Cardboard box containing a cake of Lifebuoy medicated health soap made by Lever Brothers Pty Ltd, red and black label.Lever Brothers Pty Ltddomestic equipment, cleaning, soap

Velvet Soap was a widely used laundry bar soap launched in 1906, produced by J. Kitchen & Sons, owned by John Ambrose Kitchen (1835 - 1922). Kitchen was born in Britain and emigrated to Victoria in 1854. After a less than successful period at the Caledonian and Blackwood diggings, Kitchen returned to Melbourne and joined his father and brothers in establishing a tallow candle making works. Through merger and expansion the company became the pre-eminent manufacturer of soap and candles in the eastern colonies in the mid to late 19th century. Kitchen also speculated in a number of enterprises but suffered financial setbacks as a result of the 1890s bank crashes. Despite this, the company continued to grow in the early twentieth century with the introduction of products such as Velvet Soap and Solvol. The company merged with the British company Lever Bros in 1914 who eventually took full control of the company in 1924, becoming Lever and Kitchen. Advertising for Velvet Soap in Australia was extensive and pervasive. All manner of surfaces were used to advertise the product such as building walls, roofs, and most commonly, enamelled sheet metal signs which were fastened to any available surface internally and externally. The most common form of sign that Velvet Soap used was the words 'PURE VELVET SOAP' in white lettering within a vivid dark blue, elongated Maltese cross. On the enamelled metal signs the Maltese cross sat on a red background with a yellow border. While this was the dominant form for Velvet Soap signs, there were variations from the standard. The Velvet Soap sign is of historical significance as a representative of painted signs that were once a common form of advertising during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. - : http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/14447#sthash.Vb6KAUWl.dpufHistoric - Advertising Sign - Velvet SoapTin sign with white, yellow, red and blue enamel. Pure velvet soap.puffing billy, enamel sign, pure velvet soap

These postcards were produced to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the launch of Velvet Soap by the manufacturer J. Kitchen & Sons. Kitchen & Sons was owned and managed by John Ambrose Kitchen. He emigrated from Britain to Australia in 1854 and like many others, tried his hand on the goldfields. Unsuccessful in his mining pursuits, Kitchen established a tallow candle works with his father and brothers in Melbourne. This became one of Australia's most successful soap and candle manufacturers. Velvet soap was introduced as a brand name by 1900 and another well brand “Solvol” was introduced by 1915. The firm was employing 1000 workers across Australia when it merged with the British firm Lever Bros in 1914. The Australian subsidiary remained under Kitchen family control. The business was progressively acquired by Lever Brothers, culminating in a formal amalgamation in 1962 to form Lever & Kitchen Pty Ltd. John Ambrose died on 24 May 1922 leaving an estate of £46,014, much of which was left to a range of charities. Velvet soap is still available for sale although its ownership has passed through several different amalgamations and manufacturers. This collection is significant because it commemorates the heritage of a widely used Australian product and business.A set of six postcards featuring coloured images of advertising used to promote Velvet soap.velvet soap australia, advertising australia