Thread: Cool Unused Travel set

I picked this up a few months back from a nearby Antique Mall. It came with what I think is an unused vintage puck of Williams soap, though I truthfully have no reason other than hope to suspect this as I have never seen Williams soap unpackaged, vintage or otherwise. The imprint on it reads "The J B Williams Co. USA". The Boar brush is completely unused and reads "Centaur Pure Bristles Vulcanized Sterilized" with "Made in Western Germany" on the bottom. On the top of the case is an Eagle above a shield holding a branch on the left and arrows on the right.

Part of me wonders if it was a governmental/military set at one point or not. Any ideas as to what it may have been made for or by whom would be wonderful.

I intend to keep it unused for now, but I am not much of a collector of objects to sit around and collect dust so it might hit the block or become my actual travel kit soon.

Nice.

Use it! I tried apuck of vintage Williams, and the old stuff is good stuff!

Brush looks to be nice too!

Looks to be a post war German product for the American military market. Cool!

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Looks to be a post war German product for the American military market. Cool!

That was my first thought as well. Though the alteration of the Eagle seal is peculiar as it has the shield below instead of over the chest of the eagle.

Nice!

About the eagled escutcheon: isn't this a shaving supplies manufacturer's? I'm sure I've barber hones with this logo on them or on their boxes. If I can find a pic, I'll post it.

Originally Posted by Muirtach

That was my first thought as well. Though the alteration of the Eagle seal is peculiar as it has the shield below instead of over the chest of the eagle.

I've seen it several ways, the way you mention is the official govt way. It has evolved a lot over the years since the Am. revolution.

Or erring in commision with Wikipedia, I beg to differ: Great Seal of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Oldengaerde

Or erring in commision with Wikipedia, I beg to differ: Great Seal of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As I said there is the official government version. As I should have made clear, the Great seal has had many forms in other versions, commercial, home made, etc.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

As I said there is the official government version. As I should have made clear, the Great seal has had many forms in other versions, commercial, home made, etc.

I think we all agree it is a modification of the Great seal. Figuring out who did it when for why is the interesting part.

Or I could make up some cool story I suppose.

Originally Posted by Muirtach

I think we all agree it is a modification of the Great seal. Figuring out who did it when for why is the interesting part.

Or I could make up some cool story I suppose.

The brush was made in West Germany. The emblem signifies the the eagle flying over the shield, which is allegorical to the Berlin airlift flying in over the blockade. The travel set was commisioned to commemorate the historic event...yadd, yadd, yadda. But that is my basic outline that you should embellish upon prior to posting it up on Ebay and recieving bids in excess of $1,500 for such a remarkable, and rare piece of history.