Cheese Preservers:  Complaints & User Instructions

by Mark A. Nye
Issue No. 210 - October 1990

Over the years, numerous Cambridge Glass Company records have surfaced, and sometimes one wonders "how did certain files escape being discarded or destroyed, after the plant closing?" In some cases, "why were they saved for so long in the first place?" One such file was on the Sanitary Cheese Preserver. Its contents, dated to the early 1940s, serves as the basis for this month's article.

Established in 1876, Carl Tanner & Company of Alliance, Ohio, was very much in business during the early 1940s and, according to their letterhead, were "Manufacturers of and Dealers in Cheese." Cheese Preserver ad Furthermore, the letterhead offered the following invitation, "When traveling through Alliance, you are invited to come and see our cheese curing rooms. Largest display of Swiss Cheese between New York and Chicago."

Also on the letterhead was information regarding the "Tanner Sanitary Food Preserver." According to the information provided, this item was covered by patents in the U.S. and Canada and "Keeps cheese good to the last bite. Made in 3 sizes, 1½ lb., 3 lb. Home Size, and 30 lb. Commercial Size Preservers."

The moulds for at least the two smaller jars were private moulds, owned by Tanner & Company, and prior to sometime in 1939, were manufactured for Tanner by the U.S. Glass Company. (Information on the large jar is not available at this time.) Then, for reasons yet to be determined, Tanner withdrew its business from U.S. Glass and the moulds were transferred to the Cambridge Glass Company. The mould for another item, a small square jar was not delivered to Cambridge until January 1943.

The earliest document in the cheese preserver file is dated 1939 and concerned Cambridge receiving the moulds from U.S. Glass. Unfortunately, there was nothing in the file to indicate what the business arrangements were between Tanner and Cambridge. The next date to appear is December 1940, when Cambridge began to write letters to those companies that had formerly purchased the cheese preserver from U.S. Glass, informing them that they (Cambridge) were now producing the item.

1571 Cheese Preserver The round cheese preserver jar appeared in the January 1940 Cambridge catalog as item #1570 Cheese Preserver Jar, and again in the 1940 catalog where it was accompanied by the Square version, listed as item #1571.

The last mention of the cheese preservers were listings in the October 1953 price list. The original price, January 1, 1940, for the #1570 preserver was $18.80 per dozen, list. By August 1942 the list price was up to $22.50 per dozen; and in June 1949 the list price for the #1570 jar had risen to $33.00 per dozen, while the square version, #1571 (shown at left) listed for $27.00 per dozen. Four years later the two jars listed for $48.00 and $36.00 per dozen, respectively.

How well did the preservers do their intended job? Apparently well enough to keep them in the Cambridge line for some 13 years. When they originally went into production at U.S. Glass, or perhaps elsewhere, has not been determined, but based on its patent number, the patent would have been issued sometime during 1928. Thus, it appears the cheese preserver jars were available for a total of at least 25 years, and if they didn't work, it is doubtful a market could have been sustained for that length of time.

However, there were problems and the balance of this article consists of correspondence related to two complaints regarding the jar's performance. Lewis and Conger was a catalog house that carried the cheese preserver, apparently without the manufacturer's identity.

January 24th (1941)
Lewis & Conger
45th St. & 6th Ave
New York City

Gentlemen:

A short time ago, I had given to me one of your glass "Sanitary Cheese Preservers."

I have followed carefully the directions printed on the glass cover, putting the right proportions of vinegar and salt in the bottom and keeping the jar in a cold place.

After two days of placing about a pound of mild american cheese in the dish, mold began to grow on it, and now after two days more, it is not fit to eat so much mold has developed.

I am writing to ask you if there is anything you would suggest doing to keep the cheese in good condition, in this glass covered dish.

At this rate, it would be preferable to leave the cheese wrapped in a piece of wax paper and take the chances of its drying out.

Very truly yours,
Mrs. A. W. Booth

January 27th, 1941
Cambridge Glass Co.
Cambridge, Ohio

Gentlemen:

We are enclosing copy of a letter, which we received from Mrs. A. W. Booth of Elmira, New York.

You will note as we did that our customer mentions keeping the Sanitary Cheese Preserver in a cool place. It is the writer's understanding that this dish should be kept inside the refrigerator in order to maintain the freshness of the cheese.

Will you be good enough to write Mrs. Booth direct at the address given, telling her your best suggestions. We should also appreciate your letting us have these instructions, in the event that we have a similar occurrence later on.

Thank you for your kind cooperation, and please address your communication to Mr. J. P. Edwards.

Yours very truly,
LEWIS & CONGER

January 30th, 1941
Mr. Carl Tanner
Carl Tanner & Co.
Alliance, Ohio

My dear Mr. Tanner:

Herewith hand you a letter from Lewis & Conger with the letter from their customer, Mrs. A. W. Booth. Will you kindly return this immediately to us with your advice in the matter?

The directions on our Cover read: "Place one third pint vinegar and one tablespoon full salt in bottom," which we understand is correct. Now, is it necessary to keep the cheese in this container in the refrigerator or would any cool place answer?

Please let us hear from you.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.

Secretary

February 17th, 1941

Mr. Carl Tanner
Carl Tanner & Co.
Alliance, Oho

Dear Mr. Tanner:

Please let us have reply to our letter of January 30th regarding the directions for using the Cheese Preserver Jars.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.

Secretary

February 18, 1941
Mr. W. C. McCartney
The Cambridge Glass Co.
Cambridge, O

Dear Sir,

In answer to yours of Feb. 17. We answered your letter of January 30th, re Mrs. A. W. Booth, re Lewis & Conger.

