Procter & Gamble Company Product Packaging Collection
name: label: Designer
content: Deskey, Donald, 1894-
label: Advertiser
content: Procter & Gamble Company
label: Collector
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Science, Medicine, and Society
title: label: Topic
content: Ivory Soap (Brand name)
topic: label: Topic
content: advertising
label: Topic
content: Soap
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated to the National Museum of American History by Procter & Gamble in 1984, along with many artifacts.
creator: label: Designer
content: Deskey, Donald, 1894-
label: Advertiser
content: Procter & Gamble Company
setName: label: See more items in
content: Procter & Gamble Company Product Packaging Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: A collection of flat-folded product packages for soap and detergent. Some of the packages were designed by industrial designer Donald Deskey.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Candle maker William Procter and soap maker James Gamble formed a partnership in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1837 to sell their products. Procter & Gamble is probably best known for developing Ivory Soap, but the company has also developed other products such as Ivory Flakes, Chipso (the first dishwasher soap), and Crisco. Innovations in production, distribution, market research and advertising have also contributed to the success of the Procter & Gamble Company.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.5 Cubic feet (3 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1940s-1970s.
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: The Division of Science, Medicine and Society (now Division of Medicine and Science) transferred the product packaging portion of the collection to the Archives Center in 2003.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0836
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Packaging
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged into two series.

Series 1, Packaging, 1946-1980, undated

Series 2, Signs, undated
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Caitlan Maxwell, intern, 2007.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Packaging
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Collection comprises of sample packages, and signs for Proctor & Gamble products. The samples were for test marketing product names.  Some of the products have the date stamped on the item. The industrial designer Donald Deskey designed a number of the packages. Most of the materials are personal care products, but there is a substantial amount of household products. Researchers interested in graphic design and the creative process of developing packaging for consumer goods will find this collection useful.

Series 1, Packaging, 1946-1980, includes sample packages for products such as soaps, shaving creams, laundry detergents, dental care, household cleansers, hair care and dish detergents.  The packages are arranged first by size and then in alphabetical and chronological order. 

Series 2, Signs, undated, includes two signs for Lennox and Naptha soaps. These materials are arranged in alphabetical order.