Prell Radiant Shampoo

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Prell Radiant Shampoo, front

Object Details

maker

Procter & Gamble Company

Description

Prell Shampoo was introduced by Procter & Gamble, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1947. This particular tube of Concentrated Prell Radiant Shampoo dates to around 1957 and was likely designed by Donald Deskey, a pioneer of modern industrial design. Deskey created packaging for many Procter & Gamble products, including the well-known Crest tube of toothpaste, Jif peanut butter, and Tide detergent.

Earlier in his career, Deskey designed the interior of Radio City Music Hall and worked on the 1939 New York World’s Fair. In the year before his death, Deskey gave some of his papers to the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York City.

Prell’s viscous green liquid and unbreakable bottle, featured in memorable advertising, made it fodder for many references in entertainment including television shows like Drawn Together, Seinfeld and The Simpsons. In the 1996 movie The Rock, Prell was used to represent the deadly VX gas. Prell was one of the highest selling shampoos in 1977 and is still sold today (2012) by Ultimark Products.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

The Fournet Drugstore Collection

date made

ca 1957

ID Number

1985.0475.207

catalog number

1985.0475.207

accession number

1985.0475

Object Name

shampoo

hair care produc

Object Type

Cosmetics

Physical Description

cardboard (packaging material)

metal (container material)

plastic (container material)

Measurements

overall: 14.7 cm x 3.5 cm x 2.8 cm; 5 13/16 in x 1 3/8 in x 1 1/8 in

overall, box: 1 3/8 in x 5 3/4 in x 1 1/8 in; 3.4925 cm x 14.605 cm x 2.8575 cm

overall, tube: 5 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in x 7/8 in; 13.97 cm x 3.81 cm x 2.2225 cm

place made

United States: Ohio, Cincinnati

associated place

United States: Louisiana, Saint Martinville

See more items in

Medicine and Science: Medicine

Health & Medicine

Beauty and Hygiene Products: Hair Care and Enhancement

Beauty and Health

Hair Care Products

Data Source

National Museum of American History

web subject