If you’re a vanner or van toy collector and come across a mint Avon Vantastic Wild Country After Shave decanter, snag it! Avon was king of the novelty containers and as a kid, it made picking out a gift for dad a cinch. The reason so few of these have survived in mint condition is that they were used on a regular basis for dispensing after shave, and while the bottle and the plastic add-on are pretty durable, the decals are not, and they either fell off completely from contact with the alcohol based contents, wear from use, or most likely – a combination of both.
Avon Products, Inc., was launched in the late 19th century as California Perfume Company by a traveling book salesman named David H. McConnell. While roaming the United States with his books in tow, McConnell was tinkering with rose-scented perfume formulas. He noted that the ladies who answered the door were more interested in his homemade perfume samples than the volumes he was trying to sell. He started selling his perfume on the road as well, eventually settled with his new wife, Lucy, in New York City, and established a perfumery there in 1886… read more >
