250903 - Extremely rare advertising sign for Wonji Sugar from Ethiopia.

Extremely rare advertising sign for Wonji Sugar from Ethiopia.

Made by Thomassen & Drijver Verblifa in Deventer.

Verblifa stands for Verenigde Blikfabrieken (United Tin Factories), a company from Krommenie that later merged with Thomassen & Drijver.

The Verblifa logo is shown in the lower right corner.

Period: 1960s

Dimensions: 40 x 30 cm

T&D Verblifa was a major player in the tin can industry. They produced packaging for Coca-Cola, Philips, and Heineken, among others. They also produced for brands as far afield as Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Suriname.

It is not widely known that they also produced advertising signs, sometimes as proofs before being processed into tins. Following this, they quickly began to promote brands. It was a cost-effective alternative to enamel advertising signs like those from Langcat Bussum.

This sign has been preserved thanks to a guest worker from the factory. It was also part of the BLIK exhibition at De Waag in Deventer. This one is from a series of tin signs that are displayed alongside my other listings.

Signs of age give the sign an authentic and timeworn character. Something that will delight true vintage and antique enthusiasts.

Image: The sign depicts an old Ethiopian advertising image for Wonji sugar.

Product: Wonji sugar, a product of the Wonji Shoa Sugar Factory in Ethiopia.

Language: Amharic

Origin: The Wonji Shoa Sugar Factory is the oldest sugar factory in Ethiopia, founded in 1954.

Meaning: The factory played a pioneering role in the Ethiopian sugar industry and is located near Adama City in the Oromia region.