Who were the people behind F.G.B.C…?
(written by Jethro aka Fikira, historyrazors.wordpress.com)
“F.G.B.C.” produced & sold many sharpening stones, for example:
“pierre La Lune”, “Special Stone only for Good Razors”,
“New Master Stone”, … This article (split up into different chapters)
reveals the history behind the company
Chapters:
- “F.G.B.C., Introduction”
- “Ghelfi family”
- “Birolleau family”
- “Demosthènes, Malaspinas”
- “Bardotti, Giovannacci”
- “L. Belle”
- “Zanarelli, Galtié”
- “Short detailed chronology” & “In conclusion”
Chapter: “Birolleau family”
The following is gathered from different sources:
- geneanet.org Link; “Jean Yves THIRIET” (jytbou) Link
- geneanet.org Link; “Les Familles de Vacqueville” Link
- cimetieres-de-France.fr” Link:
(just click on each name to open a direct link to the site)
Victor BIROLEAUD
°22/12/1831 – †24/09/1914, wholesale wine merchant,
parents: Jean-Baptiste BIROLLEAU & Jeanne Agathe MOUNIER,
married 17/3/1862 Marguerite PRUNEAUD (°1841 – †1873).
One of their children was:
Antonin BIROLLEAU
°4/5/1863, Sainte-Feyre, 23193, FRANCE – †1938,
He lived in Bourg-du-Bost where he married
8/12/1894 Marie Louise THIRIET (°1869 – †1954);
They had 4 sons, born at Vacqueville, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Lorraine:
Jules BIROLLEAU
(°09/12/1895 – †?)
Emile BIROLLEAU
(°15/09/1897 – †?)
Louis BIROLLEAU
(°1899 – †1900)
Maurice BIROLLEAU
(°16/12/1904 – †1986)
1894
Antonin BIROLLEAU was administrator and master of the quarries of Merviller-Vacqueville. The sandstone quarry of Birolleau in Merviller (54) produced Baccarat crystal. The employers’ house was situated in Vacqueville (château Biroleau)
1896/ 24 January or November
The following is gathered from different sources:
- “genetk.overblog.com/ Les tailleurs de pierre” Link,
Published 16 March 2013 by “Jean-Yves THIRIET“ - “merviller-autrefois.blogspot.be/
Merviller-village de Lorraine” Link1, Link2 - “geneanet.org /Jean Yves THIRIET” (jytbou) Link
A documented offer of 40.000 “French frank” for the maintenance
of roads tells us that “A. Birolleau”, residing at Vacqueville,
was exploiting sandstone quarries at muschelkack.
There are traces, after this date, leading to a factory/assembly of grinding stones “GHELFI & BIROLLEAU” at “7, rue Charlot, Paris”
Information is also found about a pink stone of the Vosges:
Following note is a citation found on
- “merviller-autrefois.blogspot.be/Merviller-village de Lorraine”
Link1, Link2 - “genetk.overblog.com/ Les tailleurs de pierre” Link,
Published 16 March 2013 by “Jean-Yves THIRIET”
solidifié pour former une pierre au grain très fin fournissant de
remarquables meules à aiguiser les outillages expédiés par
wagons dans la France entière”
solidified to form a very fine grain stone providing
remarkable grinding-, sharpening tools, which were
shipped throughout France“
1897
An anonymous company was in charge of the quarries Merviller-Vacqueville
(gallica.bnf.fr Link , Annuaire-almanach du commerce, de l’industrie,
de la magistrature… Link)
Meules à aiguiser blanches et rouges de tous grains et de toutes dimensions.
Grès pour menuisiers. Barils pour corroyeurs. – Pierres à polir le marbre, etc., rue Ganneron, 6″
“Anonymous company of the quarries Merviller-Vacqueville”
Grindstones white and red all grains and sizes. – Stoneware for woodworkers.
Barrels for tanners. – Stone marble polishing, etc., Ganneron Street, 6″
1904/ 9 August:
Birolleau (Antonin) became Knighted
(gallica.bnf.fr Link ,
Journal officiel de la République française…1904/08/09)
industriel à Vacqueville (Meurthe-et-Moselle):
travaux de reboisement; 20 ans de pratique agricole”
industrialist at Vacqueville (Meurthe-et-Moselle):
reforestation; 20 years of agricultural practice”
1911/ 16 July:
(http://www.kiosque-lorrain.fr Link, Est républicain 16-07-11)
“Vacqueville”
“INCENDIE. – Un incendie dont la cause est inconnue s’est déclaré vers une heure du matin, au hameau des Carrières, dans la fabrique de meules, appartenant à M. Antonin Birolleau. Le bâtiment, construit en planches, a été entièrement détruit, malgré les secours apportés par les pompiers de Vacqueville et Merviller. Les pertes, évaluées à 13.500 Fr.,
sont couvertes par l’assurance.”
