Spartans
date: label: date made
content: 1980s
notes: label: Description
content: This Spartans brand condom was distributed by the M&M Rubber Company of Kansas City, Missouri during the 1980s. The red cover features an image of two Spartan hoplites with shields and spears. The condom was a transparent prophylactics that were electronically tested. By naming their condoms “Spartans,” M&M Rubber Company followed a long tradition of naming condoms after classical warriors and ideals. One of the most popular condoms throughout the twentieth century were Youngs Rubber Company’s Trojans and M&M may have intentionally used the name “Spartan” to appeal to consumers seeking Trojans.
label: Description
content: Spartan condoms were often sold through vending machines. Throughout the twentieth century, vending machines provided an easy way to discreetly distribute condoms.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Missouri, Kansas City
label: place distributed
content: United States: Missouri, Kansas City
topic: label: Subject
content: Birth Control/Contraception
label: Subject
content: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
label: Subject
content: Sex
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.0416.043
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0416.043
label: accession number
content: 1989.0416
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Condom
label: Object Name
content: contraceptive, condom, novelty
label: Other Terms
content: Condom; Contraceptive Devices
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 2 1/8 in x 1 1/2 in x 1/4 in; 5.3975 cm x 3.81 cm x .635 cm