Founder of The AutoStrop Co. Henry J. Gaisman.
First patents in May and July 1904. On a safety razor and straightening razor blades
A couple of months earlier, before the famous Gillette patent.
The first razors were sold in 1906.
By 1920, he had dozens of patents.
One of his many patented inventions was sold to his friend George Eastman for $300,000. It was called writing on tape while she was in the cell. This is how Kodak Autographic cameras appeared
In 1930, AutoStrop Co had a conflict with Gillette
company. The essence of the conflict was that AutoStrop Co received a patent and trademark for several blades. They were identical to Gillette's new blades (which the firm received a patent for the following month).
After some litigation, Gillette decided it was cheaper to buy AutoStrop Co than to sue it.
In November 1930, the two companies merged. Henry J. Gaisman not only received 20 million but also became chairman of the board at Gillette.
When Henry J. Gaisman was asked why he was paid 20 million dollars for the company when the company's assets were only 9 million, he answered: “but, gentlemen, I have a patent for this product!”
A patent for the Valet trademark was filed on July 19, 1912. It was put on razors, knives, files, scissors. But
rarely used on AutoStrop products before December 1920
‘Auto type’ blades patented in 1927 by Valet
AutoStrop razors have been sold to many companies.
Below is a sample list.
Kurt Moe described several in Knife World (Dec 1994).
U.S.brands included Golf (Golf Blade Co., New York),
Velvet Edge, Eastman and Eastmor (Fuller Blade Co., N.Y.),
Blue Jay (Hill & McLaughlin, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.
1936), Drexel (Drexel Blade Co., LeCenter, Minn.), Hood
(Brooke Razor Blade Corp., N.Y.), Harmony (Harmony
Razor Blade Co., New York and Chicago, distributed by
Gotham Sales Co., New York), Kriss Kross Auto Type
Blade, Lesota (Aitchison Mfg., Albert Lea, Minn.), Molle
(Molle, Bedford, Ohio), Oregonian (distributed by P.
Rosomny, Portland, Oregon).
First patents in May and July 1904. On a safety razor and straightening razor blades
A couple of months earlier, before the famous Gillette patent.
The first razors were sold in 1906.
By 1920, he had dozens of patents.
One of his many patented inventions was sold to his friend George Eastman for $300,000. It was called writing on tape while she was in the cell. This is how Kodak Autographic cameras appeared
In 1930, AutoStrop Co had a conflict with Gillette
company. The essence of the conflict was that AutoStrop Co received a patent and trademark for several blades. They were identical to Gillette's new blades (which the firm received a patent for the following month).
After some litigation, Gillette decided it was cheaper to buy AutoStrop Co than to sue it.
In November 1930, the two companies merged. Henry J. Gaisman not only received 20 million but also became chairman of the board at Gillette.
When Henry J. Gaisman was asked why he was paid 20 million dollars for the company when the company's assets were only 9 million, he answered: “but, gentlemen, I have a patent for this product!”
A patent for the Valet trademark was filed on July 19, 1912. It was put on razors, knives, files, scissors. But
rarely used on AutoStrop products before December 1920
‘Auto type’ blades patented in 1927 by Valet
AutoStrop razors have been sold to many companies.
Below is a sample list.
Kurt Moe described several in Knife World (Dec 1994).
U.S.brands included Golf (Golf Blade Co., New York),
Velvet Edge, Eastman and Eastmor (Fuller Blade Co., N.Y.),
Blue Jay (Hill & McLaughlin, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.
1936), Drexel (Drexel Blade Co., LeCenter, Minn.), Hood
(Brooke Razor Blade Corp., N.Y.), Harmony (Harmony
Razor Blade Co., New York and Chicago, distributed by
Gotham Sales Co., New York), Kriss Kross Auto Type
Blade, Lesota (Aitchison Mfg., Albert Lea, Minn.), Molle
(Molle, Bedford, Ohio), Oregonian (distributed by P.
Rosomny, Portland, Oregon).
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