TitleCrescent shaped street sign, 16.me ArrtDatec 1864About this objectThis object is part of a pair of street signs donated by the Consulate-General of France in Sydney in 2021 in recognition of the social resonance of Lapérouse.
Rue La Pérouse was named after Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, one of France's foremost navigators and explorers in the 18th century, whose tragic disappearance at sea in 1788 after a four-year voyage around the world created one of the most enduring mysteries of the time. The street ‘Rue La Pérouse’ is located near the Arc de Triomphe and hosted part of the headquarters of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 2008. The street still exists today. Object No.2021.3.2Physical descriptionMade of Volvic stone and painted in enamel, this crescent shaped street plaque features a light teal blue border with a rondel design at the top centre of the arc. The arrondissement number ‘16.me Arrt’ is in white against a blue background. The background of the object is brown in colour and speckled. DimensionsH: 18.5cm
W: 53cm
D: 1cmPlace madeFranceMaterialVolvic stoneSourceLa Perouse MuseumProvenance Unknown date – purchased from Hordern House by the Consulate with assistance from Bernard Le Boursicot;
4 June 2021 – Donated by the Consulate-General of France, Sydney, offered and facilitated by Madame Anne Boillon, former Consul General de France. Credit lineGift of Consulate-General of France, Sydney, 2021Acquisition date4 June 2021Organisations (Detailed entries)La Perouse Museum (La Perouse, N.S.W.)CategoryMuseum | European arrivalsProduction notesThe set of objects follows the iconic French street plaque design – a rectangular panel with a blue background and green frame, sitting below a crescent shaped panel displaying the arrondissement number.
The pierre de Volvic, or Volvic stone is a type of vocanic rock from the village of Volvic, located in the Auvergne region of central France. It is formed when magma emerges from the earth’s depths, then petrifies through exposure to wind. This particular stone is highly durable, capable of withstanding high temperatures and accepting a fired enamelled surface. These plaques were likely manufactured at the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, one of the principle European porcelain factories. Their enamelled surface was applied using techniques developed by the Sèvres factories as well.
The widespread use of Volvic stone for street plaques in Paris was closely associated with Gilbert Joseph Gaspard, comte de Chabrol de Volvic, who served as prefect of Seine during 1812 and 1830. In the 18th century, Parisian street signs were typically iron plaques attached to houses at street corners. Since 1812, Chabrol has initiated a series of public works projects, including creating more than 130 public roads and many streets, paving boulevards, extending sewers and popularising street gas lighting. One of his notable achievements was advocating for the use of Volvic stone for street signs, for its resistance to high temperature. In 1826, he commissioned the Manufacture de Sèvres to produce these enamelled lava plaques. In 1844, the new prefect Claude-Philibert Barthelot de Rambuteau prescribed the use of enamelled Volvic lava plaques with letters standing out against a blue background. This led to their widespread use by 1860, despite their weight.
These signs date to around 1864. In 1938, the practice of manufacturing Volvic stone street signs ceased. From that point onward, street signs were generally made of metal plates.