“Vacqueville”
“FIRE. – A fire of unknown cause broke out around one o’clock in the neighbourhood of the quarries, in the factory of grinding stones, belonging to Mr. Antonin Birolleau. The building, built of planks, was completely destroyed, despite the aid given by firefighters of Vacqueville and Merviller. The losses, estimated at 13,500 F, are covered by insurance. “
1912 – 1913
or earlier, as previous mentioned, we begin to see:
“F.Ghelfi & Cie”
“Maisons F.Ghelfi & Cie Birolleau réunies”
(or F.G.B.C.)
for example on post cards which says:
de Meules & Pierres a Aiguiser et a Polir”
“F. Ghelfi & Cie”
“Maisons F.Ghelfi & Cie Birolleau réunies”
“7, Rue Charlot, Paris”
First in Rue Charlot 7,
later also in Rue de Saintonge, 47, Paris
(since 1922 or earlier).
The “maisons” or “houses / etablishments” of
“F.Ghelfi & cie” and “Birolleau” became united, this
between 1908-1912, since the previously mentioned court trial
only speaks of “F.Ghelfi & Cie”, without “Birolleau“
1916/ 8 Mai
(private collection):
Around 1916 or earlier, the name changed:
“Maisons F.Ghelfi & Cie Birolleau réunies”
into
“Maisons Birolleau & F.Ghelfi & Cie réunies”!
de Meules & Pierres a Aiguiser et a Polir”
“F. Ghelfi & Cie”
“Maisons Birolleau & F.Ghelfi & Cie réunies”
“7, Rue Charlot, Paris”
Usine à vapeur (steam plant): Merviller-Vacqueville
(Meurthe-et-moselle)
Carrières en exploitation (quarries):
La Nouvelle, La Voûte, La Parisienne
(Gare Merviller – Vacqueville)
Neufmaisons, La Bouloye
(Gare Pexonne)
Bréménil- Bas, Bréménil-Haut, La Parisienne
(Gare Badonviller)
1922/ 21 April
(private collection):
Around this time, the firm had an extra building,
located at “47, Rue de Saintonge”
(annexe, aside to “7, Rue Charlot”):
de Meules & Pierres a Aiguiser et a Polir”
“F. Ghelfi & Cie”
“Maisons Birolleau & F.Ghelfi & Cie réunies”
–
Ateliers, bureaux & magasins
“47, Rue de Saintonge, Paris”
(Annexe “7, Rue Charlot”)
Later on we will see that “Birolleau” eventually
controlled and owned the entire company.
Maybe these name changes are a sign that at a quite
early stage “Birolleau” became more and more
important in the company.
(Maybe between 1922 – 1925)
In the course of the years there were more changes,
seen on different documents:
1925/ 12 December
(private collection):
“F.Ghelfi & Cie & Birolleau réunies”
“F.Ghelfi & Cie” – “Anciens établissements”
The names changed back again with “F.Ghelfi & Cie” standing first
(in comparison to the documents 1916, 1922 in the Ghelfi chapter).
I believe this could be a sign that “F.Ghelfi et cie” was taken over…
The very explicit usage of the term “Anciens établissements”
or “ancient establishment” means that the formerly company,
consisting of the united companies “F.Ghelfi et cie”
and “Birolleau” had ceased to exist.
On this paper of 1925, it isn’t clear who
owned the establishment…
1925-1938
It gets even more interesting, especially because in some directories of 1925, 1935 and 1938 only the name “Birolleau” is used, and not “F. Ghelfi & Cie“:
1925:
(gallica.bnf.fr Link, Annuaire industriel;
Répertoire général de la production française Link)
Link1, Link2, Link3
1935:
(gallica.bnf.fr Link, Annuaire industriel;
Répertoire général de la production française Link)
Link1, Link2
1938:
(gallica.bnf.fr Link, Annuaire industriel;
Répertoire général de la production française Link)
Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4
Birolleau sold sandstones, grinding- , sharpening stones,… at:
“47, Rue de Saintonge, Paris”
“Usine à Merviller-Vacqueville”
“Meules et pierres à aiguiser et à polir…”
The fact that some directories of 1925 – 1938
only mention “Birolleau“, and not “F.Ghelfi & Cie“,
leads to the assumption that Birolleau was the owner
Ghelfi Valentin was noted in these directories, but like previous
explained, he separated himself from “F.Ghelfi & Cie“
A bit confusingly, a directory of agricultural engineering, 1926, has NO mentioning of “Birolleau“, but does have one of “Ghelfi & cie“!
(https://books.google.be/books,
“Le Génie rural”,Volumes 19-20, 1926, Link)
When noticing the usage of (Anc. Etabl.) or
“Anciens établissements”, one can imagine that this is
in fact the company name, just as seen on the 1925 invoice
(with the “F.” missing though).
This could make sense, the other directories (1925-1938)
can therefore be interpreted as “Birolleau”, owner of
“Birolleau, 47, r. de Saintonge”, and maybe also owner
of “(F.) Ghelfi & cie” (ancien établissements)
The solely mentioning of “Ghelfi et cie” is also seen in
a yearly universal directory of the car industry, 1928-1929;
(https://books.google.be/books, “L’Annual”:
annuaire universel de l’industrie automobile, 1928-1929, Link)
“7, rue Charlot. et 47, rue de Saintonge, Paris”
“Tél. Archives 15-41”
1931/ 21 Mai
(private collection):
The next document shows the proof that around 1931 or earlier,
Birolleau owned the firm:
“F.Ghelfi & Cie”
“Birolleau Fils, propriétaires”
“Birolleau FILS, propriétaireS” (sons, owners)
means that “Birolleau” owned the company.
