About this Item
John J. King s entrepreneurial archive consisting of correspondence, letters, flyers, documents, and other ephemera from 1923 to 1964. Over 1,000 different pieces. The archive is related to inventor John J. King regarding various schemes on how to "get rich". Some pages have small tears else near fine with both clear handwritten and typed text. A substantial account of John J. King s schemes to make money with various inventions including a patented oscillating safety razor, natural vitamin wheat, books, and lectures. There are several letters from different manufacturing companies in the United States as well as the British law firms and British legation members. A majority of the correspondence includes information about the production of King s safety razor, blades and holders, tools for production, testimonials, and manufacturing space in cities, as well as patents and letters from industrial lawyers. Most of the letters are from manufacturing companies declining the offer to make King s razor. While there seemed to be a general interest in the idea, most companies declined because of financial reasons or because the razor was not something they could easily make. King s safety razor was patented in 1935 and while being the main topic of the letters, there is also information about his other ventures like a lecture series, a monthly magazine, and an attempt to market and sell a vitamin wheat supplement. In a letter from 1942 a company writes to King asking, "Let us have a sample of your mixture without undue delay so that we can proceed intelligently," to test his natural vitamin wheat substance. Only a couple months earlier there is a letter to King received from the Vegetable Juice & Productions Company expressing their happiness with him saying they enjoyed their Superior Wheat Germ product and how he can acquire more from them. There are letters from Illinois, New York, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Utah, and other places in the U.S. to and from King at this time while he was traveling around trying to sell lectures and books. Of his lectures offered in 1938, economic problems, sex and marriage, psychic phenomena, astrology, and numerology are listed. King would send out flyers to guests staying at the hotels that he was lecturing at in hopes of a bigger turn out. King went from hotel to hotel, meeting with different companies and groups to support his ideas, but as seen in the letters, had to move on from lack of funds or development with the companies. There are also several letters addressed to John L. King in 1923 about production of razors stating that the newer versions are much better than before. John J. King and John L. King are almost used interchangeably as the "L." is seen in earlier letters only while the "J." is seen in both earlier and later letters. It is unknown if the L and J were typos or just another scheme King used. In the patent published online, John L. King patented his safety razor on Feb 21, 1933. The King Oscillator used a vibrating effect when the rollers were pushed against skin. The razor was manufactured by Rotary King Safety Razor Company in New York and was based on patents granted to John L. King in the 1920's. An extensive collection of letters, notes, patent forms, and schemes devised by one man from 1923 to 1964 in an attempt to "get rich".
Seller Inventory # 415623
Contact seller
Report this item
