Featured Antique Bathroom Stuff :)

For absolutely no other reason than I bought it today, I wanted to show off something...



Today, I bought the little, square ceramic toothpaste pot on the right at the local flea-market, from a man who collects antique bottles and jars. It's in almost perfect shop-new condition! I cleaned it and immediately filled it with mint toothpaste



Here it is with a more conventional round one. I have seen others which are also rectangular...I'd like one of those, too If I ever get my hands on an antique shaving-soap pot, I'd be over the moon

The other items in the main photo are an antique razor-sharpener, two antique razors (one ivory, from the 1880s), and one vintage shaving scuttle. The brush and stand I purchased brand-new, for health-and-hygiene reasons and whatnot. Everything else is vintage/antique.

I must say, brushing one's teeth with your toothpaste decanted into such a cute little pot is a lot of fun. I dunno why, it just is. I guess it's true. You enjoy your work better if you have nice things to work with...

Anyone know how old the two toothpaste pots are? I know they're Victorian, but that's it!

 

Here's another Wood's Areca Nut Toothpaste pot with a little history of the use of these pots. It says the ceramic pots first used in the 1880s. I don't know the reliability of info.
https://www.rubylane.com/item/441414-AMT1521/English-x22Quack-Medicinex22-Tooth-Paste-Pot

--- Susan

 

According to an ad in the For 1880 Doidge's West Counties Illustrated Annual of Miscellany of Useful, Instructive...., Woods had a variety of miracle/quack cures. Here he (W. Woods a chemist in Plymouth) is advertising:
1. Save your hair cream
2. Dandriff Pomade
3. Areca nut toothpaste that whitens and save teeth.
4. Cough syrup

Do note the toothpaste is being sold in a pot in 1880. Page 190:
https://books.google.com/books?id=X...VolVQKHajlDgs4ChDoAQhDMAM#v=onepage&q&f=false

--- Susan

 

After a LOT of searching, I found this:

http://nancysdailydish.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/teeth-care-meets-transferware-pot-lids.html

It seems to answer most of my questions. It seems that an 1890-1910 date is what I'm looking at for my new toothpaste pot Victwardian

But apparently this process of transfer-printed ceramic pots/jars has been around for quite a while, according to the link above.

 

This site has dates of 1893-1930 for Woods that are wrong for the ad in my reply above has his toothpaste, etc. selling in 1880:

http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?type=related&kv=71806&t=people

--- Susan

 

The dates I'm finding are very very spotty. That's why I wanted to post here. I thought maybe someone who collects antique jars and bottles might know more (?)

All I can say with confidence is that it's Victorian, but WHEN Victorian, I wouldn't know. Right now I'm going with 1900-ish.

 

The Kovels website (beware of Kovels info for there are many many errors in their books) says "transfer-printed pot lids had their heyday from the 1840s to the early 1900s." Nowww the question is just when did Woods really start selling his areca nut toothpaste. There are *many* of Woods ceramic lids as well as the complete pots for this toothpaste online with many of them calling them rare. If I had to guess, I would say this pot is not much older then the 1880s if that old because I haven't been able to find any advertising of his products before 1880. Have now found his ads in other 1880s publications.

https://www.kovels.com/price-guide/advertising-store-collectibles-price-guide/potlids.html

--- Susan

 

Here's a British potlid site I believe in South Africa that mentions Maw Son & Thompson White Rose paste lids. Yours is pictured about 2/3 of the way down the page
http://www.antiquebottles.co.za/pages/categories/PotlidsBristishSection.htm

It seems these ceramic lids are collectible.

--- Susan

 

LOL I have no interest in the lids unless they come with their bottom halves as well!!

 

Putting the pot to good use...



It holds a surprisingly large amount of toothpaste!!