Hudson’s soap certificate/card

michaelm88 · May 1, 2020

Hi all,

I came across an old family bible and tucked away was this card. It has a signature on the reverse and a description. Sadly I don’t have pictures of the reverse as the card is currently in storage.

I have done some research on it but I can’t seem to find another online. And I’m just curious to what exactly it is?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

ANTIQUARIAN · May 1, 2020

Welcome to Tnet from Toronto! :hello:

Whoever the company was, they were obviously awarded a gold medal for exhibiting in Paris in 1877

Sorry I couldn't be of more help,
Dave

Mackaydon · May 1, 2020

Some history:
R. S. Hudson owned a small chemist's shop in West Bromich. In 1837 he started producing soap powder in a small room at the back of his shop. He himself ground the soap with a pestle and mortar. His powder was so popular that he was soon employing 10 women to keep up with demand. In 1875 he opened a factory at Bank Hall in Liverpool. Hudson’s soap was a very successful brand and was used across the country.
Don......
Source: Advert for Hudson's Extract of Soap 5089

A2coins · May 3, 2020

Great info on that nice piece of history

A2coins · May 3, 2020

Welcome to tnet

Anduril · May 3, 2020

OK, I'll ask...
What is "Extract" of soap? :dontknow:

Red-Coat · May 3, 2020

Anduril said:
OK, I'll ask...
What is "Extract" of soap?

Not an extract in the conventional sense of the word. In 1837 Hudson produced the first satisfactory commercial soap powder by grinding coarse bar soap and converting it into a more convenient dry powder. He never actually made any soap, bulk-buying it from William Gossage of Widnes, England.

Up until that time people had to either use bar soap with a washboard or make their own more readily soluble ‘flakes’ by shredding it with a grater. The business was sold to Lever Brothers (now Unilever) in 1908 and ultimately spawned laundry detergent brands such as ‘Rinso’ and ‘Omo’.

Hudson was also a pioneer in advertising techniques, mass-producing striking posters designed by top artists long before other companies used this kind of powerful advertising. I expect this card was more a boastful advertising thing than an actual certificate for his achievement in being awarded a gold medal from the Paris Academy. Surely it would be in French (and signed) if it were an actual certificate?