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page 109 - Sapolio, Enoch Morgan's Sons Co., C.T. Raynolds

updated 31 January 2016
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Never heard of Sapolio? Neither had I. It didn't have to be, but it was strictly a pre-World War II phenomenon in the USA. Wikipedia explains why:

"Sapolio was a brand of soap noted for its advertising, led by Artemas Ward from 1883–1908. Bret Harte wrote jingles for the brand, and the sales force also included King Camp Gillette, who went on to create the Gillette safety razor and the razor and blades business modelTime magazine described Sapolio as "probably the world's best-advertised product" in its heyday.

"Sapolio was manufactured by Enoch Morgan's Sons Co. from 1869, and named by the family doctor. "

Scan of the actual product from the Diver collection
It has a gritty feel, like pumice and is a simple rectangle about 1 1/4" thick.
The Princeton University Library holds the papers of Enoch Morgan's Sons Co.  Enoch Morgan's Sons Co. scope of advertising for Sopolio was legendary. The soap itself--well, evidently it needed the publicity. The company even went so far as to adopt the lyrics of H.M.S. Pinafore to their sales pitch.
440 West St. NYC
image from Historic New England Collections

From Google Books comes:












Now there's some consumer advice I've never heard before! Never buy goods from a grumbling salesman. Not many of those dudes around, in my experience!

As another advertising gimmick, in 1882 Enoch Morgan's Sons issued a pocket advertising album titled "Bright Faces."


Cover: "Bright Faces. Issued by Enoch Morgan's Sons Co. New York"

First fold: "'Be patient and you will have patient children.' Don't fret about your housekeeping, do it sensibly with SAPIOLO. It is a solid cake of Scouring Soap. Try it.  EUREKA! 'Oh wad some power the giftie gie us, To see corsels as ithers see us:' That Power, which Bobby Burns would know, Is furnished in Sapolio: For used on pewter, brass or delf, Like others--you can see yourself! Strange thing indeed that a plain thing like SAPOLIO should make everything so bright, but 'a needle clothes others and is itself naked.' Try a cake in your next house-cleaning."

2nd fold: "This little Album of bright faces may serve to remind you of our world-renowned SAPOLIO, which makes homes bright and labors light. It is a household friend. We will send a copy of this Album to any address on receipt of FOUR CENTS in Postage Stamps. ENOCH MORGAN'S SONS CO., 22 Park Place, NEW YORK. copyright 1882"

Rear Cover: "'I will live cleanly as a nobleman should'.......Jack Falstaff"






Who could resist these "Bright Faces?!"

The demise of this brand under the manufacture of Enoch Morgan's Sons Co. is explained by this Google Books source:



Contemporary ads (2015) for Sopolio brands on sale in South America can be viewed on YouTube.








Neil Arsenty's article on the Chicago Now blog relates the history of C.T. Raynolds, which was fairly early in its history associated with Devoe.

770 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL
from Google Street View


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