95 - THE BLACK LION SHOE POLISH - c.1905

THE BLACK LION SHOE POLISH - c.1905 -Colored-background version- Based on a work by Charles Léon Méry (1860–1924), not credited. Original lithographed and embossed advertising card. 29.5 x 19.5 cm. Very good condition - In the 1890s, Mr. J. Delage began marketing the first shoe polish under this name, before partnering with chemical engineer Fernand George at the Demeyer factory in Montrouge. As early as 1895, Fernand George revolutionized the industry by replacing traditional bone black with processes based on natural waxes—the secret behind the shine and the future success of the product line. In 1917, he joined forces with Gustave Frémont to establish the company’s definitive structure: the “Société des Produits du Lion Noir.” Hauts-de-Seine/Île-de-France