Whirley milk jug

Chosen because we want to include objects from the USA.

Whirley milk jug
case solved
Case number - AIBDC : 0_6407
A milk jug from circa 1970s with a lid in the shape of a cow's head. This jug was manufactured by Whirley Industries, USA and was their most popular product from 1972 to 1980. It is made from injection moulded polyethylene.
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DesignerUnknown - Wanted
ManufacturerWhirley Industries
CountryUSA
Date1970 - 1979 (circa) - Wanted
Dimensionsheight 160 mm, width 90 mm
Inscriptionmoulded: "Whirley Industries Inc. Warren Penna. USA" (base)
Rights: Images on this site are for non-commercial, educational use only. MoDiP has included images of this object with permission from Whirley Drinkworks.
href=" http://www.10most.org.uk/artefact/whirley-milk-jug"

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20/11/13

AIBDC : 0_6407 A curious cow milk jug made by Whirley Industries in the USA. Find out more on the Ten Most Wanted site http://10most.org.uk/artefact/whirley-milk-jug

20/11/13

ooh! I like that.

27/11/13

To remind users that interesting material posted here may be copied to www.10most.org.uk or www.modip.ac.uk for posterity.

03/12/13

Ian15.mdx has come up trumps again: The Whirley milk jug, which is actually called the MuhMuh Cow Creamer, was designed by Bob Sokolski whilst working at Whirley in the 1960s. Exact date to follow. This from Torben Krog, head of Whirley Europe (who works on Sundays).

03/12/13

And now Ian15.mdx has sent a brief history of the firm and we even kbnow what the designer looked like: Whirley-DrinkWorks! is a family owned and operated manufacturer in Warren, PA. We've been in operation since 1960, designing and manufacturing products for the food and beverage industry. Back in 1960, Bob Sokolski and Hal Conarro started a coin-operated laundry business. They called it "Whirley Wash," after the motion the machines made as they cleaned. Success soon followed! It wasn’t long before Bob and Hal decided to parlay their good fortune into another arena: car washes. Sparkle Car Washes–a chain of coin operated sites–was soon born. They even started to design their own equipment and started supplying hundreds of other car washes! Looking for a fresh challenge, Bob and Hal turned their attention to plastics. Their new venture, Whirley Industries, stormed into the world of plastic promotional products for the food and beverage industry and became the #1 company of its kind in the country! And so, I presume, the Whirley MuhMuh Cow Creamer was born. Source: http://whirleydrinkworks.com/about.php

17/12/13

No news from Whirley on the precise date of manufacture - can anyone help with this?

29/01/14

I wrote a personal letter to Bob Sokolski. Asked for the Whirley production dates. Sent it airmail to PA USA. Eventually got a reply.

29/01/14

And I contacted them the formal way through their website and also no reply. We are targetting educational establishments in the US at the moment and are keen to keep it live for that reason.

29/01/14

I got an email from Bob Sokolski. He says the Moo Cow Creamer was sold 'during the 1970s' and went out of production 'around 1980'. The Moo Cow Creamer was made in conjunction with a salt and pepper set but, 'The business for these products was primarily related to the highways leading from the North to Florida. Two factors beyond our control terminated the business around 1980. The Interstate Highway system was built and the cars sped directly to Florida without stopping at the gift shops. Second, "portion control" for coffee cream in disposable containers became mandated by the Government and the restaurants could no longer use Cow Creamers on the table. The Salt and Pepper dispenser was a big success. The Cow Creamer was even better'. Bob also sent a lengthy PDF about his company from which this picture is taken.

30/01/14

A further email from Bob Sokolski who says, when asked about the production date, 'I don't remember the year. My best guess is 1972'. So the probable production dates for the Moo Cow Creamer are 1972 to 1980.

05/02/14

Bob Sokolski has sent a 50 year celebratory Whirley brochure - have a look in the Evidence locker - that nails this one. The creamer which turns out to be correctly called Moo Cow Creamer - not MuhMuh cow - was designed by John Downey to Bob's idea based on a ceramic creamer. Bob's best guess at production dates are 1972 - 1980.

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Case notes

Susan Lambert's picture

Whirley milk jug, Case AIBDC : 0_6407

Moo Cow Creamer designed by Bob Sokolski

03/12/14

The head of Whirley Europe has informed the indefatigable Ian15.mdx that the title of the product is Muh Muh Cow Creamer and that it was designed by Bob Sokolski.  Ian15.mdx is awarded a special mention for each of these vital pieces of information. Ian15.mdx has also provided us with a brief history of the company and portraits of its founders, including Sokolski. These can be found in the Evidence locker.

Date of manufacture still required. We are hoping Whirley USA will provide that.

 

John Downey was the lead designer not Bob Sokolski

29/01/14

You have to be so carful about what you accept as fact. We have now heard from one of the founders of Whirley Industries, Bob Sokolski himself, and he tells us that the Cow Creamer's title is not MuhMuh Cow but Moo Cow as given in the company's 50 year celebratory brochure available herehttps://mail1.whirleydrinkworks.com/354628/163075/163075_0.pdf. He also says that the creamer was designed by John Downey to his Bob's idea, based on a ceramic creamer. In terms of dates his best memory is 1972 to 1980.

 

Case solved

Title: Moo Cow Creamer

Designer: John Downey based on an idea of Bob Sokolski

Date: c.1972-1980

Participating agents: Ian15.mdx