Description
An Areca Nut Toothpaste pot, Staffordshire, England, circa 1880.
Transfer printed in black on a creamy white earthenware, Areca Nut toothpaste was a popular product formulated by chemists or pharmacists in England towards the end of the 19th Century.
Before toothpaste was packaged in tubes, English chemists mixed and sold dental compounds in these fabulous ceramic advertising pots. These advertising pots were printed to market the toothpaste, and are now hard to come by with both the lid and the base.
A scarce piece that looks great on the bathroom or vanity countertop for holding rings, pins or other small items.
A growing range of tooth powders and toothpastes began to be commercially available in the mid 1800s. This pot would have contained toothpaste made from Areca nuts. Native to India, areca nuts were used in English toothpastes and powders. The nuts were used to clean the teeth, freshen the breath and strengthen the gums as well as prevent tooth decay.
Great graphic!
Provenance: The collection of Ben Z. Swanson Jr. – from the 1990 sale, Harmer Rooke Galleries, NYC
Measuring: 2.5 inches in diameter x 1.5 inches high.
Incredible antique condition with the expected light wear.
