5,741
edits
Dunhill: Difference between revisions
→About the Family Business
| Line 431: | Line 431: | ||
In 1896 the automobile revolution began to occupy its space in the streets of London. Henry soon realized that this movement posed a future threat to his business. At 55 years old, he was no longer well in health and considered his retirement. When a fire destroyed a section of his store in 1897, Henry decided it was time for his son to take over the business. Mary reported, on a certain occasion, that her grandfather told that in one night, he came home and said: "So you want to take it over, Alfred?". Astute and already glimpsing the market, Alfred said yes and they shook hands. A few weeks later, Henry retired. | In 1896 the automobile revolution began to occupy its space in the streets of London. Henry soon realized that this movement posed a future threat to his business. At 55 years old, he was no longer well in health and considered his retirement. When a fire destroyed a section of his store in 1897, Henry decided it was time for his son to take over the business. Mary reported, on a certain occasion, that her grandfather told that in one night, he came home and said: "So you want to take it over, Alfred?". Astute and already glimpsing the market, Alfred said yes and they shook hands. A few weeks later, Henry retired. | ||
[[File:Eroad.jpg|thumb|right|250px| Euston Road - 1900]] | |||
[[File:Adahdmd.jpg|thumb|right|250px| Alfred, Alfred Henry and Mary Dunhill]] | |||
And here is where Alfred Dunhill begins his historic journey. In 1887, Alfred, Henry's third son, became an apprentice in his father's harness business. In mid-1893, then at the age of 21, Alfred emerged as an entrepreneur after taking over the saddlery business of his father, which ends up dying a few years later. | And here is where Alfred Dunhill begins his historic journey. In 1887, Alfred, Henry's third son, became an apprentice in his father's harness business. In mid-1893, then at the age of 21, Alfred emerged as an entrepreneur after taking over the saddlery business of his father, which ends up dying a few years later. | ||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
| Line 437: | Line 438: | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
In 1897, the harness business is expanding and now has accessories for motor vehicles on Euston Road 145-147, London. In 1900 the business is expanding and extended with the founding of the Discount Motor Car Company, directed to the sale by correspondence of automotive accessories established on the 108 of Euston Road. In 1901, the Motor Mart Employment Agency, specializing in the maintenance of automotive vehicles, starts operating at the same address. | In 1897, the harness business is expanding and now has accessories for motor vehicles on Euston Road 145-147, London. In 1900 the business is expanding and extended with the founding of the Discount Motor Car Company, directed to the sale by correspondence of automotive accessories established on the 108 of Euston Road. In 1901, the Motor Mart Employment Agency, specializing in the maintenance of automotive vehicles, starts operating at the same address. | ||
<blockquote><q>To cater for this growing clientele, Dunhill set up an employment agency for motor mechanics, a motor discount company and published a magazine called Motor Mart.</q> Weird and wonderful - Telegraph by David Burgess-Wise in 16 Aug 2003.</blockquote> | <blockquote><q>To cater for this growing clientele, Dunhill set up an employment agency for motor mechanics, a motor discount company and published a magazine called Motor Mart.</q> Weird and wonderful - Telegraph by David Burgess-Wise in 16 Aug 2003.</blockquote> | ||
Through the Motor Mart Alfred also sold many cars in those days, but the manufacturers supplied him cars without any of the essential accessories, he soon moved out of car trading and began yet another business called Dunhill's Motorities. That same year, Henry, Alfred's father, dies. In July 1902, seeing beyond car and correspondence sales decides to open the first store fully specialized in automotive accessories. It was the "Dunhill's Motorities" on Conduit Street, N. 2-London. In 1903, Alfred Dunhill LTD (its predecessor company) is incorporated. | Through the Motor Mart Alfred also sold many cars in those days, but the manufacturers supplied him cars without any of the essential accessories, he soon moved out of car trading and began yet another business called Dunhill's Motorities. That same year, Henry, Alfred's father, dies. In July 1902, seeing beyond car and correspondence sales decides to open the first store fully specialized in automotive accessories. It was the "Dunhill's Motorities" on Conduit Street, N. 2-London. In 1903, Alfred Dunhill LTD (its predecessor company) is incorporated. | ||
<blockquote><q>The business was the biggest of its kind in the country and Father, handicapped by lack of funds, was obliged to ask an associate to join him and form a limited company. This enabled them to extend the Euston Road premises and open two shops In Conduit Street, in the West End, which specialized in fur-lined coats, footmuffs, gauntlets, dust-veils, and all the other paraphernalia that these early motorists required.</q> Dunhill, Mary, Our Family Business (The Bodley Head - Great Britain, 1979).</blockquote> | <blockquote><q>The business was the biggest of its kind in the country and Father, handicapped by lack of funds, was obliged to ask an associate to join him and form a limited company. This enabled them to extend the Euston Road premises and open two shops In Conduit Street, in the West End, which specialized in fur-lined coats, footmuffs, gauntlets, dust-veils, and all the other paraphernalia that these early motorists required.</q> Dunhill, Mary, Our Family Business (The Bodley Head - Great Britain, 1979).</blockquote> | ||
| Line 448: | Line 446: | ||
