..or is just another word for indicating the product´s superlative qualities? Would be interesting to know. This is probably an old question. Sorry- and hi everyone i´m new to the SE world (and all of it´s magic).
Any meaning to the GEM Name??
- Thread starter Henrik
- Start date
Here is a brief origin by dates:
1898 - Jerry Reichard, after working for the Kampfe Brothers for 23 years, leaves to start his own company -- the Gem Cutlery Company.
Its first product, the Gem Safety Razor, borrow heavily from the Star Razor in design but soon outpaces the Star and becomes one of the world's most famous razor and blades ever made.
1900- The turn of the century brings new competition and a new name for the Gem Cutlery Company -- The Gem Safety Razor Company. 1903- Reichard once again leaves to form yet another razor and blade producer,The Yankee Company.
1905- The Yankee Company changes its name to Ever-Ready.
1906- Gem Safety Razor Company and Ever-Ready merge. Ever-Ready is incorporated as the American Safety Razor Company.
1898 - Jerry Reichard, after working for the Kampfe Brothers for 23 years, leaves to start his own company -- the Gem Cutlery Company.
Its first product, the Gem Safety Razor, borrow heavily from the Star Razor in design but soon outpaces the Star and becomes one of the world's most famous razor and blades ever made.
1900- The turn of the century brings new competition and a new name for the Gem Cutlery Company -- The Gem Safety Razor Company. 1903- Reichard once again leaves to form yet another razor and blade producer,The Yankee Company.
1905- The Yankee Company changes its name to Ever-Ready.
1906- Gem Safety Razor Company and Ever-Ready merge. Ever-Ready is incorporated as the American Safety Razor Company.
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks for posting Alex.
Yeah I read about the history of Gem of course but I was wondering why Jerry Richard choosed the name. Is it a initial of names originating from persons related to him or is just a nonsense word (as camera wiz kid Eastman choosed Kodak as a name for his products OR is the name a slang for something that is really good. Me myself sometimes uses the word for describing a product´s superlative qualities- or rarity. But since I am not English native speaking perhaps that meaning is as dated as "raining cats and dogs" a sentence which was taught to us in school.
Yeah I read about the history of Gem of course but I was wondering why Jerry Richard choosed the name. Is it a initial of names originating from persons related to him or is just a nonsense word (as camera wiz kid Eastman choosed Kodak as a name for his products OR is the name a slang for something that is really good. Me myself sometimes uses the word for describing a product´s superlative qualities- or rarity. But since I am not English native speaking perhaps that meaning is as dated as "raining cats and dogs" a sentence which was taught to us in school.
Thanks for posting Alex.
Yeah I read about the history of Gem of course but I was wondering why Jerry Richard choosed the name. Is it a initial of names originating from persons related to him or is just a nonsense word (as camera wiz kid Eastman choosed Kodak as a name for his products OR is the name a slang for something that is really good. Me myself sometimes uses the word for describing a product´s superlative qualities- or rarity. But since I am not English native speaking perhaps that meaning is as dated as "raining cats and dogs" a sentence which was taught to us in school.
I don't believe it was an acronym. The earlier mentions of the company are all as the "Gem Cutlery Company" -- the upper-case "GEM" came later on -- so I think it's safe to rule that one out. It seems more likely that they chose it because it was a popular superlative of the day. In fact, to muddy the waters a bit, the Kampfe brothers were already using the name for one of their sets. Here's an example from an 1893 hardware and sporting goods catalog:
Thanks for the history lesson Alex
cheers thanx alex i wondered the same thing
Henrik, in English (as I'm sure other languages also) some phrases or usages may become less common or sound slightly dated without disappearing entirely...or even get used in a slightly ironic or arch way and then undergo a revival of popularity.
Around the turn of the century, the phrase "it's a gem!" would have been pretty common, judging from the literature of the era. Praise for something quite nice. Pretty sure that's all there is to it. Hasn't disappeared entirely, still pops up in conversation once in a while, haven't seen it in print recently.
BTW, here in the southern US and out west, I still hear "raining cats and dogs" fairly often.
- Bill
Around the turn of the century, the phrase "it's a gem!" would have been pretty common, judging from the literature of the era. Praise for something quite nice. Pretty sure that's all there is to it. Hasn't disappeared entirely, still pops up in conversation once in a while, haven't seen it in print recently.
BTW, here in the southern US and out west, I still hear "raining cats and dogs" fairly often.
- Bill
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