What I found today and almost missed it!

[Mako72]

Well I was going to put this in the serial number thread but I lost it. I did this because I got bored today and I wanted to see if we could get an appx production date. The following sets of numbers assume production stayed fairly even throughout the year. Since Xmas wasn't commercially big until the 30s I think production would have been more even spread than nowadays. Here goes...

Gillette Serial Numbers 1908-A195425-A675857
Breakdown by Month & Week

Jan-A195425-A235460
Feb-A235461-A275496
Mar-A275497-A315532
Apl-A315533-A355569
May-A355570-A395605

W1-A355570-A365578
W2-A365579-A375587
W3-A375588-A385596 ]-A377857 Intrigued
W4-A385597-A395605 ]-A386011 Highball, A388088 Ironhammer

Jun-A395606-A435641

W1-A395606-A405614 ]-A401182 Sandcounty
W2-A405615-A415623
W3-A415624-A425632
W4-A425633-A435641

Jul-A435642-A475677
Aug-A475678-A515713
Sep-A515714-A555749
Oct-A555750-A595785
Nov-A595786-A635821
Dec-A631822-A675867

If production was fairly consitant all the signed razors were probably produced in a couple week span. Now we just need to see if there is anything in Gillettes history that might account for maybe an anniversary or some sort of celebratory reason for the close production and signatures. Might give us a direction to look. Hope it helps.

Jay

 

[Intrigued]

I agree it looks like A388088.

 

[mblakele]

1908 is about right for a five-year company anniversary, isn't it?

 

[Intrigued]

Well I was going to put this in the serial number thread but I lost it. I did this because I got bored today and I wanted to see if we could get an appx production date. The following sets of numbers assume production stayed fairly even throughout the year. Since Xmas wasn't commercially big until the 30s I think production would have been more even spread than nowadays. Here goes...

Gillette Serial Numbers 1908-A195425-A675857
Breakdown by Month & Week

Jan-A195425-A235460
Feb-A235461-A275496
Mar-A275497-A315532
Apl-A315533-A355569
May-A355570-A395605

W1-A355570-A365578
W2-A365579-A375587
W3-A375588-A385596 ]-A377857 Intrigued
W4-A385597-A395605 ]-A386011 Highball, A388088 Ironhammer

Jun-A395606-A435641

W1-A395606-A405614 ]-A401182 Sandcounty
W2-A405615-A415623
W3-A415624-A425632
W4-A425633-A435641

Jul-A435642-A475677
Aug-A475678-A515713
Sep-A515714-A555749
Oct-A555750-A595785
Nov-A595786-A635821
Dec-A631822-A675867

If production was fairly consitant all the signed razors were probably produced in a couple week span. Now we just need to see if there is anything in Gillettes history that might account for maybe an anniversary or some sort of celebratory reason for the close production and signatures. Might give us a direction to look. Hope it helps.

Jay

Great piece of work Jay!

1908 is about right for a five-year company anniversary, isn't it?

I have thought it might be something like that. The different cases that IronHammer's and mine came in kind of drew me away from that idea.

I just had a idea. Maybe the signed razors had something to do with the launch of the new blade that was released Sept 1 of 1908 that you posted about, Jay.

 

[IronHammer]

Well I was going to put this in the serial number thread but I lost it. I did this because I got bored today and I wanted to see if we could get an appx production date. The following sets of numbers assume production stayed fairly even throughout the year. Since Xmas wasn't commercially big until the 30s I think production would have been more even spread than nowadays. Here goes...

Gillette Serial Numbers 1908-A195425-A675857
Breakdown by Month & Week

Jan-A195425-A235460
Feb-A235461-A275496
Mar-A275497-A315532
Apl-A315533-A355569
May-A355570-A395605

W1-A355570-A365578
W2-A365579-A375587
W3-A375588-A385596 ]-A377857 Intrigued
W4-A385597-A395605 ]-A386011 Highball, A388088 Ironhammer

Jun-A395606-A435641

W1-A395606-A405614 ]-A401182 Sandcounty
W2-A405615-A415623
W3-A415624-A425632
W4-A425633-A435641

Jul-A435642-A475677
Aug-A475678-A515713
Sep-A515714-A555749
Oct-A555750-A595785
Nov-A595786-A635821
Dec-A631822-A675867

If production was fairly consitant all the signed razors were probably produced in a couple week span. Now we just need to see if there is anything in Gillettes history that might account for maybe an anniversary or some sort of celebratory reason for the close production and signatures. Might give us a direction to look. Hope it helps.

Jay

That's an interesting line of thinking. A company landmark celebration may be the reason for the stamping? Hmm, I am kind of leaning towards it being their first attempts at a trademark. But amazing breakdown, Jay! I like the way you think!

I agree it looks like A388088.

