Lamar Creamery Milk Carton

01

Artifact Overview

The quest for a shatter-proof milk container prompted John Van Wormer to patent a paper carton in 1915. Many processors and distributors continued to use breakable glass bottles, but, after 1937, mechanized production made the disposable, wax-coated folded cartons inexpensive and indispensable liquid containers. The iconic design, a box with a gable-end top with a pouring or drinking spout, remains the industry standard today.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Carton (Container)

Creator Notes

Manufactured for Ex-Cell-O Corporation, Detroit, Michigan, by the Kieckhefer Container Company, Cherry River Division, Delair, New Jersey, Bensenville, Illinois, and Whittier, California, for Lamar Creamery Co., Paris, Texas.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

71.1.1579

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of David M. Gwinn.

Material

Cardboard

Color

Cream (Color)
Black (Color)
Red

Dimensions

Height: 15 in
Width: 8.125 in

Inscriptions

on front of carton: Lamar / CREAMERY / pull / here / HALF GALLON / Lamar / CREAMERY / GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED / HOMOGENIZED / VITAMIN D / MILK / EACH QUART FORTIFIED / WITH 400 U. S. P. UNITS / VITAMIN "D" / "The Sunshine Vitamin" / ACTIVATED ERGOSTEROL on side of carton: T124 / 11 / Covered / by one or more / U. S. Patent Nos. / 2,025,477 / [...] / 2,329,797 / OTHER PATENTS PENDING / MANUFACTURED FOR EX-CELL-O CORP. BY / KIECKHEFER CONTAINER COMPANY / CHERRY RIVER DIVISION / DELAIR, N. J. BENSENVILLE, ILL. WHITTIER CALIF. / HALF GALLON / "SAFE MILK ' / Lamar / CREAMERY / EACH QUART FORTIFIED / WITH 400 U. S. P. UNITS / VITAMIN "D" / "The Sunshine Vitamin" / ACTIVATED ERGOSTEROL / LAMAR CREAMERY CO/, PARIS, TEXAS on side of carton: Lamar / CREAMERY / HOMOGENIZED / Vitamin D MILK / "SAFE MILK" / Lamar / CREAMERY / GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED / HOMOGENIZED / VITAMIN D / MILK / EACH QUART FORTIFIED / WITH 400 U. S. P. UNITS / VITAMIN "D" / "The Sunshine Vitamin" / ACTIVATED ERGOSTEROL on side of carton: 4 / D 8 / 2413 / Pure-Pak / Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. / CONTAINER A PRODUCT OF / EX-CELL-CORPORATION / DETROIT, MICH. / HALF GALLON / "SAFE MILK ' / Lamar / CREAMERY / EACH QUART FORTIFIED / WITH 400 U. S. P. UNITS / VITAMIN "D" / "The Sunshine Vitamin" / ACTIVATED ERGOSTEROL / LAMAR CREAMERY CO/, PARIS, TEXAS
Lamar Creamery Milk Carton