King Gillette's Safety Razor

[sgreenstreet]

I'm sure this little history was really a marketing effort for the 50th anniversary of Gillette. From Mechanix Illustrated, January 1954:

 

[Dalejr]

A nice read, thanks for posting.

 

[sgreenstreet]

In 1904, Gillette sold 1.4 blades for every razor. That musta been some rough shaving that year!

 

[TheEye]

very odd, cause gillette was founded in 1901 and all anniversaries were celebrated because of 1901 ... 1926 1951 1976 2001 ...

 

[sgreenstreet]

very odd, cause gillette was founded in 1901 and all anniversaries were celebrated because of 1901 ... 1926 1951 1976 2001 ...

I think that the company may have been founded in 1901, but sales may not have happened until 1904. I've read other accounts about how King Gillette struggled with investors while he got the machinery designed and operational.

 

[TheEye]

yes sir, that is correct 1903 was the first year of production but the official anniversaries were celebrated by gillette because of 1901
eg

 

[alex2363]

I think that the company may have been founded in 1901, but sales may not have happened until 1904. I've read other accounts about how King Gillette struggled with investors while he got the machinery designed and operational.

Gillette filed a patent in 1901, which was awarded in 1904. Gillette started production in 1903 with few dozen razors and few hundred blades sold. In 1904 Gilette sold over 90,000 razors and 123,000 blades. In1908, sales passed the million mark. World War 1 Gillette had a contract with US armed forces for 3.5 million razors and 32 million blades which made Gillette the leader in the shaving business.

 

[alex2363]

very odd, cause gillette was founded in 1901 and all anniversaries were celebrated because of 1901 ... 1926 1951 1976 2001 ...

They started at this time but they were still trying to get financial backing and Gillette's business partner and inventor Nickerson was still perfecting the razor, blade and machinery also the patent was issued in 1904 which led to the later 1903 start.