Stead & Simpson Blanco

This Pickering’s product, simply referred to by the trade name, has been repackaged for the Leicester-based national shoe retailers Stead & Simpson Ltd. It carries the older instruction leaflet that has a footer “Joseph Pickering & Sons Ltd, Printers, Sheffield”, which takes the date to after 1900. The block could be purchased for 2 pence.

Photos: Martin Lowe