A 1870-80 Victorian Army & Navy Cooperative Society Ltd. transferware Cold Cream of Roses pot lid in unusually good condition, measuring 8.5 cm x 1.7 cm high.
British army and navy officers formed the Co-Operative in 1871 to supply members domestic articles at lowest rates, becoming a members-only department store.
Cold cream was popular among all classes of women in Victorian times; it was one of the few products that even ladies of high rank would disclose using; they would not disclose their beauty rituals, especially not cosmetics which were considered indiscreet and even vulgar. Cold cream however was believed to cleanse the skin and protect the pale translucent complexion that ladies so desired, which was a mark of higher status. Floral preparations such as violets and roses were highly favoured.
Due to the nature of the formulation, which often used plant oils and beeswax, small batches were made on the spot by chemists, who would devise and jealously guard their recipes. Cold cream was sold in shallow ironstone pots in Victorian England until just before World War One.
The lettering and graphics applied to these paste pots now provide stunning examples of Victorian utilitarianism and insight into 19th century daily life, as well as people’s needs and aspirations at the time.