Monthly Archives: October 2020

A 1940 Gem Clog-Pruf advertisement

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From Los Angeles Times May 29, 1940, I bring you a nice advertisement for the then new Glog-Pruf. Designed, they claim, for use with brushless cream – although in my experience it works with lather applied by brush too – and with the face-fitting bevel that prevents the dreaded five o’clock shadow.

It is amusing/amazing, in hindsight, to see how low they put the value of the razor, blades and cream. A dollar in 1940 adjusted for inflation equals less than a twenty today.

Dave Shaves on the old European Vending Machine Razor

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A couple of years ago, I wrote up a short piece on a vintage European Vending Machine Razor. As a quick recap, it is a razor with stamped sheet metal head and a handle that some shavers like a lot. It was verifiable sold in Germany, and perhaps elsewhere.

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Gillette’s Army-Navy “E” Award

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History time!

During the Second World War, aka “The War” for us Norwegian, the US Army and US Navy created the E-award. E stands for – according to my sources – Excellence in Production of war equipment. In other words, a company had to not only produce for the war effort, but do so while: Overcoming obstacles, maintaining quality and quantity, avoiding stoppages, training additional laborers without lowering labor standards. On top of that they had to demonstrate good record keeping on the subject of health and safety. About one in twenty companies – government and private – which delivered war materials got the E-award.

And yes… Gillette got one of the E-awards, in 1943.

Gillette advertisement bragging of their E-award.

The high accomplishment of you men and women of the Gillette Safety Razor Company is inspiring. Your record will be difficult to surpass, yet the Army and Navy have every confidence that it was made only to be broken.

From the official citation