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Early American Old Spice - 1936/1937 (long, lots of photos)

As is documented here, and elsewhere on this forum, Old Spice was originally introduced as a women's scent as Early American Old Spice, and then a year or two later introduced with different labeling as a men's aftershave called Old Spice. The P&G history link above notes that the original introduction was 1937, with the men's version coming out in 1938. That second date is reiterated here. I have some question about those dates, as the US Patent Office shows that Shulton filed for the Old Spice trademark in September 1936 and was awarded it in March 1937.

Below are photos of an auction I recently won of a set of Early American Old Spice. Clearly it's the version marketed to women from the motifs and contents of the set, such as the sachets. You'll notice in a couple of photos that the tags note that the trademark has been applied for, which would date this set no later than 1937. I bought it more for educational purposes than anything, just to see if the original women's Old Spice was any different than the 1980s Old Spice I've been using, and to see how these scents hold up over time.

The results: the 1937 scent is 100% identical to the 1980s Shulton scent. It lasted the same amount of time on my skin.























 
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Wow! That's a helluva find.

Unlike many on this forum or others, I can't tell much of a difference between the old stuff and the new stuff. I like to think I have a acute sense of smell and I have a few old bottles of Shulton OS and OS cologne but bought a bottle of the new stuff a couple years ago and decanted it into an old bottle. Now I don't know which one it is. They all smell ever so slightly different but I always attributed it to the various age of the contents. Most of mine are from the 60's through the 70's.

I'd love a chance to smell the very original but you mention it smells like the 80's scent. Interesting. I probably have enough of the old stuff to last me the rest of my years as it's not a daily scent for me but if I ran out, I don't think I'd hate life having to use the current formulation.
 
Amazing that the set is in such good condition after eighty years. Thanks for sharing.

Sent from my BlackBerry PRIV
 
I have two Early American pieces. One men's and one women's. I believe both are from the 50's.

Women's toilet water:
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I have two Early American pieces. One men's and one women's. I believe both are from the 50's.

Women's toilet water:
proxy.php


proxy.php


proxy.php


proxy.php



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm so mature. I always giggle a bit when I say "toilet water" in my head....
 

timwcic

"Look what I found"
A Early American Old Spice in unused condition. In a post-depression touch of frugality, the box, when empty becomes a tissue box. Still looking good at 80+++ years old

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i think it's really cool that even in 1937 when they first made it, they were already trying to appeal to people's nostalgia for great grandma's and times gone by, so that's why even when it was brand new it was meant to be "old" spice that reminded you of something from decades earlier..... the same way almost a hundred years later, people today are still using old spice because it reminds them of their dads and grandpas.
 
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