174 - KUB BROTH - c.1930

KUB BROTH - c.1930 Original enamel advertising sign featuring a gendarme’s hat, flat in shape, flanked by two semi-circular, domed side rims. Measures 99 x 32.3 cm. In good overall condition— Fresh colors and beautiful original luster. A few superficial scratches. Minor wear, mainly along the edges and at the top and bottom attachment points. The “Kub bouillon” patent for its cube-shaped presentation was filed in France on November 14, 1907, by Julius MAGGI. Industrially produced bouillon cubes were marketed by Maggi in 1908, by Oxo in 1910, and by Knorr in 1912. By 1913, about ten brands were available. “KUB bouillon” signs had been placed on the corners of houses at intersections as travelers came from Germany. Believing it to be a German brand, a rumor spread claiming that the signs had served as directional markers to guide the Germans (these plaques feature cabalistic numbers, which were originally simply manufacturing reference numbers…) toward Paris during World War I, to the point that “Maggi” and “Kub” enamel signs were unscrewed all over towns. The same rumor claimed that Maggi milk was poisoned. The phrase “demand the K” was added to encourage consumers to choose the genuine KUB brand, given the many imitations circulating at the time. Switzerland/Kemptthal, Canton of Zurich