Quack Medicine Victorian Areca Nut Indian CHERRY Tooth Paste Pot 1885

Code: 12042

CHERRY ARECA NUT TOOTH PASTE

S. MAW, SON & SONS ~ LONDON ENGLAND  1885

This is a fascinating toothpaste pot, it once contained Toothpaste using Areca or Indian Betel Nut mixed with caustic cleaning agents.  Tooth cleaning first become a hygenic standard in 18th century England, primarily for the upper classes, and was accomplished with a variety of strange tools. Tooth paste began appearing in the 19th century, and was marketed in these beautiful pots beginning in the 1880s, when nearly every chemist or pharmacist began formulating his own recipe and printing their own pots for advertising. This popular formulation using betel nut or palm extract and cherry paste to make the paste a bit more palatable.

The pot lid and base was made in the Staffordshire district and is transfer printed in black. The attractive lid bears the name of the product, For cleaning & preserving THE TEETH AND GUMS.  

The pieces are in Great Condition, dark crazing consistent with age.  The piece will make a great addition to any collection of transfer printed advertising wares or quack medicines, and would make a fabulous gift for the dentist in your life!