroll handles, mounted on a rustic timber block. Its surface carries a dry, even rust-bloom patina in earthy ochre and muted sienna tones, with subtle speckling, light abrasions, and gentle undulation along the edges that speak to years of outdoor exposure. Both weathered and sculptural, it reads as a bold, graphic form, originally used to signal a potter’s workshop in Anduze in the Gard, a region long celebrated for its terracotta production.

This hand-cut example echoes the classical profiles that inspired the town’s historic urns and reflects the enduring workmanship associated with the region. Indoors, it acts as a striking graphic accent on a console, mantel, or in an entryway, pairing naturally with terracotta, limestone, and weathered woods. In a garden room, conservatory, or porch, it can anchor a vignette of potted citrus and Anduze-style urns; outdoors, it will continue to mature its native patina. Its spare silhouette suits both rustic Provençal settings and clean, contemporary interiors.