Alright. A388088 it is then. I will get the Wiki updated too.

 

[Mako72]

That's an interesting line of thinking. A company landmark celebration may be the reason for the stamping?

The problem I can't wrap my head concerning the idea of a celebratory, presentation, or commemorative issue is that the razors in evidence are all bottom of the barrel models. If you are going to issue something as some sort of a keepsake type gift I would expect Combination Sets. I also would expect some sort of engraving or stamping on the outside top of the case, ie. "This razor presented to Sir Blank, Courtesy of King C Gillette".

Hmm, I am kind of leaning towards it being their first attempts at a trademark.

I thought of that to but the Gillette Diamond & Arrow Trademark was filed on May 27 1908 which means the logo had to have been on the drawing board sometime(weeks? months??) before that. Why try some sort of intermediate trademark at or about the time you are filing your official one? And if it was to be an intermediate trademark why only on single rings and not ABCs? I don't know much about the ABCs but I would bet the peices came to Gillette unfinished for serializing and then plating otherwise they might have had duplicates numbers with the single rings.

Great piece of work Jay!

No problem guys its fun and it gives me something to do.

I just had a idea. Maybe the signed razors had something to do with the launch of the new blade that was released Sept 1 of 1908 that you posted about, Jay. :idea

Possible but the as yet very small amount seems to preclude it. The only thing I could think of was raffle or sweepstakes kind of promo(which fits the lower end model) but I haven't found any ads or promos as yet.


Just some things that don't seem make sense no matter which way you look at it. But I'll keep looking around and bouncing ideas.

Jay

 

[mblakele]

Let's turn that trademark idea on its head. What if the signature was proposed as a trademark, and then dropped when the diamond logo looked like a better idea? Perhaps a few hundred or a few thousand signature parts were made before the plans changed. Gillette never seemed to throw anything away, so they made their way into the marketplace without any fanfare.

 

[IronHammer]

Jay, you need a medal for the footwork you are putting into this. Maybe I can scrounge something up and send your way. What's your preferred shaving device? Hmm? (And don't say signature single ring, either. I only have one right now!)

 

[Intrigued]

I just had a idea. Maybe the signed razors had something to do with the launch of the new blade that was released Sept 1 of 1908 that you posted about, Jay.

I'm liking this idea more and more.

1:The problem I can't wrap my head concerning the idea of a celebratory, presentation, or commemorative issue is that the razors in evidence are all bottom of the barrel models. If you are going to issue something as some sort of a keepsake type gift I would expect Combination Sets. I also would expect some sort of engraving or stamping on the outside top of the case, ie. "This razor presented to Sir Blank, Courtesy of King C Gillette".


2:I thought of that to but the Gillette Diamond & Arrow Trademark was filed on May 27 1908 which means the logo had to have been on the drawing board sometime(weeks? months??) before that. Why try some sort of intermediate trademark at or about the time you are filing your official one? And if it was to be an intermediate trademark why only on single rings and not ABCs? I don't know much about the ABCs but I would bet the peices came to Gillette unfinished for serializing and then plating otherwise they might have had duplicates numbers with the single rings.

Just some things that don't seem make sense no matter which way you look at it. But I'll keep looking around and bouncing ideas.

Jay

1: I have the same problem with it.

2: The case and the blade cases on mine use the diamond trademark and there is that set from 1907 that's case has the diamond trademark, so that doesn't seem to explain the signature on the razor since they were already using the trademark.

 

[Venom]

 

[IronHammer]

I'm liking this idea more and more.



1: I have the same problem with it.

2: The case and the blade cases on mine use the diamond trademark and there is that set from 1907 that's case has the diamond trademark, so that doesn't seem to explain the signature on the razor since they were already using the trademark.

Not to mention that fact that Gillette "script logo" Standard Sets in 1907 and 1908 are shown in ads with blade boxes bearing the diamond logo on them. So the trademark was already being used before they had the new cases ready. They just used existing stock of Script Logo cases.

 

[Intrigued]

I'll add this to my idea of some sort of promo for their new blades. Jay, your time line of when the Signatures were made does line up with the timeline of a Sept 1 launch.

 

[Mako72]

I just had a thought...

Every played the rubber duck game at the fair? The winners have a dot on the bottom.

Maybe when these were first sold the razors with signatures were the Winners. Maybe when you bought it it was like Charle and the Golden ticket, find the razor with King Gillettes signature and win a free pack of "New Process" blades. I still would have expected to see it show up in ads but maybe it was an in store type special.

I don't know guys something tells me we are on the right track but its giving me fits.

Jay

 

[IronHammer]

I just had a thought...

Every played the rubber duck game at the fair? The winners have a dot on the bottom.

