Modjeska Cold Cream

[robertk]

Bottle Vitals​

	Date	Color	Shape	Size (Height x Diameter)	Value*
Modjeska Cold Cream	1890s	White	Round (cylindrical)	1.75" x 2.25"	$20.00

Bottle Views (click to enlarge):

Front	Back	Side	Side	Bottom	Top/Lid
				Modjeska Cold Cream Larkin Soap Co Buffalo NY	Modjeska Cold Cream Larkin Soap Co Buffalo NY

Modjeska Cold Cream is just one of several toiletry products marketed under the Modjeska name. It was manufactured by the Larkin Soap Company in Buffalo, New York. The company started in 1875 and rapidly expanded into a major nationwide business. It became a tourist destination in Buffalo, and they even had their own exhibit at the Pan-American Expo in 1901, where their products earned two gold medals, one silver, and three bronze. Their Modjeska Cold Cream took a bronze medal. Here's a full page newspaper article about their exhibit at the expo (click to enlarge):



Modjeska Cold Cream was advertised as a skin treatment especially good for chapped hands and lips. You could even take it internally for sore throat. It sold for 25 cents for a small jar, or a dollar for a larger jar. The one shown here is the small jar.

But you had to watch out, even in those days, for scammers posing as cold cream salesman, who were only out to rob you.

This jar still has the lid on it, but the lid feels extremely thin and fragile, so I was not comfortable putting much pressure on it to clean it. I did apply very gentle pressure to see if it would open, but it is stuck and I think applying enough pressure to get it loose would probably destroy it, so it will just stay forever closed. There are two small holes in the lid, so the inside did get soaked with soap and water but that's it.

Here's the before and after. Cleaned with soap and water, a brush, and a toothpick.



* Value is based on eBay sold listings for the same bottle in excellent condition as of the date posted. Value would would vary considerably with condition.

 

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[Limitool]

Good job... I wondered if you'd try to get the lid off. I was afraid to try also. Wasn't there two of them. One without a lid..? But it certainly cleaned up good. Another one down Robert...!

 

[robertk]

Wasn't there two of them. One without a lid..?

Actually there are three of them. Two with lids and one without. The one pictured is the best of the bunch.