- Measurements:
- Materials: Natural Rubber, Paper
- Timeframe: First patent granted in 1932, second in 1935. Available for sale approximately 1940s. Exact commercial sales dates unknown but the printed brochure is dated 1946.
- Inventor(s): Patent 1,891,761 December 20, 1932. Lestor J. Goddard and 1,996,242 April 2, 1935. Arthur F. Hagedorn.
- Item Location: Period Nirvana Asheville, NC
- Credit: Kim Rosas
- Category: Reusable Menstrual Cup, Menstrual Receptacle
About the Dainty-Maid Daintette Cup
The Daintette Cup is one of the earliest commercially available menstrual cups, and likely the second oldest behind the Hy-Kup model. Daintette was sold by the Dainty-Maid company based in Middlefield, Connecticut. Dainty-Maid was a direct sales company that sold its line of products through saleswomen who conducted at-home “parties” similar to other companies like Tupperware or Mary Kay. The Daintette Cup sold for 2.50 dollars in the 1940s.
This was ideal since many of their products included personal hygiene items for women that were impossible to sell directly or even advertise straightforwardly.
Items in their lineup included personal cleanliness devices and items such as douches, earigators, cleansing powder, and enemas. Saleswomen were referred to as “hygienists” and would write or stamp their names on the back of the company’s printed booklets and brochures.
During the mid-1950s action was taken against this company for false and misleading advertising; a jury decided for the government in 1956.
A nearly identical menstrual cup was sold by another company, Foldene. The only known surviving example of the Foldene cup was part of the MUM collection, now in the hands of the Smithsonian. It is an educated guess that the Dainty Maid company sold or licensed their new idea. Period Nirvana has two Daintette cups that were found in the estate of a former pharmaceutical buyer. The only other known Daintette was also part of the MUM collection, now with the Smithsonian.
Sources: Duke University – David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, https://casetext.com/case/dainty-maid-inc-v-united-states, http://www.mum.org/daincup.htm
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