Milk Glass – Vintage Cold cream, Cosmetic, Salve and Ointment jars

Here are some examples of vintage milk glass “utility” jars that held many types of products, especially cold cream (face cream or hand cream), other cosmetics, lotions, salves and ointments.

Most of those shown in the photos below date from the 1920s into the 1950s, although a few may be somewhat earlier or later.  These types of glass jars were made in very large numbers and are often found in old trash dumps throughout the United States.

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PHOTO ONE (Above)~   Row One:   PONDS / 28 (on base);  PONDS (on front);  MELBA (on base); MUM / MFG. CO / PHILA. PA. (on  base);   MADE IN U.S.A.;   MENLEY-JAMES / 1 / MADE IN U.S.A. / 1 / NEW YORK / LONDON (on base).

Row Two:  MADE IN U.S.A. (on base); BRISTOL-MYERS CO. / MUM / NET WGT.  .42 OZ. / MADE IN U.S.A. / NEW YORK N.Y. (on base); PONDS (large grayish white glass, marked on base); Unmarked, vertically ribbed.

Row Three: HA [Hazel-Atlas logo] on base, enhanced with marker to bring out detail; jar labeled “JERGENS FACE CREAM”, JERGENS marked on base;  5 / WOODBURY / 17.

Row Four: Unmarked bottle (this contained “Head & Shoulders Lotion Shampoo” and dates after 1961 – see post by Roger Whirley in the Comments section of this page);   Vi-Jon (on base);  PONDS (on front), HA logo on base;  Vi-Jon (on base);  Unmarked – thick heavy glass with grayish tint.

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PHOTO TWO~  Row One: Unmarked;  HA (Hazel Atlas logo, on base);  2505 (possible cosmetic lid?); NADINOLA CREAM / A COMPLEXION BEAUTIFIER / NATIONAL TOILET CO. / PARIS,TENN.U.S.A. (on base).

Row Two: 1 [mold number] on base; PONDS 31 (on base); PONDS 7 (on base);  Unmarked; Unmarked [Rectangular “box” shaped jar];  INGRAMS MILK WEED CREAM (around shoulder), BOTTLE PATD / No 481953 (on base).

Row Three: Unmarked; Unmarked [ribbing around side];  Unmarked;  Unmarked [vertical ribbing on two sides];  3857 [style number] HA logo.

Row Four: Unmarked (Hexagon-shaped base);  Unmarked (possibly Johnson & Johnson?); Unmarked (blue-gray glass, probably cold cream); Unmarked;  Unmarked.

Row Five: Unmarked “generic” cylindrical salve (this style often held Musterole,  Mentholatum and Vico brand products);  Unmarked (same as previous jar);  MELBA (on base);  V  V  12 (mold number).

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Practically all of these have been found in trash dumps and excavations dating from the early through mid-20th century.   The range of markings, brand names, shapes, sizes and styles of these and similar glass jars is astounding.   A wide variety of brand names have been found embossed in the glass, usually placed on the base but quite often extending across the front or sides of the container.  Of course, originally, virtually all of these vintage milk glass jars, whether marked or unmarked, would have carried an identifying  paper label.

Some brand names and company names that are frequently associated with vintage milk glass containers are: Ponds,  Musterole,  Mentholatum,  Mum,  Vico,  Modjeska, Marinello,  Rawleigh’s,  Watkins,  Sanitol, Carmex,  Nadinola, Woodbury and others.  Many of these kinds of milk glass jars can be seen as posted on sites such as Etsy and Ebay.  Examples with original labels will typically have more value, providing better information on provenance, age, and type of product involved.

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Shown here (in the next two photos) is an unusual milk glass cosmetic jar (probably for cold cream, but possibly some other product) marketed by J.C. Penney.  This is embossed with the name JACIEL on the bottom.  The brand name “JACIEL” was used for a line of cosmetic products sold only through that department store.  Judging from information on the following webpage, the Jaciel line was sold during the 1927 to 1934 time frame.  http://collectingvintagecompacts.blogspot.com/2012/05/j-c-penney-and-his-butterfly.html   Bottles, jars and other product packaging for the brand seem to be rather hard to find.

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In the above two photos, we have an example of an “unknown” cosmetic jar found in Virginia, possibly that of an obscure brand of cold cream, with pictures sent to me by Angelina Knapp.   If you have any information on the brand name of this product (perhaps you have an identical jar with the original label still intact?),  please let us know!   Thanks!

UPDATE 7/26/2024: I just received a post from reader Kathleen Audet;  she writes:  ” I just found an ad that shows Angelina Knapp’s jar with embossed leaf design. This jar has a metal white screw on lid.  It identifies it as Granny Core 1950’s Milk Glass Vanity Jar Cold Cream HAND CREAM.”    Thank you Kathleen!

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Milk Glass Jar  Manufacturers

The actual glass manufacturer of a majority of the milk glass containers found is unknown, or at least, at the present time there is not much easily obtainable evidence about who made them.  Hazel-Atlas Glass Company was a huge manufacturer, making millions of these types of jars.   If you have info on other makers, or can point to material online or in reference works that can help identify makers (actual glass makers, not distributors or retailers), please write!

Although there may be a few milk glass containers similar to these that are currently being made, it appears that the heyday of their production was during the 1920s-1950s. Unfortunately, they are often rather hard to date because a lot of these types of containers were made over several decades with little change in their basic appearance.   During the 1960s and 1970s, many manufacturers and suppliers switched from glass over to plastic containers for their products.

See this page for basic background information on Milk Glass. 

Please click here to go to the GLASS BOTTLE MARKS pages, page one.

My website  Home Page (Welcome Page) is here. 

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