Object number
76/284/1
Description
This is a rectangular enamelled metal sign advertising Cooper's Cattle Dip. The sign shows a landscape with a cow skeleton in the foreground and inscribed 'They Didn't Dip It In Cooper's Cattle Dip'.
Label Text
Cooper's cattle dip sign. Advertising Cooper's Cattle Dip, this sign predicts a grave fate for cows not submerged in their product. Next to a cow skeleton is written 'They didn't dip it in Cooper's Cattle Dip.' William Cooper started his business in 1840 in Berkhamsted, becoming a pioneer in the production of chemical sheep and cattle dips. These would submerge livestock in a concoction of chemicals, killing parasites such as ticks, flies and lice. Becoming Cooper, McDougall and Robertson in 1925, the company expanded from livestock dips. During World War 2 they produced an anti-louse powder to kill a parasite which had caused trench fever and typhus among the troops.
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Sign- coopers cattle dip // J. R. Ashby, Wellcome Foundation Ltd. Berkhamstead // Description: Rectangular, enamelled metal sign. Landscape with cow skeleton in foreground. Coloured green, white, black and brown. 2 identical signs. Inscription: They Don’t Dip in Cooper’s Cattle Dip’
Object name
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_14015.tif - High resolution image