It wasn’t Antonin BIROLLEAU who owned it
(the father who died a few years later, 1938), it were his sons
who controlled the business; that would be Maurice BIROLLEAU
(see further), and 1 or 2 of his brothers, being Jules BIROLLEAU
and/or Emile BIROLLEAU (not Louis BIROLLEAU,
since he died young, °1899 – †1900)
A document of 1933 again refers to the ancient establishment,
by using old titles as:
“Birolleau & F.Ghelfi & Cie réunies”, “F.Ghelfi & cie”
and
“Anciens établissements F.Ghelfi & Cie”
It also explicitly shows: “Birolleau, propriétaires” (=owners)
As previously mentioned,
the sons Birolleau were the ones in control
1933/ 30 October
(private collection):
“Manufacture & Montage
de Meules & Pierres a Aiguiser et a Polir”
“F.Ghelfi & Cie”
“Birolleau & F.Ghelfi & Cie réunies”
“Anciens établissements F.Ghelfi & Cie”
“Birolleau, propriétaires”
“Ateliers, bureaux & magasins: 47, Rue de Saintonge, Paris”
“(Annexe 7, Rue Charlot)”
So, it could very well be that there was a transition of ownership between 1922-1925…
If that is the case, it is interesting to see that the name
“F.Ghelfi & Cie” continued to exist, even at the time
that it is absolutely clear that “Birolleau” was the owner
1952/ 11Juin
(private collection):
Pierre “La Lune”
“F.G.B.C.”
“Nouvelle Société des Anciens Etablissements”
(new society of ancient institutions)
“F.Ghelfi, Birolleau & Cie”
“47, Rue de Saintonge, Paris”
“Meules et pierres à aiguiser et à polir”
“Usines & CARRIERES”:
La Nouvelle, La Voûte, La Parisienne
(Gare Merviller – Vacqueville)
Neufmaison, La Bouloye
(Gare Pexonne)
Bréménil- Bas, Bréménil-Haut, La Parisienne
(Gare Badonviller)
“pierres à faulx naturelles façon Lombarde La Lune”
(Natural scythe stones “style Lombarde” La Lune)
The correspondence was signed by
“Maurice Birolleau” (°1904 – †1986).
“Birolleau” kept owning the business,
the name F.Ghelfi stayed…
1968
A document/advertisement of 1968 is showing the name
“Birolleau”, standing separately above the trademark:
1985/ 12 Mai
An envelope, stamped 1985/ 12 Mai shows that the name
“F.Ghelfi” keeps on standing aside to “Birolleau“:
“F.Ghelfi, Birolleau & Cie”
“47, Rue de Saintonge – 75003 Paris”
“Meules et pierres à aiguiser et à polir”
Along with a nice phrase:
“les pierres “La Lune” repassent…”
“The stones “La Lune” exceeds…”
Courtesy of Sebastian of “razorlovestones.com“:
Around 2007,..
- http://french-leader.com Link
- http://french-corporate.com Link1, Link2
- http://edecideur.mobi Link
- http://www.societe.com Link
By investigating these links we can see that:
“Nouvelle Société des Anciens Etablissements
F. Ghelfi, Birolleau et Cie”
or
“Nouvelle Société des Anciens Etablissements
F. Ghelfi, Birolleauet Cie” ,
established on 1957/ 28 December, continued to exist
as a “Société à responsabilité limitée” (S.A.R.L. =
Limited liability company), with headquarters address:
“5 rue de Douai, Paris”
(since 2007 or earlier)
2011/ 23 July
Gachnochi Georges (°24/10/1940) was running the business
Somewhere before 2007, the company changed their activities
It had become a wholesale business (trade from business to business) of various industrial supplies and equipment
They supplied miscellaneous industrial equipment like: wholesale of aerodynamic devices such as fans, air conditioners, machinery and equipment for air conditioning; technical articles in rubber and plastic; other machinery and equipment used in industry; non-electrical equipment road signs; transport equipment other than motor vehicles, cycles and motorcycles; robots for assembly lines;…
2011/ 10 November
headquarters address moved to
“156, rue de Tolbiac, 2nd floor right”
2014/ 23 November
Gachnochi George became liquidator of the company,
he was appointed to wind up the affairs of the company…
The last known establishment, known as
“Nouvelle Société des Anciens Etablissements F. Ghelfi,
Birolleau et Cie”
closed on 22-11-2014…
The presence of “F.Ghelfi” is not totally disappeared yet,
as this boutique shows on:
“47, Rue de Saintonge, Paris”
“ISABEL MARANT” Link
“BOUTIQUES“ Link
⇐ Previous chapter: “Ghelfi family”
⇒ Next chapter: “Demosthènes, Malaspinas”
Razorlovestones 
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