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Fitch’s Dandruff Remover Shampoo bottle
Manufactured by The F. W. Fitch Co.
Cities listed: Des Moines, London, Toronto
- Height: ~8 inches
- Clear glass, machine-made
- Embossed: “THIS BOTTLE IS LOANED BY THE F. W. FITCH CO.”
- Original front and back labels present
Date (very tight window)
The labels are dated:
That pins this bottle to 1937 exactly (not “circa”—this is dead-on dated).
The Company
F. W. Fitch Company (Des Moines, Iowa)
- Founded in the late 1800s
- Became one of the biggest hair-care brands in America by the 1920s–40s
- Famous for:
- Aggressive national advertising
- Radio sponsorships (including baseball broadcasts)
- Barbershop distribution systems
They were everywhere—especially in professional barber shops.
The Product
Fitch’s Dandruff Remover Shampoo
What it actually was:
- High-alcohol formula (47% alcohol—basically hair tonic with attitude)
- Designed to:
- Kill scalp fungus (they didn’t say fungus… but that’s what they meant)
- Degrease the scalp
- Stimulate circulation
The claim:
“Removes dandruff or money back”
That was bold marketing for the time—and very effective.
Barber Shop Culture
This bottle wasn’t meant for home use.
- Label says: “FOR PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY”
- Embossing: “THIS BOTTLE IS LOANED…”
This was part of a return-and-refill system:
- Barbers didn’t own the bottle
- Fitch owned it
- When empty → returned → refilled → redistributed
Think of it like early Coca-Cola bottle logistics, but for your scalp.
How It Was Used
The directions are fantastic and very “of the era”:
- Apply to dry hair first
- Work until foam disappears (very different from modern shampoo use)
- Add water gradually
- Follow with Fitch’s Ideal Hair Tonic
This was a multi-step grooming ritual, not a quick shower squeeze-and-go.
Life in 1937 (setting the scene)
- Great Depression still lingering
- People stretched every dollar—but still paid for grooming
- Barbershops were:
- Social hubs
- News centers
- Personal care clinics (unofficially)
Technology & culture:
- Radio ruled (Fitch advertised heavily here)
- Medicine was still half science / half salesmanship
- Alcohol-based “cures” were everywhere
A guy walks into a shop in 1937:
- Gets a haircut
- Gets a scalp treatment with this exact bottle
- Leaves smelling like alcohol and victory
The Bottle Itself
- Machine-made (consistent seams, no pontil)
- Crown-top style lip (fits caps used in refill systems)
- Embossing confirms commercial circulation bottle
- Glass has that slightly “dusty haze” typical of 1930s storage—not damage
Condition
- No chips or cracks → excellent
- Labels present (front + back!)
- Minor label wear → normal, expected
- Interior residue/dust
