o.b. ads,
                            booklets & actual tampons: German (1970s) - German (1972) nude
                            woman on bed - German
                              nude (1970s) - French
                            (1989) - folder,
                            Germany, early 1950s (tells
                              what o.b. means!) - Dutch, two ads from
                            1959 giving THEIR take on what o.b. means,
                            which was wrong - Dutch ads, 1962, 1967 - Belgian ad with
                            beach & bathing suits, 1980s? - American
                            ad showing Judith
                              Esser, designer of the o.b. tampon,
                            August, 1984 - o.b. puberty
                              booklets (excerpts): German, Dutch (2004) -
                            o.b. actual tampons:
                            Switzerland (o.b.é.),
                            1970
                          More o.b. booklets:
                             
                            [Die] Menstruation (excerpts, 1977,
                            o.b. tampons, Germany) Photographer David
                            Hamilton contributed many photographs to
                            this explicit and beautiful booklet. By the
                            way, "Die" in the title means "the," not to
                            lose life. 
                            Volwassen worden
                            ("Growing up," the Netherlands, excerpts, 2004,
                            o.b. tampons) 
                            Your Personal Guide to
                              Menstruation and Tampon Usage (complete booklet,
                            U.S.A., 1988, o.b. tampons)
                          Booklets
                            menstrual hygiene companies made for girls,
                            women and teachers - patent
                              medicine - a list
                            of books and articles about menstruation
                          See early tampons
                            and a list of tampons
                            on this site - at least the ones I've
                            cataloged.
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                              
                              
                         | 
                        
                             
                            
                          
                             
                              
                                
                                  
                                    Anne
                                        non-applicator menstrual
                                        tampons with finger cots, box of 10
                                        (1968), Japan, from o.b.
                                      tampons 
                                    
                                    
                                    I thank
                                          the former Tambrands (history) for the
                                          donation!
                                   | 
                                 
                              
                             
                          
                          
                             
                              
                                
                                  
                                    
                                      
                                        
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              This small (1 3/4 x 4
                                              1/16", 4.5 x 10.4 cm) plastic
                                                bag lies between
                                              the tampons and the inside
                                              wall of the box. It
                                              contains the finger
                                                cots (protectors).
                                           | 
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              A squeeze lock (arrows)
                                              extends the width of the
                                              bag and closes it at 9/16"
                                              (1.4 cm) from the top.
                                           | 
                                         
                                        
                                            | 
                                            | 
                                         
                                      
                                     
                                   | 
                                 
                                
                                  
                                    Below:
                                      The writing on the plastic
                                      envelope.
                                   | 
                                 
                                
                                    | 
                                 
                                
                                  
                                    
                                      
                                        
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              The cot
                                              in its glory. It measures
                                              1 1/2 (at its widest) x 3
                                              1/8" (3.8 x 7.8 cm).
                                              Probably to better
                                                grip the string
                                              and tampon, it has a
                                              detectable-by-feel corrugation.
                                           | 
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              The top
                                                of the cot,
                                              enlarged.
                                           | 
                                         
                                        
                                             | 
                                             | 
                                         
                                      
                                     
                                   | 
                                 
                                
                                  
                                    Below:
                                      No, that's not a reservoir tip.
                                      My finger's too
                                        fat to fit all the way.
                                   | 
                                 
                                
                                  
                                    
                                      
                                        
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              The frigid
breeze
                                                off Great Slave Lake
                                              in the Northwest
                                              Territories of Canada discolored
                                                my finger. A
                                              modest shack on the shore
                                              holds the MUM collection
                                              and me, where I slave 10
                                              hours a day describing
                                              menstrual paraphernalia. A
                                              second collection, of cats,
                                              keeps me warm.
                                           | 
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              The directions
                                              show an easy fit for the
                                              smaller Japanese women. What am
                                                I doing anyway with my
                                                finger in a tampon cot?
                                           | 
                                         
                                        
                                            | 
                                             | 
                                         
                                      
                                     
                                   | 
                                 
                                
                                  
                                    
                                      
                                        
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              The cellophane-encased
                                              tampon measures 2 x 1/2"
                                              (5.1 x 1.27 cm).
                                           | 
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              Peeling off the band
                                              releases the wrapping.
                                           | 
                                          
                                            Below:
                                              The withdrawal
                                                string nestles in
                                              the concave
                                                end that the
                                              finger occupies when
                                              pushing the 'pon into the
                                              vagina.
                                           | 
                                         
                                        
                                            | 
                                            | 
                                            | 
                                         
                                      
                                     
                                   | 
                                 
                                
                                  
                                    Below:
                                      Does the 4 3/4" (12.1 cm) string,
                                      rumpled and stretching after its
                                      42-year sleep, yawn and say, "Where am I?" 
                                      Are you crazy? Wow, the people you
                                      meet.
                                   | 
                                 
                                
                                    | 
                                 
                              
                             
                             
                            
                              
                                
                                  
                                    End | box
                                      - instructions p.1 & p.2  
                                      o.b. ads,
                                      booklets & actual tampons: German
                                      (1970s) - German
                                      (1972) nude woman on bed - German nude
                                      (1970s) - French
                                      (1989) - folder,
                                      Germany, early 1950s (tells what o.b.
                                        means!) - Dutch,
                                      two ads from 1959 giving THEIR take on
                                      what o.b. means, which was wrong - [Die]
                                        Menstruation (excerpts,
                                      1977, o.b. tampons, Germany)
                                      Photographer David Hamilton
                                      contributed many photographs to
                                      this explicit and beautiful
                                      booklet. 
                                      So many BOOKLETS
                                      - So many TAMPONS
                                   | 
                                    
                                   | 
                                 
                              
                             
                          
                          © 2010 Harry Finley. It is illegal to
                            reproduce or distribute any of the work on
                            this Web site in any manner or medium  
                            without written permission of the author.
                            Please report suspected violations to hfinley@mum.org
                         |