Historical information
The Trade Mark "Preservene" was registered on 23 June 1914 and traded in that name until 1930 when Cussons Australia Pty Ltd incorporated the name and its products including the Preservene Cloudy Ammonia. The Preservene Company produced a book (19 pages) "The Presevene Method Of Housework" in 1911. This publication was not only a self promotion but also a useful tool for the rural household and commercial enterprises.
Significance
This bottle is very significant as it details the type of household cleaning methods and products used in the early 1900's up until the mid 1900's, when greater product diversities became available for rural areas. This product was a general cleaning agent that could be used for a variety of household items. It was the one product that "fits all cleaning". This attitude by the manufacturer fits into the mores held by the populous not only in cities but especially in the rural sector. This was an era where the success of a product was measured by the degree of versatility that came with it. The war years, the great depression had a lingering affect upon those who lived through them not to "waste" money on a multitude of products if one product had multiple uses. This was more so in rural areas where semi remote locations (as the case of the Kiewa Valley in the early 1900's) did not have the market place choices of city dwellers.
Physical description
This oblong shaped brown stained bottle has a red,green and faded white label covering 90% of the bottle. The bottle has a screw on lid. The bottle has embossed at the top back "POISON NOT TO BE TAKEN"
Inscriptions & markings
on front label starting from top down "POISONOUS" IN SMALLER LETTERS "NOT TO BE TAKEN", below in an eclipse red backed sphere "PRESERVENE CLOUDY AMMONIA" below this in smaller print "CONTENTS 15 1/2 ozs", "For Household & Laundry use " below this "Removing stains and clearing Silverware Jewellery Etc". On a slant with green lettering on off white background, "IMPORTANT NOTICE (underlined) NO TOIL PRESERVENE ONLY BOIL(underlined) SOAP". Below within a red dotted boundary "PRODUCED BY Preservene Pty. Ltd. Melbourne Victoria". Below this and in smaller print "This preparation contains not more than 10 percent and not less than 7 percent free ammonia" Both sides of the label detail manufacturers instructions for different applications.
