23 Mar 2024

Alain Murzeau, Furniture Maker, Angers, France

Ferdinand Bourasseau founded his maitre artisan (furniture maker and interior designer) business in Angers, France, in 1924, and moved to the building that hosts this ghost sign in 1934. His grandson, Alain Murzeau, joined the firm in 1964, before taking it over in 1970. This is when it adopted his name, giving an approximate dating for this sign.

Painted wall sign on a flat white wall on the top floor of a low-rise building. A list of decorating products is listed in French, and then the name of the business is painted in chunky blue seriffed letters with a yellow offset shade.
The ghost sign was painted at some point after Alain Murzeau took over his grandfather’s business in 1970. Photo: Keith Roberts.

The business is still trading as Maison Murzeau at 11 Place Laiterie in Angers’ historic district, where it is run by Christelle Murzeau, representing its fourth generation of ownership. (There are pictures of each generation on the company’s history page.)

This photo shows the same sign in sunlight while the terraced street beyond is in shade.
The ghost sign in the context of the street, and showing the grand building that formerly housed the Alain Murzeau business.

Alain Murzeau

Peinture • Patine • Papier • Peints

Moquettes • Tissus • Tendus

A. Murzeau

19 Rue du Commerce, 49100 Angers, France [Streetview]

Photos and research courtesy of (uncle) Keith Roberts.

See more ghost signs from France.

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