The restoration of the sign collection

Galerie des Enseignes
© Cyrille Weiner / Chatillon Architectes

In September 2019, the museum, which was closed for renovation at the time, launched a participatory funding campaign to restore the Parisian shop signs displayed in its exhibition rooms since 1914.

The sign collection of the Musée Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris charmingly evokes the atmosphere of the capital’s streets. At a time before street numbers, signs were important landmarks in Paris. They show freedom of tone, surprising inventiveness and intense colours. Merchants attracted customers’ attention not just by shouting but also through images, which explains the beauty and ingenuity of these signs, featuring griffins, mermaids and black cats.

Thanks to the generous contribution of private individuals and business, the sum of €31,892 was raised. This allowed the museum to restore its sign collection dating from the 16th to the 20th century.

Example of restoration carried out on: “Au Griffon”, the sign of a furniture seller, 26 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris (11th arrondissement), painted wood, gilding
 

Griffon avant restauration

Griffon après restauration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We would like to thank everyone, even those who prefer to remain anonymous, here:

Caroline ABECASSIS, Caroline ABSIL-BAILLE, William ALLAIS, Sophie AMESLANT, Martine AMIOT, Fanny ANDRESEN, Annick VALETTE, Héèlene ANTON, Véronique ARNOULD, Sophie BADREAU, Sylvie BARDECHE, Katia BARILLOT (Le Marais Mood), Chelsea BARTHOLOMEW, Jean-François BELHOSTE, Laurence BENOIT, Victor BERRUYER, Elisa BERTOLINI, Thierry BICHAT, Quentin Bidault, Virginie BIDAULT, Francy BLACKWOOD, Eliane BLIN, Gérard BLONDEL, Christian BODIN, Sergio BOTE, Anne BOUCLEY, Monique BOUDIER, Bernard BOUILLET, Soon Ee BOURDEIX, Anne-Catherine BOURGEON, Pierre BOURGEON, Thierry BOURGEON, Véronique BREIL, Adrien BREIMAN, Adeline BRINON, Florence BROUANT, Annelies BRUEZIERES, Florence BURNER, Catherine CAQUI, Danielle CARAYON, Adrien CARON, Florence CARRATT, Hélène CHAPPEY, Jacques CHARRAY, Jocelyne CHARRIER, Michel CHOSE, Christine MICHAUX, Jeannine CHRISTOPHE, Barbara CIBILLE, Corinne CLAVEL, Mauricette COLLET, Solange COMPAIN, Nathalie COULON, Cécile COUSSEAU, Michel CRIBIER, Leoone DAUBERVILLE, Angélique DE LENCQUESAING, Claire DE PUYBAUDET, Cécile DELANGE, Marie-Claire DELFOSSE, Audrey DELLA FAILLE, Bérengère DELLI, Jeanine DENAENE, Leonne DESANTI, Max DESCHAMPS, Elisabeth DESCHAMPS, Denis DESCHAMPS, Jean-Xavier DESCHAMPS, Marie-Laure DESCHAMPS, Aline DESPRETZ, Marion DEVILLIERS, Marie-Corinne DEVILLIERS, Michel DIJOUX, Sandrine DORBES, Anne DUPASQUIER, Dominique DUPONT KOMANO, Gilles DUVAL, Brigitte DUVERNE, Théo ESPARON, Gisèle ESQUESNE, Johnathan FARRIS, Danielle FERRACCI, Christiane FERRAND, Olivier FIGER, Jacques FLEURETTE, Mary-Laurence FONTANAUD, Jean-Claude FORNEROD, Aline FREYSS, Anne-Marie GACHOT, Edith GABILERT, Ana GALLIANO, Elisabeth GARAUD, Hélène GAUMET, Marie GEYER, Christine GIRODIAS, Anne-Ségolène GIROUX, Konstantin GRIGORIEV, Yves GUEGUEN, Jean-Pierre GUEROULT, Solange GUEX, Fabrice GUYOT, Monique HAMON, Jacqueline HIEGEL, Sarah HOWARD, Christian HUBERT, Dominique Irène HUSER-EGANA, David et Matthias JAKOBOWICZ, Sylviane JULIEN, Martine JULLIEN, Sylvie KOSTA, Didier LABRIT-BADIE, Pascale LACHEMI BALIDIS, Françoise LAFAY, Philippe LAGAYETTE, Morgane LANOUE, Anne-Cécile LE BIHAN, André LE BIHAN, Joël LE CARPENTIER, Valérie LEDOUR, Clémentine LEFRANC, Thérèse LEMARCHAND, Margarita LEPEUPLE, Julie LEQUET, Claude LEQUITTE, Claude LERAT-GENTET, Muriel LEROY, Daniela LEROY, Jean-Baptiste LEVEE (Production Type), Guillaume LEVEQUE, Nicole LHOSTE, Jean-Louis et Bernadette LIENARD, François LONGEVIALLE, Nathalie LOUBET, François LUREAU, Sylvie MANSOUX, Daniel MARCHESSEAU, Michele MARGUERON, Jacqueline MARTINET, Thierry MASSE, Thomas MATTHEWS, Yue MENG, Maxime MENIGOZ, Sylvie MENNY, Philippe MICHON, Olivier MICHON, Marie-Anne MINART, Guillemette MINGAM, Morgane MONNET, Jean-Pierre MORIN, Eduardo Augusto MUYLAERT ANTUNES, Laura NAUDEIX, Laurence NAUDIN, Catherine NICOLAI, Marie-Claire NICOSIA, Véronique NIZIEUX, Jean-Pierre NOLOT, Laure PASQUER, Céline PATIENT, Guy PEETERS, Evelyne PETITEAU, Jeanny PRAT, Françoise PREVOT, Michel PROVOST, Cécile PUECH, Serge RANNOU, Anne RAUSCH, Eric REMY, Evelyne RENOUT, Philippe RICHARD, Caroline RIGAL, Alice ROCCHI, Robert ROMAGNINO, Geneviève SABATON, Nicole SANER, Marc SARNIGUET, Jacqueline SCHNEIDER, André SCHWARTZ, Eric SELLIER, Jean-Marc SOLIGNAC (SCI du 6 place de la Bastille), Elisabeth SPANU, Christine SURELLE, Anne TALBOT DUBREUIL, Frédérique TANAY, Danièle TARDIVO, Corinne TCHAKARIAN, Marie-France TEJEDOR, Jérôme THOMAS, Véronique THOMAZEAU, Anne TORTEL, Cécile URBEJTEL, Gustavo VAINSTEIN, Monique VAN DAMME, Maryse VANDEN BOSSCHE, Sylvie VANDENHEDE, Nolwenn VAYSSIE, Philippe VNES, Charles VILLENEUVE DE JANTI, Annick VIOLLET, Eric ZYLBERSTEJN.