As is our policy on complaints, we sent a letter direct to Mrs. Booth, with a copy of same both to yourselves and Lewis & Conger.

Yours very truly,
Carl Tanner & Co.

(signed) A. F. Tanner

P.S. We suggested in the letter that the lady use a mild solution of vinegar, not over 1/2 cup of solution. Also to keep Preserver in a cool place. Mild new cheese will mold more readily because of higher moisture content.

February 19th, 1941
Carl Tanner & Company
Alliance, Ohio

Mr. A. F. Tanner
Gentlemen:

We have yours of the 18th advising that you answered our letter of January 30th direct to Mrs. A. W. Booth, sending us a copy of your reply as well as a copy to Lewis & Conger.

Sorry to inform you we never received the copy and we are just wondering if it was sent us and also if you are sure you sent one to Lewis & Conger, inasmuch as we did not receive our copy.

Under the circumstances, would suggest you send us another copy so that we might have it for our files and for future reference.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.
Secretary

(no date)
Mrs. A. W. Booth,

Dear Madam,

In answer to your inquiry regarding the "Cheese Preserver" which you received from Lewis & Conger, New York City we enclose a few suggestions regarding its use:

  1. Use a mild solution of vinegar, preferably white vinegar, so that the solution goes about 1/3 up the glass bottom rests.
  2. PROCESS Cheese because of other ingredients beside milk is not well adapted to use in "c. preserver".
  3. Mild cheese, (fresh cheese) has a greater tendency to mold because of higher moisture content.
  4. In general, during hot weather particularly, it is best to keep container in cool place, ie refrigerator, basement, etc.

If there is any further information regarding the cheese preserver which this does not answer, we shall be pleased to do so.

Yours very truly,

Carl Tanner & Co.
(signed) A. F. Tanner

Copy to:
Cambridge Glass Co .
Lewis & Conger

(no date)
Lewis & Conger,
New York City, N.Y.

Gentlemen:

A few months ago I purchased one of the Cheese Preservers illustrated in your catalogue; however, I have not had satisfactory results in using it. When I place it in the refrigerator the moisture collects on the inside of the cover and then drips down upon the cheese, giving the cheese a most peculiar taste. If I leave the dish outside the refrigerator, the cheese becomes moldy. Have you had other complaints?

Very truly yours,
Mrs. Reg. N. O'Neill (signed)
Grand Rapids, Michigan

May 4, 1942
The Cambridge Glass Co.,
Cambridge, Ohio

Gentlemen:

We are herewith enclosing a copy of the letter received from Mrs. O'Neill in reference to the Cheese Preserver.

Will you be good enough to advise her as to what the trouble may be, and send us a copy of your letter, so that we may be able to use it for similar complaints?

Thanking you in advance for any courtesy extended, we are,

Very truly yours,
LEWIS & CONGER (signed)

May 8th, 1942
Lewis & Conger
Sixth Ave. at 45th Street
New York, N.Y.

Gentlemen: JPE/MS

We have your letter of the 4th with copy of letter from Mrs. O'Neill of Grand Rapids, Michigan, relative to the difficulty she is having with the Cheese Preserver and we are replying direct to this lady and herewith hand you copy of our reply.

Yours truly,
The CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.
Secretary

CC/Henn

May 9th, 1942

E. P. HENN:

We herewith hand you copy of letter from Lewis & Conger, also copy of their letter from their customer, Mrs. O'Neill, with copy of our reply.

You also requested we send you copy of letter we wrote Paul in reply to letter from Marye Dahnke, Director of Home Economics Dept. of Kraft Cheese Co., which copies we are also enclosing.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.
W. C. McCartney

May 9th, 1942
Mrs. Reg. N. O'Neill
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Dear Mrs. O'Neill,

Your letter of recent date to Lewis & Conger, telling of the difficulty you are having with the Cheese preserver, has been referred to us by them and we would advise we do not believe you are using the Cheese Preserver as it should be used.

We note the method in which you have used the Cheese Preserver and we believe that possibly your placing it in the refrigerator and then bringing it out caused the cheese to become moldy. We say this for the reason we have greatly experimented with this preserver and find cheese will not mold in it. For instance, we have a piece of cheese on display in our sample room here which has been in the preserver since the first of the year and no mold has appeared.

We also have a letter from Marye Dahnke, Director of Home Economics of the Kraft Cheese Co., Chicago, in which she states that in her experiments there was no mold on the cheese.

Now it is not necessary to keep the jar in the refrigerator but in any cool place in the kitchen, pantry or basement.

Also we have found that the vinegar today bought in bottles seems to be much stronger, or a different type of vinegar than that in use when this preserver was first produced, which was several years ago. We, therefore, suggest that you dilute the vinegar somewhat with water and we think you will have no further trouble with cheese molding.

There is just one other thing that we have to suggest. Perhaps you are not using the preserver every day and leaving the cover on for too long a time, which causes the cheese to absorb somewhat the vinegar flavor. It is true that the longer the cheese is kept in the preserver the more vinegar taste is acquired if the cover is not lifted once a day and the cheese and solution allowed to ventilate or obtain air. We, therefore, suggest that at least once a day the cover be removed from the preserver. Most any lover of cheese uses a little each day. For instance, the writer has used one of these for many years and I have never had any trouble with the cheese placed in the same, due to the fact that practically every day I use a little cheese. So, therefore, I have to take the cover off, lay it aside, take the cheese out, cut off a piece, then place it back and put the cover on. You can readily understand by doing this that the contents receive plenty of air and therefore the cheese does not absorb the vinegar.

In closing will say that we believe if you will follow this method you will have success with the cheese preserver.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.
Secretary