In a few years, the business has advanced, becoming a reflection in the market of luxury automotive accessories, resulting in the opening of two stores of Dunhill's Motorities in Mayfair, a central area of London, in the district of Westminster. At this point, Dunhill had become known not only for commercializing car parts, but also to provide clothes and other motoring accessories. The catalogue of the "Dunhill's Motorities " presented more than 1,300 items at the time. | In a few years, the business has advanced, becoming a reflection in the market of luxury automotive accessories, resulting in the opening of two stores of Dunhill's Motorities in Mayfair, a central area of London, in the district of Westminster. At this point, Dunhill had become known not only for commercializing car parts, but also to provide clothes and other motoring accessories. The catalogue of the "Dunhill's Motorities " presented more than 1,300 items at the time. | ||
<gallery mode="packed-hover" caption="The following catalog pages from Motorities:"> | |||
The following catalog pages | |||
File:Wb1.jpg | File:Wb1.jpg | ||
File:Mb1.jpg | File:Mb1.jpg | ||
| Line 490: | Line 468: | ||
File:Wb4.jpg | File:Wb4.jpg | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
In 1903, Alfred also ventured with timepieces. Dunhill were selling timepieces as early ago as 1903, explains Simon Critchell, the worldwide president of Dunhill. Typical of Alfred Dunhill’s ingenuity was the remarkable item known as Dunhill’s Speedograph. This highly specialised timekeeping instrument offered its user a sophis- ticated fly-back chronograph, the seconds hand of which made two revolutions per minute, thus enabling the user to count off fractions as small as a tenth of a second, while another feature enabled the user to read in miles per hour the speed of an object being timed. Such accuracy and function- ality would be remarkable on a mechanical timepiece today... not least in 1903. See the full article here: [https://pipedia.org/images/a/a6/Mechanisms_for_the_Modern_Dunhill.pdf "Mechanisms For the Modern" by Nicholas Foulkes, QP Magazine 2007].[[File:Wspipebanner.jpg|thumb|right|150px| Windshield Pipe - flyer]] | |||
[[File:WSpatent.jpg|thumb|right|150px| Wind-shield Patent]] | |||
In 1904, another Dunhill's Motorities store is open on Conduit Street, N. 5. Also that same year, a department of wholesale and export was opened occupying two buildings on the Euston Road-359-361. | |||
<blockquote><q>In 1904, Dunhill's headquarters moved in a more fashionable direction along the Euston Road to an impressive corner site that incorporated showrooms, workshops and offices. Presumably it was where the chauffeurs and footmen came to try on their liveries.</q> Weird and wonderful - Telegraph by David Burgess-Wise in 16 Aug 2003.</blockquote> | |||
Still in 1904, after careful registration of patent, Alfred launches a pipe with a protective shield that aimed to combat the effects of the wind in open car - was the famous and iconic "Windshield Pipe". | |||
<blockquote><q>The first wind-shield pipes were patented in 1904 and sold from 1904/05 onwards, while Alfred Dunhill operated his “Dunhill's Motorities business. The Duke Street tobacconist store did not exist yet, it only opened in 1907. Therefore, those early pipes, to my best knowledge, were stamped on the stem with DUNHILL’s over PATENT (patent number App 25261, applied in 1904, issued in 1905).</q> '''Hener''', K. S., Product Line Director - The White Spot Smoker's Accessory Division and Walthamstow site.</blockquote> | |||
The promotion flyer said: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
<q>'''''A Joy to Outdoor Smokers.'''''<br> | |||
'''''Is indispensable to the sportsman, the yachtsman, the automobilist, the billiard player. It is, indeed, a boon and comfort to every pipe smoker.'''''</q> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
<br> | <br> | ||
"(...)hoping to combat some of the difficulties a smoker would face while driving. It was this sort of innovation in response to the customer’s needs that would make Dunhill Pipes the leader in its field. "Smokingpipes.com[http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/dunhill/history.cfm] | "(...)hoping to combat some of the difficulties a smoker would face while driving. It was this sort of innovation in response to the customer’s needs that would make Dunhill Pipes the leader in its field. "Smokingpipes.com[http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/dunhill/history.cfm] | ||
<blockquote>"the initial windshield pipes were not a success. Within a few years, many were recut to a flat top bowl and sold off at a discount." Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe - The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998).</blockquote> | <blockquote>"the initial windshield pipes were not a success. Within a few years, many were recut to a flat top bowl and sold off at a discount." Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe - The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998).</blockquote> | ||
It wasn't a tremendous success but had a catalyst effect on young Alfred. In 1905, Alfred left the automotive business and opened another company for the development of patents, at Argyll Place, N.8 - London. | It wasn't a tremendous success but had a catalyst effect on young Alfred. In 1905, Alfred left the automotive business and opened another company for the development of patents, at Argyll Place, N.8 - London. | ||
| Line 503: | Line 493: | ||
And onto his desk, one day came that all-important pipe with a wind-shield which first turned his thoughts in the directions of the tobacco trade.</q> Dunhill, Mary, Our Family Business (The Bodley Head - Great Britain, 1979). | And onto his desk, one day came that all-important pipe with a wind-shield which first turned his thoughts in the directions of the tobacco trade.</q> Dunhill, Mary, Our Family Business (The Bodley Head - Great Britain, 1979). | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
[[File:Wspipe.jpg|center| | [[File:Wspipe.jpg|center|450px| Dunhill Shell 4112 - ©Pfeifenkonsulat]] | ||
At the same time, other stores at Dunhill's Motorities have been opened in Edinburgh, Manchester, and the Cecil Hotel in London. | At the same time, other stores at Dunhill's Motorities have been opened in Edinburgh, Manchester, and the Cecil Hotel in London. | ||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||