Kleen-E-Ze Brush Company Ltd - Sales Representative badge (pre 1950’s)
In 1923, Harry Crook established his Kleen-E-Ze Brush Company in Bristol starting with the small-scale production and sales of wire brushes. Prior to that, Harry had come over from America where he previously worked as a brush salesman for the Fuller Brush Company and for a brief while had his own brush making company. He brought with him their style of marketing and door-to-door salesmanship that would be the hallmark of the Kleen-E-Ze company. By 1937 the company began to diversify into polishing waxes and then other cleaning products that complimented their range of brushes. The company went from strength to strength and despite the recession reached their first milestone of success in 1930 when turnover exceeded a £-million.
The original wearer of this badge would have been a door-to-door salesman taking a large suitcase of brushes with him for demonstration purposes and taking sales orders. As the Kleen-E-Ze Brush Company had no retail shops, door-to-door sales would have been the main way for the company to sell its products. Indeed today, this continues to be the cornerstone of the Kleeneze business model but since 1982 the salespersons have been replaced by ‘Distributors’ distributing catalogues door-to-door and taking orders. The range of Kleen-E-Ze’s products really took off 1950 expanding to include other cleaning products, toiletries and car-care products with brushes now a minor part of the overall business.
.
References:
www.kleeneze-info.co.uk/company.html (Kleeneze Europe Ltd website, including a short account of the company’s history and the company as it is today).
your-prosperity.co.uk/history/ (Some bibliographical notes on Harry Crook (b.1889) as well as a detailed timeline on his company. Harry achieved many civic honours in public life that included Lord Mayor of the City of Bristol (1955), Justice of the Peace (1948 & 1955), Sheriff of Bristol (1945) as well as being a Bristol Councillor and Alderman over a period of 25 years.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZdSXIKh_vA (2:31 minute video clip on the history of Kleen-E-Ze).
.
Enamels: 1 (blue).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Buttonhole (horseshoe shaped clasp).
Size: 13/16” in diameter (about 21mm)
Process: Die stamped.
Maker: No maker’s name or mark.
.
Thank you for reading.
Stuart.
Kleen-E-Ze Brush Company Ltd - Sales Representative badge (pre 1950’s)
In 1923, Harry Crook established his Kleen-E-Ze Brush Company in Bristol starting with the small-scale production and sales of wire brushes. Prior to that, Harry had come over from America where he previously worked as a brush salesman for the Fuller Brush Company and for a brief while had his own brush making company. He brought with him their style of marketing and door-to-door salesmanship that would be the hallmark of the Kleen-E-Ze company. By 1937 the company began to diversify into polishing waxes and then other cleaning products that complimented their range of brushes. The company went from strength to strength and despite the recession reached their first milestone of success in 1930 when turnover exceeded a £-million.
The original wearer of this badge would have been a door-to-door salesman taking a large suitcase of brushes with him for demonstration purposes and taking sales orders. As the Kleen-E-Ze Brush Company had no retail shops, door-to-door sales would have been the main way for the company to sell its products. Indeed today, this continues to be the cornerstone of the Kleeneze business model but since 1982 the salespersons have been replaced by ‘Distributors’ distributing catalogues door-to-door and taking orders. The range of Kleen-E-Ze’s products really took off 1950 expanding to include other cleaning products, toiletries and car-care products with brushes now a minor part of the overall business.
.
References:
www.kleeneze-info.co.uk/company.html (Kleeneze Europe Ltd website, including a short account of the company’s history and the company as it is today).
your-prosperity.co.uk/history/ (Some bibliographical notes on Harry Crook (b.1889) as well as a detailed timeline on his company. Harry achieved many civic honours in public life that included Lord Mayor of the City of Bristol (1955), Justice of the Peace (1948 & 1955), Sheriff of Bristol (1945) as well as being a Bristol Councillor and Alderman over a period of 25 years.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZdSXIKh_vA (2:31 minute video clip on the history of Kleen-E-Ze).
.
Enamels: 1 (blue).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Buttonhole (horseshoe shaped clasp).
Size: 13/16” in diameter (about 21mm)
Process: Die stamped.
Maker: No maker’s name or mark.
.
Thank you for reading.
Stuart.