Colgate Barber Soap

[Straight Arrow]

I'd like to share some pictures of a very nice vintage soap. It's Colgate Barber Soap. This soap was manufactured by Colgate-Palmolive-Peet. I have no clue how old it is but my guess is...Real Old. This soap bears no similarity to the later version of Colgate soap that comes in the red and white box. It is very tallowy. This vintage wonder is slick, cushiony, thick, lasting, lusciously lathery stuff.

 

[ClubmanRob]

Nice find.

Based on your review, Colgate soap of old must be a far cry from the Colgate soap of recent years. I never purchased any vintage Colgate for fear of it being anything remotely like the (now discontinued) modern version.

 

[norman931]

I never purchased any vintage Colgate for fear of it being anything remotely like the (now discontinued) modern version.

I would bet that the old Williams soap from 100 years ago also differs significantly from the modern version. Based on the shipping weights given in the old Sears catalogs, the old stuff was much heavier than the modern counterparts.

 

[Leche]

Very neat, thanks for sharing.

 

[jasonboyd]

That's an awsome find. Where do you people find this great vintage stuff? Am I just at the wrong place at the wrong time to run accross great finds like this? Every old store I go in I find myself looking for an old dusty box or bottle of something related to shaving, with no luck I might add.

 

[alabamalawyer]

I found a pack of that last year. It is a good soap that is far superior to the Colgate soap found in the red/white boxes.

 

[ctakim]

I would bet that the old Williams soap from 100 years ago also differs significantly from the modern version. Based on the shipping weights given in the old Sears catalogs, the old stuff was much heavier than the modern counterparts.

true I got an old vintage Williams soap off the Bay that listed tallow first an it gave a much richer lather than I have ever gotten from modern Williams.

 

[beginish]

Great post. Did any scent survive the years?

 

[ctakim]

The old Williams I used had very little or no scent. This seems to be lost with the passage of time judging from how my old Old Spice smells. Of cousr modern Williams only has a mild soapy scent anyway.

 

[Hanzo]

Great post of the colgate.Good to see guys using old time barbering stuff including your mug. Guys always search for the perfect mug and their right on ebay . The soap dates from the 20's or 30's, if I remember right , basing it on old pics from Barber supply catalogs I've seen .

 

[ClubmanRob]

I would bet that the old Williams soap from 100 years ago also differs significantly from the modern version. Based on the shipping weights given in the old Sears catalogs, the old stuff was much heavier than the modern counterparts.

I've had probably twenty pucks of vintage Williams going back as far as the twenties, and it's pretty much on par with today's version IMO. That's why I was hesitant to try the old Colgate, because going by the Williams example, old Colgate would be just as cruddy as the new Colgate.

 

[Wilpar76]

Nice score! Where did you find it?

 

[mdunn]

sweeeeet.

youve got 8 pucks I see.... any idea what youre going to do with the rest of them? I know at least one good home

 

[Straight Arrow]

Great post. Did any scent survive the years?

Zero scent. Not even a hint of anything...it's odorless.

 

[Straight Arrow]

That's an awsome find. Where do you people find this great vintage stuff? Am I just at the wrong place at the wrong time to run accross great finds like this? Every old store I go in I find myself looking for an old dusty box or bottle of something related to shaving, with no luck I might add.

Found it on a popular online auction site.

 

[norman931]

From the 1908 Sears & Roebuck Catalog:

Colgate's Shaving Soap, 8 cakes to the pound. Considered by many to be far superior to Williams' Soap. Furnished in new form cake. Price, per pound . . . . 37c

It's nice to know that the old-timers had some decent soap!

 

[FLTiger]

From the 1908 Sears & Roebuck Catalog:

Colgate's Shaving Soap, 8 cakes to the pound. Considered by many to be far superior to Williams' Soap. Furnished in new form cake. Price, per pound . . . . 37c

It's nice to know that the old-timers had some decent soap!

37 cents per pound? I'll take two, please.

 

[Seraphim]

From the 1908 Sears & Roebuck Catalog:

Colgate's Shaving Soap, 8 cakes to the pound. Considered by many to be far superior to Williams' Soap. Furnished in new form cake. Price, per pound . . . . 37c

It's nice to know that the old-timers had some decent soap!

Even the Sears catalog took a swipe at Williams!

 

[stroppy]

Thanks for taking the time to post this, Rich. Really appreciated the chance to see the packaging, the product and the lather.

Also, kudos to you and others like you who actually use their finds. I know a fellow who "collects" (well... more like hoards) shaving related items and he's all about the packaging, not the product. And please, don't misunderstand, I know collecting has many levels and I respect my friend's decision to pursue his hobby on that level - it's just that this stuff was made to be used.

And how great is it that you're shaving with a soap like Colgate's Barber in as close to the original formulation as you could hope to find?

Regards,

Les

 

[Deltaboy]

Thanks I am using my last Red and White box of Colgate soap. Sad to here it is not be made any more it worked for me.