V. Vivaudou

V. Vivaudou Inc., is an American perfume manufacturer and auto company which operated in New York City. V. Vivaudou Inc., was taken over by the United Drug Company in February 1916, for a price of $1,500,000. Among its perfume and cosmetics line, Mavis Talcum Vivaudou red tin was quite often part of the women's toiletries checklist. In August 1919 the United Drug Company sold V. Vivaudou Inc., to a syndicate of New York City men for $2,500,000.

The business signed to carry out the sale and distribution of Alcorub on the Pacific Coast, in September 1922. In January 1926 the firm approved a contract to acquire the Alfred H. Smith Company. In May 1930 V. Vivaudou Inc., was ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to divest itself of capital stock in Parfumerie Melba, Inc., and the Alfred H. Smith Company. The FTC ruled that the companies were formerly competitors of V. Vivaudou Inc, and its acquisition of their stock constituted a monopoly. The order to divest was reversed by a United States Court of Appeals in November 1931. The court decided that the three companies' control of 6% of the United States cosmetics market did not constitute a monopoly.

Victor Vivaudou, the owner, was born in Cannes, France on January 2, 1881. He travelled to the US with his mistress Rosa on the Lusitania on September 12, 1914, setting up V. Vivaudou Inc. in the Times building in 1915. He and three other investors also founded Meridian Motors, a Manhattan autos and appurtenances company, which was chartered in January 1917.

A new company was incorporated with V. Vivaudou as its president in September 1919. An underwriting syndicate was formed headed by J.S. Bache & Co. and S.M. Schatzkin. The underwriting syndicate was dissolved in mid-September 1919.

The corporation had an initial capital outlay of $12,000, and maintained its headquarters at the New York Times Building.

V. Vivaudou Inc., was listed on the beginning on May 5, 1920. It issued 300,000 shares of capitol stock. Company stockholders approved an increase of common stock from 340,000 to 500,000 shares on January 5, 1926. The shares were changed from $10 to no par value. They agreed to an issuance of 25,000 shares of 7 per cent preferred stock with $100 par value. In November 1920 V. Vivaudou, Inc., reduced its dividend from .50 to .25 per share to conserve cash, in order to meet expansion in the United States and Europe. It reported earnings of $288,430 for the quarter ending on October 31, 1920. The sum translated to $4 per share prior to accounting for taxes.

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