The origin of the company goes back more than 100 years, to 1889 when Herbert Evans, a young Welshman, arrived in the bustling mining town of Johannesburg with a cart, a ladder, some paint brushes and a level of ambition matched only by his integrity.
Two years later, he had founded Herbert Evans (Proprietary) Limited, thus establishing his own paint manufacturing business.
Token With Spick And Span ( Heads) Generally referred to as a "Tossing Coin" What's the meaningof the phrase 'Spick and span'? Entirely new - fresh or unused.
Success followed and in 1910 Herbert Evans launched the first “ready-mixed” colour paints in South Africa.
In 1915, Parthenon became the trademark of Herbert Evans (Proprietary) Limited, the first of several milestones in his life, which also included the development of a floor polish and a revolutionary “best elastic” carriage varnish that could accommodate the expansion and contraction of wooden carriage wheels and underworks.
Herbert Evans’ next step was into the automotive paint business in 1949, when he began preparing coatings under licence for Akzo Nobel. By this time the company had an entrenched reputation for innovation, quality and service and was ready to expand.
The opportunity for expansion arrived and Herbert Evans (Proprietary) Limited combined operations with Chrome Chemicals, a partnership that formed the basis of the Plascon business that was acquired by Barloworld in 1970.
Some Interesting Facts -
Mr. Evans knew the famous South African painter Pierneef
Walter Sisulu, Secretary-General of the African National Congress 1949–1954, once worked as a paint mixer for Herbert Evans in Johannesburg
TimeLine
1853 Mr. Herbert Evans is born in Shrewsbury, Wales, U.K. (first year of the Crimean War). 1880 Mr. Evans arrives in Durban. 1889 Mr. Evans arrives in Jhb. 1891 Mr. Evans purchases 5 stands on the corner of Eloff and Pritchard Streets at the Government auctions for ₤250. He establishes Herbert Evans (Proprietary) Limited and his first shop in a mushrooming Johannesburg, the city of gold, operating as a gilder, glazier, signwriter and house painter. 1895 Herbert Evans sells the 5 stands for ₤15,000.
1896
The Jameson raid. Thirty-five tons of dynamite explode at the Braamfontein magazine, shattering almost every pane of glass in Johannesburg. Herbert Evans buys up all the glass in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth and re-glazes Johannesburg.
1899-1902
Herbert Evans is closed for business during the Anglo-Boer War.
1903 Herbert Evans offers tube colours for sale to carriage painters. Herbert Evans provides paint for construction projects including Corner House, the Old National Bank in Market Street, the St. Mary’s Cathedral Hall in Plein Street, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Stuttafords, Cuthberts in Eloff Street and Mosenthals.
1905 The South African Art Union is founded, its object being to publish portfolios of pictures by South African and other artists. The first committee comprise, amongst others, Mr. Herbert Evans and Mr. Anton van Wouw.
1907
Depression in Johannesburg with much unemployment on the gold mines after 50,000 Chinese workers are recruited from the Far East. Zoo Lake is constructed to provide work for the unemployed.
1908
Herbert Evans’ staff complement consists of 18 monthly paid staff and a much larger number of weekly paid painters signwriters and glaziers. Total salary is bill ₤1,000 including Mr. Evans’ salary of ₤60. Herbert Evans gets involved in decorating Mansions around Johannesburg. Sir Herbert Baker (then Mr. Baker) the renowned architect was a strong believer in the firm of Herbert Evans
1913 Herbert Evans proceeds with construction of new 3-storey landmark building, the Paint Warehouse, in Pritchard Street to house its business, at a cost of ₤16,000. July 1913 brought the Great Mining Strike. Park Station and The Star offices burned down. General Smuts intervenes to quell the rioting
1915 Parthenon Paints becomes the trademark of Herbert Evans. Lots of websites state 1889 to 1953 for the tokens (as stated on the coin itself) ,1889 Herbert Evans Arrived in SA , Parthenon only existed from 1915 .
1918
Mr. Evan’s love for painting and sketching leads him to open an art gallery in his new headquarters on the corner of Kruis and Pritchard Streets.
1922
The Rand Revolt strikers establish a stronghold at Fordsburg Square. At the “Battle of Ellis Park” a large detachment of Imperial Light Horse is ambushed, with heavy loss of life. Herbert Evans’ factory in Doornfontein stands fully in the line of fire, with bullets whistling by and peppering holes in the brickwork.
1930 Mr. Evans passes away at the age of 78. The business continues under the chairmanship of his eldest son Herbert Durrant Evans.
1949 Herbert Evans and Chrome Chemicals join forces to form Plascon.
1970
Barlow Rand acquires Plascon.
2001
Barlow Rand changes its name to Barloworld which leads to the formation of Barloworld Coatings.
2004
Barloworld Coatings enters the colourant market through its acquisition of International Colour Corporation.
2005
Barloworld Coatings acquires Hamilton Brush, a supplier of brushes and rollers.
2006
Barloworld Coatings acquires Midas Earthcote as well as Prostart Investments thereby strengthening its position in the decorative and automotive segments.
2011
Plascon was acquired in 2011 by Kansai Paint, based in Japan, a top ten coatings company globally, it is the largest suppliers in the world of original equipment auto paints. It has world-leading research & development facilities in Japan, India and South Africa.
About Tokens:
The tokens are known as Advertising tokens , or also referred to as "Tossing Coins"
They where made in Silver , Cu/Nickel , Brass and Steel . It is believed the tokens where issued circa 1950's .
Dimensions are quite varied with diameter for different tokens from 31,7 , 31,8, 32 , 32,1mm
Thickness are also varied with tokens being 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, and 2.5 mm thick . The small token is 1.3 for brass and 1.9mm for steel. ( UniFace )
There is a mis-spelt specimen where Parthenon became Tarthenon.
The tokens in general all look the same with two exceptions , One replace Spick and Span with a "P80" and a token which has the wording "Tails and Stert" (Afrikaans for Tails is Stert )
As for value ,most valuable to have is the Silver Parthenon Paints token , first issue then the smaller ones . The rest are less valuable by as much as R200.
Sources and all Rights to :
http://www.herbertevans.co.za
https://plascon.com/about-plascon/history http://karoospace.co.za/old-south-african-brands-in-the-karoo/
Tokens pictures are my own and as such I hold rights to these .
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