Rare Margerison's Soap Apothecary Show Jar and Advertising

Photo by M. Dow

Here's a wonderful fancy glass store counter display show jar that Jerry Pore shared with us.

This elegant drugstore advertising piece is etched MARGERISON'S. It looks like it would have held candy, but I did a little research and found that it once displayed soaps.

Here are 3 other etching variations of the store display jar (pix found online).

[See the comments if you've got one for sale.]

A couple of the colorful lithographed Margerison's Soap labels.

Peach Bloom Complexion Soap for the ladies. 

Golf Club Toilet Soap for the men.

Joshua Margerison & Co Ltd, became soap manufacturers in 1868, in Preston, England. Their advertisements said:

Manufacturers of Superfine Toilet Soaps and Toilet Requisites, Shaving Soaps, Dental Cream, Face Creams, Talcum Powders, etc. The original and celebrated White Windsor Soap, Finest quality Pale and Carbolic Soaps, Established 1868.

 
 

Their company was important to Preston's economy. It appears that they were in business until 1950, until a fire in the 1950's. The story goes that the flames were so hot, the soap melted and ran along the high street like a river.

Read Joseph Margerison's autobiography here: pdf link He gets to the soap business on page 13 (of 18).

Here are some photos from 1902 and 1922 that show a giant 6 ton tower of soap they displayed in parades. (Photo source)

1978 demolition of the Margerison's Soap factory buildings.

[Editor's note -- Originally published March 2011. Republished with updated info and additional photos January 2013. Original comments imported.]


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