Modess Vending Machine
date: label: date made
content: ca 1955
name: label: maker
content: Rochester Germicide Company
notes: label: Description
content: White enameled metal vending machine for sanitary menstrual pads. The manufacturer's plate on the front reads: " Modess / ---because / of the whisper-soft / fabric cover / * / DISTRIBUTED EXCLUSIVELY BY ROCHESTER GERMICIDE / COMPANY - ROCHESTER, NEW YORK." A metal plate near the bottom has a coin slot (for a nickel) and a small handle. Instructions are on the plate underneath the handle: "INSERT COIN ABOVE / TURN HANDLE TWICE / TO THE RIGHT / IF COIN RETURNS / INSERT AGAIN OR / TRY ANOTHER COIN." There is a small window above the coin slot for checking if product is present. A tab reading "EMPTY" rises in window when all pads are vended.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Rochester
topic: label: associated subject
content: Women's Health
label: associated subject
content: Menstruation
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Health & Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Menstruation: On-the-Go
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2024.0136.01
label: catalog number
content: 2024.0136.01
label: accession number
content: 2024.0136
objectType: label: Object Name
content: vending machine, sanitary napkin
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall (vending machine): 30 1/2 in x 9 1/2 in x 6 3/8 in; 77.47 cm x 24.13 cm x 16.1925 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall (pad box): 3 1/4 in x 8 1/8 in x 7/8 in; 8.255 cm x 20.6375 cm x 2.2225 cm