when was Yardley shaving soap discontinued?

[bythbook]

I've been searching the forums & the 'net - I'm not having much luck finding out when Yardley was discontinued... (I'm sure someone here will point me to a B&B thread with the definitive answer - "do your own research, n******s.")

I'm curious is all - trying to date this gigantic stash of YSS & shave sticks.

Also - if anyone knows when Yardley Black Label Cologne & Yardley Cologne For Men were discontinued by Yardley of London (I believe someone else picked up production of Black Label).

thanks to you all....

 

[DSB]

Mmmm . . . gigantic stash you say?

 

[bythbook]

Mmmm . . . gigantic stash you say?

perhaps I exagerrate....

 

[Marcoparis]

It's not discontinued, I still have some in the bottom of a pot!

 

[Greybeard]

I'm curious is all - trying to date this gigantic stash of YSS & shave sticks.

Where exactly in NY state did you say you lived?

I guess my curiousity gets piqued by vintage shaving soaps (see also Williams) and I end up researching corporate histories.

From what I found out, the last Yardley shaving soap was manufactured no later than 1989, when Yardley went bankrupt. It may have been discontinued earlier in the 1980's since Yardley was struggling for survival and rationalized their product lines several times. There was a shop product listing for Yardley shaving soap dated in 1985. Yardley was acquired in 1990 by SmithKline Beecham who merged it with their Lentheric perfume line but still retained the Yardley label. In 1990 Yardley was no longer manufacturing shaving soap.

Strangely enough, SmithKline Beecham also owned Williams and Aqua Velva at the same time they owned Yardley.

Also - if anyone knows when Yardley Black Label Cologne & Yardley Cologne For Men were discontinued by Yardley of London (I believe someone else picked up production of Black Label).

Same situation with Black Label. No longer manufactured by the original Yardley as of 1989 (or earlier in the 80's). Lentheric came out with a new version labeled Yardley Black Label in 1993. This was discontinued in 1998 when Yardley was sold to Wella. Lentheric relaunched Black Label (without the name Yardley) in conjunction with Mayfair perfumes in 2000 that is still available today.
Just for interest, Wella was sold to Proctor & Gamble in 2003. P & G sold the Yardley name to its present owners, Lornamead, in 2005.




- Peter

 

[bythbook]

Where exactly in NY state did you say you lived?

I guess my curiousity gets piqued by vintage shaving soaps (see also Williams) and I end up researching corporate histories.

From what I found out, the last Yardley shaving soap was manufactured no later than 1989, when Yardley went bankrupt. It may have been discontinued earlier in the 1980's since Yardley was struggling for survival and rationalized their product lines several times. There was a shop product listing for Yardley shaving soap dated in 1985. Yardley was acquired in 1990 by SmithKline Beecham who merged it with their Lentheric perfume line but still retained the Yardley label. In 1990 Yardley was no longer manufacturing shaving soap.

Strangely enough, SmithKline Beecham also owned Williams and Aqua Velva at the same time they owned Yardley.



Same situation with Black Label. No longer manufactured by the original Yardley as of 1989 (or earlier in the 80's). Lentheric came out with a new version labeled Yardley Black Label in 1993. This was discontinued in 1998 when Yardley was sold to Wella. Lentheric relaunched Black Label (without the name Yardley) in conjunction with Mayfair perfumes in 2000 that is still available today.
Just for interest, Wella was sold to Proctor & Gamble in 2003. P & G sold the Yardley name to its present owners, Lornamead, in 2005.




- Peter

this is great information, Peter - exactly what I was looking for.

I have a few bottles of original Yardley Black Label cologne on the way; also a few of Yardley Cologne for Men. The latter I'm not at all familiar with (but it was advertised on the underside of the lid of Yardley shaving soap...).

Likely production ceased no later than mid/late 1980s, I gather.



and I didn't say where in NY I live....

 

[Deltaboy]

Yea I discovered on my Yarleys of London Bath soap that it is made in the USA

 

[Greybeard]

I have a few bottles of original Yardley Black Label cologne on the way; also a few of Yardley Cologne for Men. The latter I'm not at all familiar with (but it was advertised on the underside of the lid of Yardley shaving soap...).

Likely production ceased no later than mid/late 1980s, I gather.

I'm definitely old enough, but I never did try any of the Yardley men's products.
I would say it's likely that mid to late 80's would be the end of production. Yardley was struggling from the late 70's because they were a conservative, boring and tradition-bound company. They would have eliminated historical products only when they were forced to. Their women's soaps, scents and bath products were their bread and butter.

Proper shaving soaps and creams got a reprieve from a rapidly shrinking market share in the late 70's due to the US government's ban on CFCs in canned propellants. By the mid 80's the proppellants had been effectively and economically replaced and canned gel had just been invented.

The 80's also saw the boom time for mass media advertising. Fashion house fragrances and personal care products were successful early adopters of the trend. Yardley's image was old-fashioned in comparison.



- Peter

 

[bythbook]

...

Yardley was struggling from the late 70's because they were a conservative, boring and tradition-bound company.

...

Yardley's image was old-fashioned in comparison.



- Peter

Ha! Conservative you say???

OLD-FASHIONED????

Look at THIS:
[YOUTUBE]Y5dJdpS3QIc[/YOUTUBE]

(sorry, I don't know quite how to put the youtube thingie up.... GOT IT!!!!)

 

[Kmitch]

Thanks guys for the research and info. I have never had a chance to use the soap but if it had the Yardley Lavender scent that is in the hand soaps it must have been fantastic in its day.

 

[bythbook]

Thanks guys for the research and info. I have never had a chance to use the soap but if it had the Yardley Lavender scent that is in the hand soaps it must have been fantastic in its day.

Unfortunately my Yardley in bowl - has lost its scent - I do have a Yardley shave stick - English Lavender - that was NIB and sealed in a glass tube for years. It is a heavenly scent! I think it is the best performing and best scented soap I've used.

 

[Evbo]

I do have a Yardley shave stick - English Lavender - that was NIB and sealed in a glass tube for years. It is a heavenly scent!

Yeah, I was lucky enough to score an unopened, still-wrapped puck of Yardley in the wooden bowl. Great-smelling lavender soap!

 

[Fortitudo Dei]

Ha! Conservative you say???

OLD-FASHIONED????

Also, let’s not forget their sponsorship of the British Racing Motors and the McLaren Formula 1 racing teams (moderately exciting I'd say...)

 

[malocchio]

Unfortunately my Yardley in bowl - has lost its scent - I do have a Yardley shave stick - English Lavender - that was NIB and sealed in a glass tube for years. It is a heavenly scent! I think it is the best performing and best scented soap I've used.

NOW ! that's REAL class !! A legendary lavender soap in a thick glass cylinder that sports a tight fitting bakelite screw cap....why can't Yardley re-release this ?? They still have the formula tucked away...