Description

Thurston’s Saponaceous Tooth Powder was first debuted in the pre-war period and enjoyed a very proactive presentation during the wartime period. Advertisements extolling it’s virtues are seen regularly in many periodicals between 1861-1865, most notably Harper’s Weekly. Our research indicates the product was offered in bottles, wood and cardstock boxes, and tins “for travellers”. Our tins measure a little under 2″ across and a little over 1/2″ high – the same size as utility tins produced during the period for the marketing of a great and diverse number of products. We have taken the pain staking step of japanning our tins – a detail rarely offered. Japanning was an ancient process which enjoyed a resurgence in use in the 1840-1870 period involving a baked on lacquer type finish. From the fanciest items which received heavy multiple coats, gold leaf lettering, and stencil designs, to simple one coat utility items like this, coated merely to inhibit rusting, we have handled literally hundreds and hundreds of documented japanned Civil War era items. Colors are seen from the lightest honey to almost black – often darkening with age. Ours is is a nice rich medium brown, utilizing original methods modified to be safe. (NOTE: In the mass production process of coating utility type items there was almost universally anomalies in the finish of the original items from coating “popping” off if an item cooled too fast, “holidays” from items touching each other during the process, or crazing and flaking due to overheated portions of the tin. In addition, these single coat items lost finish when seal closures were peeled off and from simple wear and use as seen on cap tins, watch part tins, and medicinal tins. All of these typical anomalies and conditions may be found randomly on any one of our tins – we made them that way. If you wish to avoid japanning loss when opening the seal we recommend leaving it in place and cutting the seal with a blade rather than peeling it off) The tins are paper tape sealed and have a friction lid, re-sized to be nice and tight for re-use and to protect the rest of your kit from unintended opening. Inside you will find an additional period testimonial pasted in the lid and a food safe waxed paper disk designed originally by manufacturers to prevent “poofing” when the tin is opened. The contents is a commerically produced mint flavored tooth powder. (Note: the 25c price seen on labels and advertisement is the CW era price, not ours!)