The original packaging for gift sets and mugs made by the Hull Pottery Company were cardboard boxes covered with a lithographed thin wood veneer.  The package showed the Ship Grand Turk on the top.  Around the sides were the Ship Mount Vernon, the Brig Experiment, Ship Friendship and Ship Recovery.  Since the wood veneer was lithographed in Japan, it was not available after 1941.

View each ship: Grand Turk, Friendship, Brig. Experiment, Mt. Vernon, Recovery

This cardboard gift set box replaced the wood veneer model in 1942 and was in use for gift sets until 1956.  Its color is a mottled yellow with a pebbly texture in an attempt to simulate the original wood veneer.  The graphics and ship designs are identical to the first box.

View each ship: Grand Turk, Friendship, Brig. Experiment, Mt. Vernon, Recovery

A major change in the ship logo first appeared in 1955 and continued in prominent use until 1973.  The ship takes on a more contemporary look.  The hull and masts are now black and the sails are white.

The gold compass rose first appeared on gift sets and other boxes in 1963 and was in use up until 1970.

View big

In 1973, when American Cyanamid bought Shulton, the next major design change occurred.  A series of traditional paintings of Clipper Ships decorated the tops of the gift set boxes that were a bright red.  Shown here is the "Hamilton."  Other Clippers included the the Wesley, Salem and the Birmingham.

In 1977 a series for four gift set packaging designs was introduced and used until 1981.  Clockwise from the upper left image these were called: New Orleans Harbor Collection, San Francisco Harbor Collection, Savannah Harbor Collection and Mystic Harbor Collection.  The Savannah collection appears to be exclusively for travel sets.  This series also introduced the concept of picturing the contents of the gift set on the outer package against these water color prints.  This innovation remained in the packaging through the 1990s.   (My thanks to Scott Werthmann who introduced this packaging for Old Spice in 1977 and brought it to my attention.)

In the 1980s, the packaging for gift sets took on a very contemporary look, showing the products contained within.

The lower photo shows that bottles were originally wrapped in paper which was probably dark red.  The wrapping was in use until the early 1940s.

This style box was used from 1942 until 1950 for After Shave and Cologne, and until 1955 for Talcum.  It is red with white graphics and lettering.  The distinguishing feature is the Old Spice logo shown below.  It is barely visible above the word Talcum.

This style of packaging appeared in 1950 on the After Shave and Cologne bottles.  Note that the scroll work around the Old Spice logo shown above is removed, and the words "EARLY AMERICAN" now form an arch over the words "Old Spice."

In 1955 the arching words "EARLY AMERICAN" are removed from the logo.  All the lettering and graphics continue to be white, although "Old Spice" is a bit larger in appearance.

Also, by 1963, the ship logo on the bottle boxes changed to the new black and white style.

This logo change occurred in 1980.  The distinctive blue stripe with the words "Old Spice" is still in use today.

Sometime in the late nineties, however, the traditional three-masted ship was replaced with a very contemporary racing yacht.

This new package and look was introduced in the mid 1990s.  The old clipper ships were replaced by contemporary racing yachts.  This package design change raised a good bit of ire among the traditional "Old Spicers!"