Paint Memorabilia Corner

Painting in Partnership has been collecting and rescuing paint memorabilia since 1990.

Painting is a field of human endeavor that has existed since the caveman. It grows out of a need for people to personalize their living space, make it meaningful and expressive of who they are.

Over time, tools have evolved and paint mediums have become much more sophisticated and complex. Painting belongs to human history! As an extension of our role as Custodians of the Past, Painting in Partnership sees it as important to preserve paint memorabilia and tell the stories associated with those items.

This Paint Memorabilia Corner is the depository for the stories and pictures of some of the items in our collection.

Calcimine was a precursor to latex paint and was only applied by brush. It was also known as Kalsomine or distemper paint. It was made out of dried calcium carbonate, water, glue and colorants. Calcimine was used as a wash for walls and ceilings. It was commonly used throughout the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century. It was an inexpensive way of freshening up a room.

The Calcimine brush we are featuring is 17" long. The handle alone is 9" and the bristles, a good 6". It was a great workout tool to build up Popeye forearms!

In 2000, Mario Guertin, owner of Painting In Partnership, had the opportunity to represent the United States at an international painting contractor conference in Paris. During that trip, Mario met the founder of the Painting Museum in Paris. Knowing of Mario's interest in old paint stuff, he gave Mario many pieces of French memorabilia. Upon Mario's return, as a thank you, Mario sent him one of his two Calcimine brushes to display at the museum in Paris.

In 2004, Mario visited the Paint Museum in Paris again. Sure enough, his Calcimine brush was proudly displayed in the paint shop portion of the museum, forever preserved, as seen in the picture at the top of the page.