Extremely rare, exceptionally old, and in outstandingly well-preserved condition – SUNLIGHT SEIFE. Only a handful of these Sunlight signs have appeared on the market over the past decades, and unfortunately, most were either in poor or very poor condition, or had been restored. However, this particular sign is now available in our gallery in absolutely stunning mint condition. This sign represents the very beginnings of enamel street advertising, dating back to the early days around 1900. At that time, only a few pioneering brands had the financial means to produce such enamel and porcelain street art to promote their products in busy areas for maximum visibility. Brands like Sunlight, Nestlé, and Suchard were among the early innovators in modern advertising art. This Sunlight Soap advertisement, featuring a girl, was originally created as a painting in 1887 by George Dunlop Leslie (UK, 1835-1921), a British genre painter, author, and illustrator. An interesting aspect of this artwork is that George Dunlop Leslie never intended it to be an advertising design. It was William Hesketh Lever (UK, 1851-1925), one of the Lever brothers and manufacturers of the Sunlight Soap, who was also an art collector, acquiring paintings from London art exhibitions. His interest, however, wasn’t just in art for art’s sake. He sought out specific types of paintings that depicted women and children in spotless clothing, showcasing the benefits of using a good bar of soap. These works were then reproduced for use in his advertisements, with the Sunlight brand name and slogan added. Most artists were happy for Lever to use their art this way, though there were exceptions. Between 1886 and 1906, Lever invested more than £2 million in advertising. He even encouraged customers to collect prints from his collection. Soap wrappers contained vouchers that could be exchanged for prints, a promotional strategy still used today. In 1887, George Dunlop Leslie’s painting became one of the first works purchased by Lever Brothers for advertising. If this sign is on your wishlist, don’t hesitate. Another opportunity to own one of these rare, well-preserved pieces might not come around for decades.