Odol Toothpaste

he company originated from the private firm Lingner & Kraft, which was founded at Dresden by Karl August Lingner in 1888. Originally the firm produced various goods for household use. In 1892 Lingner started the manufacture of the well-known mouthwash “ODOL”, for which he established his own company under the name of Dresdner Chemisches Laboratorium Lingner, where he also produced disinfectants. In 1901 further products in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic lines were taken up. A soap factory, which produced “Kavon” soap and a bacteriological department were soon added. In 1911 the Dresden firm was converted into a joint stock company under the present name in which the founder, Karl August Lingner, took the post of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Some of the departments were later transformed into dependent companies, and some were later sold, e.g. the department for the production of disinfectants was moved to Berlin and became the Deutsche Desinfektionszentrale G.m.b.H., and the bacteriological department became the Sächsisches Serumwerke A.G.

In 1916 the founder Karl August Lingner died. He was undoubtedly an outstanding personality and is considered to have been one of the founders of the industrial production of trade mark goods. He was also the originator of the Internationale Hygiene Ausstellung in Dresden, which was first opened in 1911. His principal product “ODOL”, became known all over the world in consequence of his clever policy of advertising, which was unique at that time. After his death the company became much less important. As Lingner had no direct heirs, the shares of the company became scattered, until in 1930 a majority holding was acquired by the A.G. Für Kohlensaeure-Industrie, Berlin. This company was established in 1883 for the production of carbonic acid and had several factories. When after the First World-War a further expansion of this growing concern showed little prospects in its original field, it looked for other lines of production.

The production programme of Lingner-Werke A.G., and its subsidiaries included, apart from the chief article Odol as a mouthwash and a toothpste, the following: “Solvolith”, “Pixavon” (liquid soap especially used to wash the hair), laxatives, soaps, hair lotion, perfumery, as well as a number of pharmaceutical articles for the dental and medical treatment. The company further specialized in the import and manufacture of menthol and peppermint oil. The company had several license agreements for the production and distribution of its goods with a number of important companies in foreign countries.

In 1945 Lingner-Werke in Dresden were completely destroyed.

The date of formation and capital of this company are unknown, but in was known before the war to be owned as to 95% by Lingner-Werke A.G. The company produced Odol and other brands of toilet preparations, and had a factory in Chicago, which was engaged in the exploitation of patents owned by this company.

In 1942 it was reported that the U.S. Alien Property Custodian had taken, from German nationals, securities representing the control of the Lingner Corporation, New York.

In England, according the ‚Trade Marks Ordinance, 1930’, the Trade Mark Odol had been lodged by Cranbux Limited of 103, Westwick Street, Norwich. This company was formed in October 1927and was owned by COLEMAN & Co., Ltd. of Norwich, and preference shares were owned by Lingner-Werke, A.G. Berlin. Since August 1927, the preference shares had been held by Barclays Bank, as nominees for Lingner-Werke A.G.

In a letter dated 31st July, 1939, Lingner-Werke A.G. notified Barclays Bank that ownership of the preference shares had been transferred to Extraktion A.G., Basle. This letter was forwarded to the Bank by the Swiss company with a request that the Bank should hold the shares on behalf of Extraktion A.G. The 500 shares have been vested in the English Custodian of Enemy Property.
The Directors of Coleman & Co, Ltd. were also the directors of Cranbux Ltd. and were British Nationals.

The company was engaged in the manufacture, import and sale of Odol, in Great Britain, Ceylon, British India, Malta, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Egypt.

Years ago a purchased an original tube of Odol toothpaste in its original cardboard cover. This is a British version of the Cranbux Ltd. Norwich. Again as with all the other Repro projects, I think that this will be a nice item too to be reproduced. I will see if I can find a German version of the tube as well. Would be nice to have such a Repro of the Odol toothpaste tube within your washing role.