OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Company Histories GRANT & VICKERY - A Pioneering Mower Manufacturer

PART SEVEN - The Selling Agencies

There is evidence that Gravic power reel mowers were being made in the late 1920s.
However, the earliest advertising records date from 1931. These ads were placed by
Grant & Vickery and, of note, is that they are also repairing all makes of lawnmowers
at this time.



Advertisements placed by Grant & Vickery are infrequent after the early thirties.
One reason would be the effects of the Great Depression at this time; another
might be that the company preferred to specialise in manufacture and leave it to
appointed agents to sell and advertise.

I have identified two agents that represented Gravic Mowers in NSW.
The first was the well-known and long established Alex Grahame and Company of
Leichardt. Grahame - the "Lawnmower King" - was arguably the largest non-
Department Store retailer in NSW, and boasted a huge selection of imported and
local machines.



I guess Alex Grahame's success was also his failure - if you happened to be
a local manufacturer. On the showroom floor, a make would have to 'compete'
with many competitors, including Alex Grahame's own lawnmowers!
[see Related Reading].

This may be the reason that Grant & Vickery changed agencies within a
couple of years.

The new agency would be another well-known an established business,
Motor Tractors Limited, of Young Street, and then at Wattle Street,
Broadway, Sydney. This association would prove enduring, lasting for
over two decades. Motor Tractors, who, itself, had agencies throughout
the state, would represent, sell and service both the petrol-powered
and Gravic Gang Mowers, and appear to have been the main Grant &
Vickery distributor for NSW.



Gravic mowers were sold in pretty much all the Eastern States, as
far south as Van Diemen's Land. Special mention should be made of the
Victorian Agent, C.J. White and Company, of Little Bourke Street,
Melbourne. Note the mention of the 'New Gravic', the model discussed
in the Model History forum (see Related Links).



TO BE CONTINUED ...