Help me identify NEW head variations

[alex2363]

For the sake of brevity, I didn't quote your entire post, but yes, I believe your theory is correct. I also believe this should be reviewed, verified, and included in the Wiki. Nice work, sir!

I retained your quote of the interesting wording concerning the "purchase" or "merger." In reality, it was about the same as if a man takes your wallet and car keys at gunpoint and you call it a gift instead of a robbery.

The "purchase" was the only way to settle a patent infringement lawsuit initiated by Henry Gaisman, the owner of AutoStrop and Probak. At the end of the day, Gaisman owned it all and cleaned house. The Gillette name was stronger, with Gillette having the lion's share of the blade market, so it remained as the successor company with AS and Probak as subsidiaries.

Interesting too is that it was not only about razor design or the shape of the blade holes, but also involved the processes used to manufacture and sharpen the blades themselves. Gaisman tried to persuade Gillette to buy him out several times, and there was speculation that both companies had "inside men" working for the other.

One of the greatest ironies is that even to this day, decades after the takeover and King C. Gillette's death in 1932, Gillette's picture still appears on razor blade packages!

I read and posted on this merger in the past, it was probably kinda boring so didnt get much replies. But you did post some great insight.

 

[alex2363]

Henry Gaisman "sold" AutoStrop in 1930 for over twice what it was worth. One inflation calculator informed me that $20m in 1930 dollars is equivalent to just over a quarter of a billion dollars today.

I certainly recognize that "merger" is perhaps a euphemism for what happened between Gillette and AutoStrop. Perhaps the hubris often connected with making tons of money with a consumable (like razor blades) might have blinded the Gillette patent people to the need to stay current. Timing is everything, and Mr. Gaisman knew it.

When I get home this evening I'm going to peruse my copy of Russell Adam's 1978 book, "King C. Gillette, the man and his wonderful shaving device." When I first read it a year ago I remember nothing of the historical intrigue. I think the author might have glossed over this stuff. I remember this book as more of a fawning history of the Gillette enterprise, though there's certainly some good historical material in his telling of the story.

Anyway, if anyone following this thread owns NEW guards either without patent information or with only early AutoStrop patent numbers, you just might want to hang on to them. Just sayin'.

Doug

They have it at Amazon....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0316009377/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used