Maybe when these were first sold the razors with signatures were the Winners. Maybe when you bought it it was like Charle and the Golden ticket, find the razor with King Gillettes signature and win a free pack of "New Process" blades. I still would have expected to see it show up in ads but maybe it was an in store type special.

I don't know guys something tells me we are on the right track but its giving me fits.

Jay

Now that's a very intriguing notion. I think the idea has merit. They were always doing those kinds of promotions back in those days, right? Sounds plausible.

 

[IronHammer]

Great piece of work Jay!

I have thought it might be something like that. The different cases that IronHammer's and mine came in kind of drew me away from that idea.

We can't rely on the case these razors were found to be any kind of marker for identification, unfortunately. It's just too easy to throw them in another case if the original got dropped in the toilet by accident or something.

I just had a idea. Maybe the signed razors had something to do with the launch of the new blade that was released Sept 1 of 1908 that you posted about, Jay.

I think this idea has merit!

 

[Mako72]

Well guys not much today. I posted this link in the general shave forum but folks following this thread should check these out. One is a Company or Board magazine for Gillettes 75th anniversary and the other is a company news letter from 1918. These are best veiwed on a larger monitor as its a built in reader.

http://en.calameo.com/accounts/60773

Pg4 of the 75th anniversary board magazine mentions this but nothing else relevant...

The outer wrapping of the blades and razors carried the name and face of King C. Gillette as the company trademark. In 1908, however, management decided that in some cases the Portrait and Signature combination was to elaborate and started using the now famous "Gillette" in diamond trademark along with the Portrait and Signature.

The company newsletter The Gillette Blade about pg 38 mentions a Second Service Campaign which involved repair specialists going into 268 stores over 16 weeks and helping people fix and repair their razors. They also taught people how to do the Gillette Shave. I'd love to get my hands on more of those company newsletters. Now that I know the name maye I can locate something. The newsletter is a really cool read as employees contributed, it tells you the new machnes they got, just lots of cool tidbits and its all durring WW1 so very neat.

Either way I would read through those rags when you have time, very cool and interesting!

Jay

 

[IronHammer]

Well guys not much today. I posted this link in the general shave forum but folks following this thread should check these out. One is a Company or Board magazine for Gillettes 75th anniversary and the other is a company news letter from 1918. These are best veiwed on a larger monitor as its a built in reader.

http://en.calameo.com/accounts/60773

Pg4 of the 75th anniversary board magazine mentions this but nothing else relevant...



The company newsletter The Gillette Blade about pg 38 mentions a Second Service Campaign which involved repair specialists going into 268 stores over 16 weeks and helping people fix and repair their razors. They also taught people how to do the Gillette Shave. I'd love to get my hands on more of those company newsletters. Now that I know the name maye I can locate something. The newsletter is a really cool read as employees contributed, it tells you the new machnes they got, just lots of cool tidbits and its all durring WW1 so very neat.

Either way I would read through those rags when you have time, very cool and interesting!

Jay

I found a thread in The Shave Den today where I guy claimed to have digitized all of the Gillette Blade newsletters which he obtained from a woman who had been employed at Gillette since 1904. I never could find the digitized version though. You found it! Unfortunately, the newsletter starts in 1918, tens years after the "Signature" series was produced. I doubt it will be helpful in our research, but you never know.

I still have not heard back from either Phil Krumholz or Robert Waits. I don't understand it. Surely they check their emails?

 

[Old Man Army]

The razor gods were smiling, thanks for sharing.

 

[Mako72]

I found a thread in The Shave Den today where I guy claimed to have digitized all of the Gillette Blade newsletters which he obtained from a woman who had been employed at Gillette since 1904. I never could find the digitized version though. You found it! Unfortunately, the newsletter starts in 1918, tens years after the "Signature" series was produced. I doubt it will be helpful in our research, but you never know.

I found one on Google Books about 15 minutes ago. Here is the link, that will be tonights reading. It still seems to be dated from 1918 but its 96 pages instead of about 24 from the calameo.com link. Its only 33 mb as a PDF so it dDLs quick. If I can find the one that starts in 1904 that would rock. I'm hoping maybe we can find a "On this day in 1908 the Gillette Co..." type article by an employee in there. Enjoy!

http://books.google.com/books?id=EC...&resnum=1&ved=0CGgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Jay

Edit-IH, I may be awhile. That Google Book PDF is 623 pgs! The first cover up says Jan 1918 but this may be that digitization(cross your fingers!). Wish us luck!

 

[MacDaddy]

Well guys not much today. I posted this link in the general shave forum but folks following this thread should check these out. One is a Company or Board magazine for Gillettes 75th anniversary and the other is a company news letter from 1918. These are best veiwed on a larger monitor as its a built in reader.

http://en.calameo.com/accounts/60773

This is some really awesome stuff. Thanks very much for posting the link.