Summary
Three ounce tin containing Tromax brand Fuller's Earth, made (or distributed) by Sigma Co. Ltd.
Sigma was founded in 1912 by two Melbourne pharmacists, Ernest Holloway Leete (1870-1953) and Edwin Thomas Church (1864-1947). Initially the business made proprietary pharmaceutical and hygiene-related products for shareholder pharmacists, including tooth powder, soap, hair lotion, tonic, catarrh remedy, rheumatic salts, and kidney and backache pills. In 1942 the business opened a new manufacturing facility in Port Melbourne; in 1961 the factory moved to Clayton. Sigma remains a significant wholesale and distribution business to pharmacy and owns Amcal, Amcal Max and Guardian.
According to participants at a talk given by History Dept. at the Tresize Centre, 27 March, 1990, amongst its uses Fuller's Earth was also used as a "dry shampoo" to clean hats: it was sprinkled on and then brushed off.
Physical Description
Three ounce tin containing Fuller's Earth - chemically, palygorskite or attapulgite. Tin has printed label in yellow, red, black and blue.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Mr Trevor Plumridge, Jun 1986
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Manufacturer
Sigma Co. Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1950-1970
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Inscriptions
Text: 'TROMAX / FULLER'S / EARTH / ...'.
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
5.25 cm (Length), 13 cm (Height)
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References
Sigma company history [Link 1] and [Link 2] acessed 28 Jan 2016.
[Book] Winzenried, A. P. 1991. Green Grows Our Garden: a Centenary History of Horticultural Education at Burnley.
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