Identifying Vintage Williams

Note that the $4 promo box occurred in slightly different variations, there were two slightly different boxes, that were mirror images of each other:

Next we have a puck dating to the 1975-1976 era that advertises for a promo to save $3 off of a Pewter Mug celebrating the nations Bicentennial. This box has no ingredients list, and the pricing circle has a price of .21 cents permanently printed within the circle.

What follows is a puck of Williams, made by the JB Williams company of Cranford, NJ. It is probably a similar era to the promo boxes. It has no bar code, is tallow first, with a pricing circle.

This is the Williams Luxury that is currently in the puck pass. The Luxury was said to have a rose scent, but was otherwise the same formula as regular Williams.

The following is a puck of Williams Tonsorial. It came in a tube of 8 pucks for the Barber trade. Packaging looks like this (photo courtesy of "sliceoflife"/Ian):

Here is yet another version. I am not an expert on vintage Williams, so I will let someone who knows more than I add commentary. No UPC bar code, no ingredients list, no price. Inside flap of box advertises Williams Shaving Cream "In 10c, 35c, and 50c sizes."

We end our adventures, with the oldest puck I have. It's a puck of Williams Barber Bar. This was also packaged for the Barber trade, and came in plain brown paper, that simply says "Williams Barber Soap". Since it lists the address as being Glastonbury, it is pre-1960.

DSB said:

Here is yet another version. I am not an expert on vintage Williams, so I will let someone who knows more than I add commentary.

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Thanks for posting the photos. Since it lists the address as Glastonbury, this would be pre-1960. Awesome stuff I am sure!!

Hey, John. I have a couple of boxes that aren't in the list. I'll try to get some pics up in the following days. One is nearly identical to the "SmithKline Beecham era" box, but a slightly different ingredients list. The other has no bar code, no ingredients list, and no zip code listed after "Cranford, N.J."

MrGuy said:

Hey, John. I have a couple of boxes that aren't in the list. I'll try to get some pics up in the following days. One is nearly identical to the "SmithKline Beecham era" box, but a slightly different ingredients list. The other has no bar code, no ingredients list, and no zip code listed after "Cranford, N.J."

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I look forward to your photos. Thanks for contributing to this project.

Courtsey of Newfie, here are pictures of the current production Combe box for Canada (dual labeled in English, and French of course):

I am NOT going to take sides in any discussion as to the merits or lack thereof for Williams shaving soap. I do not doubt that it is the largest selling shaving soap in the US, primarily because it is often the only one available!
I live in a metropolitan area of somewhere between a third and a half a million people, and so far I have found only one place where shaving pucks are sold!

In the past I have used many different types of soap for shaving, as opposed to shaving soap. On of the best was a scented glycerin soap, of an unknown brand given to my wife as a gift. . . . she didn't care for the scent, so I more or less inherited it. I just dropped it into my shaving mug and started using it.

IMHO (but correct opinion) the stype of soap is of less importance than the preparation leading up to shaving. Some do give a thicker lather faster (and a LOT depends on the water used) I have even used the US Navy's salt water soap, but that is one I will NEVER recommend! (shudder).

Wow. John, for a guy who hates Williams soap, you sure have a lot of information about Williams soap!

kingfisher said:

Wow. John, for a guy who hates Williams soap, you sure have a lot of information about Williams soap!

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I hate only the most recent rendition of this product. Get it right!!

As promised, here's the pics.
First up is the "SmithKline Beecham era" soap, almost the same as the pics in post #18, but has a slightly altered ingredients list


Just for fun, here's the front


and back


of the puck.

Here's the other box. This one seems to have had some water damage at some point.

The front of the box


Side with price circle and what looks to be "19" printed inside


Side with location info


And the front


And back

of the puck.

This puck is also wrapped in the following add

great thread - I hope BobK1 stops by... he is a Wms. connoisseur.

anyway - what about the elusive Williams in a bowl:







It is AWESOME. Truly - one of my favorite soaps. I think it is creamier than the puck - but that is quite likely magical thinking on my part.

Good stuff.


edit: if this thread is limited to discussion of Williams pucks, my apologies.... If not, I'll add a couple of pics of Wms. shave sticks....

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=129044

Edit: Here's the summary.

I was lucky enough to acquire my Grandfather's razor and brush. He passed away 5 years ago and we were very close. With the razor and brush came an unused puck of Williams soap. It was the first time I had seen or smelled Williams. I thought it smelled nice...kind of powdery and clean. I didn't want to use it, so I put it in my display shelf with the other two items.

I've read quite a few threads on here about the horrible smell of Williams. I never understood it because the soap I got smelled pretty decent. Well, I was at the store yesterday and saw they had a bunch of Williams in stock. I decided to pick up a puck so I could try it out.

Holy lord...it DOES stink! The citronella description was spot on. It smells nothing like the other puck I have. I looked at the ingredient list last night and it's definitely different. Some different ingredients, but you can also see "fragrance" a lot higher in the list. Old box is on top...

The JB Williams Company Inc. Tolietries Division Cranford NJ On the gold foil label of this shaving stick. The white screw cap states: Holder Top Williams Shaving Stick, and the bottom reads: The JB Williams Co. Container Made in USA Glastonbury, Conn.

Antique Hoosier said:

The JB Williams Company Inc. Tolietries Division Cranford NJ On the gold foil label of this shaving stick. The white screw cap states: Holder Top Williams Shaving Stick, and the bottom reads: The JB Williams Co. Container Made in USA Glastonbury, Conn.

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That's the good stuff! Not only does it perform like no other, but it seems to have an indestructible rose scent You going to use yours? I use mine