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This advertisement for Nickel Silver Black Lead dates from 1887.
The typical affluent Victorian home usually had a range in its kitchen. This was a fire place used for cooking. It was covered by iron plates and had one or more ovens at its sides. The range was polished to a dull sheen using black lead (graphite) which was a greyish-black colour and gave the ironwork a black metallic polish. The range was polished with black lead every morning - it was hard dirty work.
