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Item Specifics
- Brand: Dr. West’s (Weco Products Co.)
- Material: Translucent Plastic / Cellulose Acetate Handle, Nylon Bristles
- Color: Translucent Sapphire Blue
- Markings: Embossed "DR. WEST'S NYLON" and "U.S.A."
- Type: Vintage Personal Hygiene / Medical Collectible / Historical Artifact
- Condition: Antique/Vintage dug condition. Plastic body and bristles remain intact with natural age patina and wear from resting underground.
📝 Item Description
The Story Behind the Find
Found buried on an old homestead dump in Pittstown, New Jersey, this piece of history was buried for decades until a major storm uprooted a large tree behind our barn, exposing this vintage gem right in the root ball!
Historical Significance: The Birth of Modern Oral Hygiene
Before 1938, almost all toothbrushes were made using natural animal hair—typically coarse bristles harvested from Siberian wild boars!
That all changed on February 24, 1938, when Dr. West’s (manufactured by Weco Products Co.) launched the world’s very first toothbrush made with DuPont’s newly invented synthetic material: Nylon. Dubbed the "Miracle-Tuft," it replaced animal hair forever, offering a far more hygienic, durable, and mold-resistant way to brush.
This early "DR. WEST'S NYLON" toothbrush represents one of the earliest commercial uses of nylon in human history—predating even nylon stockings and the widespread WWII nylon conservation era!
Item Details & Condition
- Handle: Stunning translucent sapphire blue molded plastic with crisp, raised embossing reading "DR. WEST'S NYLON" along the handle and "U.S.A." near the neck.
- Head: Early synthetic nylon tufts remain remarkably attached and preserved.
- Overall Condition: Authentic dug/salvaged vintage condition. Shows light surface scuffing and soil character appropriate for a bottle-dump / farmstead find, but free of major cracks or structural breaks.
Great display piece for medical/dental historians, vintage advertising enthusiasts, or early plastics & DuPont milestone collectors!
Shipping & Packaging
Will be carefully bubble-wrapped and shipped in a sturdy box to ensure safe arrival. Feel free to reach out with any questions!
