6 minute read
Fruit Jar Rambles: The St. Denis Jars
By Tom Caniff — Photos by Deena Caniff
THE ST. DENIS JARS
The pint in Photo 1 is listed as #3080 in the RED BOOK. It stands 5 1/2” tall with its all-glass screw cap, and its raised lines give an overall rectangular design, except for the 3/4” clear band around the middle for the label. There are two “dimples” in the cap to receive a wire bail, but I have never seen one with any evidence that a bail was actually used. This smooth-lipped jar was obviously a later item, and it’s not terribly uncommon. The label reads only “St. Denis Bath Crystals,” with no company name or address.
This jar was featured in the August 2003 Fruit Jar Rambles, and at that time nothing was known or could be found relating to either the jar nor the company that produced the “St. Denis Bath Salts.” But the internet is constantly expanding our knowledge and our potential for ferreting out facts from years past.
The hunt resumed almost ten years later, and we were fortunate enough to find the ad in Figure A, featuring our glass screw cap jar, which ran in May 1828, in both the DAILY ARGUS, of Mt. Vernon, N.Y., and THE PELHAM (New York) SUN. The ad reads, “St. Denis Bath Salts,” available in the “Odors” of Jasmin, Chypre, Rose, and Narcisse, packed “In charming crystal barrel containers that have many uses after the contents are gone.”
Jerry McCann, of Chicago, found the design-patent jar in Photo 2. The rectangular grid-pattern design of this jar is reminiscent of the earlier glass-screw cap jar, but this one has a black metal screw cap lettered “St. Denis.” Its base is embossed ST DENIS PAT PENDING. The pictured jar stands about 4 1/2” tall, and Jerry says that the antique shop had another, slightly larger jar of the same design and closure that took a slightly larger screw cap. This is one of those design- patent jars for which no patent registration has been found, although it obviously fits in that category.
Again, through luck and diligent searching, we came up with the ad in Figure B, which appeared in the OAKLAND (California) TRIBUNE on December 17, 1930. Capwell, Sullivan & Furth, “The Store With The Christmas Spirit,” offered “St. Denis Bath Salts Sets” for 79¢, which included the jar of St. Denis Bath Salts, Bath Powder, and Soap.
We were also able to learn that the “Parfumerie St. Denis” was established by Irving Veith, East 21st Street, New York, in 1921, launching a range of appealing perfume fragrances. The SYRACUSE (New York) HERALD, on Aug. 29, 1924, carried the first mention we found for “St. Denis Bath Salts,” with the 75¢ size selling at Hunter’s for 59¢.
Irving Veith’s use of the St. Denis name may have been inspired by either Ruth Saint Denis, a popular modern dance pioneer of the period, or by St. Denis, the patron saint of France, who was martyred shortly after 250 AD. It always helps to have an easily remembered, popular name associated with your company, and the martyred St. Denis’s French connection would have fit in well with fancy perfumes, cosmetics, and such. Americans have long over-appreciated products made, or thought to be made, abroad, such as French champagne, German mustard, Spanish olives, English marmalade, and such.
Photo 3 shows yet another bath crystal (salts) jar, clear, 4 1/2” tall, with a squarequilted design in the glass. The square jar has the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company’s HA logo on the base, and its closure is basically the same black metal “St. Denis” screw cap as found on jar number 2. Its label reads, “St. Denis Bath Crystals Printed In U.S.A., with a sticker for “Les Fleurs de Jasmin” on the base.
The Parfumerie St. Denis filed papers with the U. S. Patent Office on March 26, 1925, for a trademark for the words ST. DENIS in a particular arrangement, unlike that found on the above label or
PHOTO 1: Glass screw-cap St. Denis Bath Salts jar.
FIGURE A: A 1928 ad featuring the St. Denis "Crystal Barrel" jar.
By Tom Caniff — Photos by Deena Caniff
PHOTO 2: ST. DENIS design-patent jar. lid. The description of the company’s
products listed Face Powders, Face Creams, Toilet Waters, Perfumes, Deodorizing Preparations, and Bath Salts.
Then on July 26, 1925, the SAN ANTONIO (Texas) LIGHT ran an ad for the Joske Bros. Co., which carries the first found suggestion of an international connection. “St. Denis Paris – New York Bath Salts” were now being sold in bags wrapped in glassine paper, the “Same Quality and Quantity as in bottles at 75¢” for only 25¢. Thirteen different fragrances were listed, including Jasmine. Was the “Paris” mention legitimate or only advertising hype? We’re not sure, as pursuing the Paris connection has garnered no results.
In July 1926, St. Denis Bath Crystals were being offered by Gimbel’s in a new round Special Package that was probably cardboard, but bath salts continued to be available in glass jars, bags, and “cartridges.” And in February 1931, St. Denis Bath Salts were available in an “Attractive water bottle of iridescent glass and individual tumbler to match,” as a “Night Set.”
Then on Feb. 6, 1936, the SYRACUSE (New York) JOURNAL announced that, “Stricken with a heart attack, Irving Veith, 47, of 885 Park Ave., died yesterday in a taxicab while riding to his office, 452 Fifth Ave. He was vice president and treasurer of the Parfumerie St. Denis Company. Unmarried, he lived with his brother-in-law, Richard F. Trental, president of the firm.” The NEW YORK (N.Y.) POST, of February 5th, stated that the Parfumerie St. Denis had a factory at 48 East Twenty-first Street, and also identified Dr. Francis Koenigsberger, a cousin, as another company vice-president. So, we learn more about the company at his death than has been found in searching the previous fifteen years.
The last ad found for the company was in the BINGHAMTON (New York) PRESS, on May 15, 1940, for St. Denis Bath Salts and St. Denis Toiletries, offered by Hamlin’s Drug and Toiletries.
Whether there was a real French affiliation or not, possibly the death of Irving Veith accelerated the demise of at least the New York branch of the Parfumerie St. Denis. In any case, we lost the company at this point, and I suspect that our featured jars 1 and 2 will remain the company’s main attractions as far as jar collectors are concerned.
FIGURE B: 1930 ad featuring the ST. DENIS design-patent jar of bath salts. PHOTO 3: Square-quilted design jar for ST. DENIS bath crystals.
