09-11-2012, 09:20 PM
I found a short history of Paillard on the RMorg site. It's all in German so I put it through Google translate and then re-wrote it to what I think it should say. Apologies for any major errors.
Paillard.
Several watch manufacturers in the Ste. Croix area got together to form an export group in 1814 and built their first factory in 1875. The company went public in 1919 and traded as Paillard SA until 1947 encompassing some nine buildings in Ste. Croix and Yverdon.
By 1860 the company had added watch components and music boxes and, by 1880, jukeboxes. In 1897/8 'talking machines' with wax cylinders were added which by 1904 could also record as well as play back. In 1913 Paillard developed the AC electric gramophone motor which became a popular export item. In 1913-1914, under the name Hermes, typewriters were developed and added and the 'Hermes 2000' and later in 1935, the 'Hermès Baby' gained notoriety. From 1927 Paillard built a gramophone amplifier and in 1932 added radio equipment. From 1930 film cameras and projector were added which dominated the market for many years under the Bolex brand name. This business was sold to Eumig in 1969 and remained until 1974. In 1962 Paillard started using the Thorens turntable. Paillard evolved into one of Switzerland's most successful manufacturers of radios and radio / phono combinations. Apart from the tubes - mostly US types during the war years but sometimes mixed US and European types - Paillard made most of the component parts themselves.
At the beginning of the fifties, with the advent of FM reception, Paillard could no longer compete either technically or commercially. Paillard was acquired by Olivetti in 1981 but the company ceased trading in 1989. The Bolex name survived - after the bankruptcy of Eumig in 1982 there was a management buy-out of the 16 mm film camera - range. Bolex International SA, 15 route de Lausanne, CH-1400 Yverdon produced 16 mm film cameras and provided repair services for 8 and 16 mm cameras for the professional market.
Cheers, John
Paillard.
Several watch manufacturers in the Ste. Croix area got together to form an export group in 1814 and built their first factory in 1875. The company went public in 1919 and traded as Paillard SA until 1947 encompassing some nine buildings in Ste. Croix and Yverdon.
By 1860 the company had added watch components and music boxes and, by 1880, jukeboxes. In 1897/8 'talking machines' with wax cylinders were added which by 1904 could also record as well as play back. In 1913 Paillard developed the AC electric gramophone motor which became a popular export item. In 1913-1914, under the name Hermes, typewriters were developed and added and the 'Hermes 2000' and later in 1935, the 'Hermès Baby' gained notoriety. From 1927 Paillard built a gramophone amplifier and in 1932 added radio equipment. From 1930 film cameras and projector were added which dominated the market for many years under the Bolex brand name. This business was sold to Eumig in 1969 and remained until 1974. In 1962 Paillard started using the Thorens turntable. Paillard evolved into one of Switzerland's most successful manufacturers of radios and radio / phono combinations. Apart from the tubes - mostly US types during the war years but sometimes mixed US and European types - Paillard made most of the component parts themselves.
At the beginning of the fifties, with the advent of FM reception, Paillard could no longer compete either technically or commercially. Paillard was acquired by Olivetti in 1981 but the company ceased trading in 1989. The Bolex name survived - after the bankruptcy of Eumig in 1982 there was a management buy-out of the 16 mm film camera - range. Bolex International SA, 15 route de Lausanne, CH-1400 Yverdon produced 16 mm film cameras and provided repair services for 8 and 16 mm cameras for the professional market.
Cheers, John
Time flies like an arrow, fruitflies like a banana!
