E. A. Bliss Co. (Napier’s predecessor) Leader in Hair Combs

E. A. Bliss Hair Comb Renderings

The E. A. Bliss Co. (Napier’s predecessor) was known as a leader in hair combs. In 1901, The E. A. Bliss Co. recognized a growing fashion emphasis on hair and began to manufacture shell and celluloid combs.

E.A. Bliss Hair Comb

In 1902, the company patented a technique for setting rhinestones in celluloid. By 1903 the company was in full production of celluloid combs and housed an entire comb department staffed with 50 men. Bliss’s designers traveled to Europe for design inspiration as part of its strategy to be at the forefront of design in the American market.

The company, for nearly two decades, manufactured various styles of hair adornment. In 1920, the company registered the BLISS (in a shield) trademark to include celluloid, carved, or decorated combs. Although no ads have been seen post-1920, it can be hypothesized that there is a potential to discover information associated with hair comb manufacturing dating to the 1920s—including that under the Napier trade name. From The Napier Book https://ift.tt/3cnbS9h