Propert’s Blacking

Propert Limited was formed in 1877 under the parent company of B Beddow and Sons of South Audley Street, a manufacturer of hunting preparations, themselves formed in 1835.
More information here: https://www.blancoandbull.com/boot-cleaning/propert-ltd/

This pint jar of Propert’s Standard Blacking dates from after 1878 when they won a medal at the 1878 Exposition Universelle Internationale, the third World Exposition to be held in Paris. This significant event, attracting some 16 million visitors, awarded the Legion of Honour to Benjamin Peugeot, builder of the sewing machine and honourable mention given to Émile Reynaud for his Praxinoscope.

The jar exhibits all the classic features of 19th Century blacking – a salt glaze stoneware jar (in this case manufactured by Pearson’s of Chesterfield), a cork stopper sealed with wax to guard against leakage in transit, and a decorative label (in this case actually two labels, one stuck in error over the other) and instructional label on the reverse.

Photos: David Pratt

More information about Propert Limited can be found here: https://www.blancoandbull.com/boot-cleaning/propert-ltd/
For a contemporaneous account of blacking manufacture see here: https://www.blancoandbull.com/boot-cleaning/an-1842-day-at-day-and-martins/