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- Dictated by Henry (Harry) Bassett
February 19, 1986
The W.E. Bassett Company Manicure Implements
The W.E. Bassett Company is an excellent example of what can be accomplished in our country by imagination, dreams and ambition. My brother, William, age 25, was ambitious and he had a dream of going into business for himself where he could be his own boss and take the chance of succeeding or failing. He attempted this under the most wonderful system that has ever existed in this world; the Free Enterprise system that we have in the United States.
Having started in a small wooden structure on Francis Street in Derby, Connecticut as a contract machine shop in 1939, he later progessed to rubber heel washers for the largest rubber heel manufacturer in the world, known as "Catspaw" Rubber Heels. During World War II the company manufactured various small munition parts as a sub-contractor. Shortly after the war, he took a step that developed into the present successful Manicure manufacturing business. He developed a fingernail clipper, the likes of which had never been known. The design and manufacturing methods were new, but most importantly, this clipper was of an exceptional quality, and as such the "TRIM" Nail Clipper captured a worldwide market.
In 1952 the company moved into a new plant on Roosevelt Drive in Derby, Connecticut. During the next twenty years, there were five plant expansions totaling 40M square feet. In 1978 a new plant was built in Shelton, Connecticut, totaling 40M square feet.
For many years we had one Manicure item, mainly a TRIM Fingernail Clipper. This one item has been added to many times so that today there are more than sixteen items and all are packaged in different ways and sold throughout the United States and many of the free countries of the world.
My brother, William, had the ability to gather people around him that were capable and who loved to work. It was possible to build a quality TRIM Nail Clipper because the most modern methods were used and the most dedicated people worked at the Bassett Company. That Fingernail Clipper sold for 25 cents from the year 1947 to the year 1970. Although our methods improved constantly, inflation out-distanced our modern machinery so that today that Trim Fingernail Clipper sells for 80 cents.
As mentioned before, the Trim Nail Clipper was the best nail clipper that was manufactured any place in the world, at a price that people could afford. Today we do have much competition, both domestic and foreign, however, it is safe to say that the TRIM Nail Clipper is the leader in its field. We have not sacrificed our quality. We know this because we receive many unsolicited letters praising our constant attention to the quality of our products.
The second generation is now operating the company and many of our people in the plant are second generation. Henry W. Bassett, Chairman of the Board, started with the company in 1943. William C. Bassett, son of William E. Bassett, founder, is now President, having started work in 1968. David J. Bassett, the founder's youngest son, is the Manager of the Shelton, Connecticut plant. He started working for the company in 1973. John J. Kronen, our Controller and Vice President of Finance, started in 1965. V. Craig Finney, Sales Manager of Advertising Specialty and Special Markets, joined the company in 1978. Ronald J. Cappellieri, Sales Manager of Domestic, Export and Heirloom, started work in 1981.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1914 - 1978 (64 years)