Plastic sprinkler bottles, Part 1: Minerware

Did you know that sprinkling water onto fabric prior to ironing helps to release wrinkles? From the 1940s through the 1960s, before steam irons were widely available and affordable, sprinkler bottles were popular with American homemakers.

This unique sprinkler bottle was patented in 1964. It was produced by Minerware Inc., a subsidiary of Miner Industries.

It’s an ornamental design, molded of unbreakable plastic in the shape of a bud vase. There’s a removable, perforated sprinkler that looks like a rose. A green ring with five leaves fits between the sprinkler and the bottle. It measures 8 1/2″ tall, has a 10 ounce capacity, sold for 59¢, and was offered in several color combinations.

Image (above) courtesy of Jerry Marcus.

I’ve been unsuccessful in locating a catalog page, brochure or advertisement for this Minerware “Laundry Damp’ner.” If you have one, please Contact Me and I’ll add your information to this blog post!

Design Patent

A Design patent protects an ornamental design on a useful item. The document itself is almost entirely made of pictures or drawings of the design, making it more difficult to search because few words are used.

Design No. 198,469 was patented with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on June 16, 1964. The inventors were Morris Friedman of New York, New York and Andrey V. Mackey of Ambler, Pennsylvania.