As everyone prolly knows by now I am a fan of the Williams goodness. This is true of both new and vintage formulas. I am not that good at time lines and such though. Can anyone help out with an about a time that Williams stopped making the shave sticks? It is my understanding that there was never a stick made in the modern formula. So when did they change from the tallow first? This information is prolly around but a quick search did not find it. Thanks in advance for the help. Fuzzy
Interesting project Fuzzy! I don't have the info but I'll drop a data point. Couple years ago I found in the wild a Stick. It came in a dark brown plastic tube with a missing cap. The soap was wrapped in a thin foil with a threaded ring at the bottom. This stick was slightly used when I got it. Since then I've enjoyed many lathers & gifted samples to a couple TSD members. I did try to pin down the date of manufacture and recall that it may have been from the early or mid 1960's.
There was a Williams shave stick up until a few years ago in South Africa that came in a blue plastic container and I believe had a rose scent. Not sure when the last stick appeared in the US.
That one was not made in the US right? There is a Williams cream that has nothing to do with our Williams.
Correct, it was manufactured and sold in South Africa. Yes and no -- the South African shave stick just like the European Williams cream or Spanish-made Aqua Velva were approved and licensed from the American company at some point. They probably paid a license fee many years ago in exchange for the branding, scents, formulas but over the years as the license expired they evolved their own uniqueness. In some cases they didn't get reformulated in the same way they did here. That's why people seek out Indian Old Spice products as a closer clone to the Shulton scent vs our modern P&G versions.
I would have to do more digging but generally, I assume based on packaging that I've seen that; The change away from the Tallow formula was done by Beecham in teh early 80s. The last advertising that I know of for the Williams Stick in the U.S. was in the late 30s with the Marbalite Top Holder. There are probably more clues in Patents, Trademarks, and Advertising but like I said, I'd have to do more digging...
I know the sticks went from a metal tin to the red plastic one in the early 30's. I know they were produced into the 60's but I do not know if they were made after the sale in 1971 which moved the company to NJ.
Here's a pic you might find interesting. A vintage puck of Williams from Cranford N.J. I know it was made in CT at one point. Glastonbury maybe, I think it pre-dates the N.J. stuff. A metal shaving stick container (Colgate Shaving Soap) and a current stick of Palmolive. I bought this container because it's one of the smallest I've found. I'm pretty sure I have a Williams around here some place but can't find it.
The Williams above is apparently from around 1976. They are advertising the sale of a pewter 2ooth anniversary of America shaving mug on the box.
I have a LOT of good friends in South Africa and they were trying to get me a Williams stick but to no avail. This soap is also South African and it’s a perfect substitute. It’s got the identical rosy scent and does it ever lather like a dream!
I've only seen one time for the first few years when Walmart came to sunnyside in the 90's then Walmart stop carring it but I hear lot about it I mite try it some day
no sir.. i started using a wilkinson brush and williams mug soap around 2006..but still used mach 3 carts..at the drug store/market level nothing but williams and canned stuff,i did use barbasol for quite a while beforehand..i am talking canada of course.. even our williams boxes have different artwork..
Not sure when they stopped making colgate. The last of the Mug soap I bought off the shelf was in 2006 or early 2007. Really good stuff. Too bad it is gone.
I've only tried the latest version of the Williams puck, which has now been discontinued. I had discovered how to make a GREAT lather with it. 1. Soak the puck and brush while showering. 2. Load the brush as usual. 3. Swirl it around a bit in your mixing bowl. 4. Add a generous amount of your favorite shaving cream. 5. Shave.