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Historical Documents

Explore the history of the Nestlé-LeMur Company, the American hair care and beauty company formed in 1928 through the merger of C. Nestle & Co. and the Le Mur Company.
 

This digital archive brings together original historical documents, including newspaper articles, professional hairdressing journals, advertisements, patents, company publications and other contemporary sources.
 

The collection documents the development of permanent waving, the company's hair care products, technical innovations and international expansion. It also provides historical material relating to Charles (Karl Ludwig) Nessler, the pioneer of the permanent wave.
 

The archive is continuously expanded as new historical sources become available.

Title page of The Basic Science of Hair Treatments, published by the Nestlé-LeMur Company in New York in 1935, with a foreword by Florence E. Wall.18.39.52.png

Published in New York in 1935 by the Nestlé-LeMur Company, The Basic Science of Hair Treatments was prepared for use in the company's instruction centers.
 

The publication provides a historical insight into professional hairdressing education and the scientific understanding of hair treatments during the 1930s.
 

Featuring a foreword by Florence E. Wall, F.A.I.C., this original publication is an important source for exploring the history of hair care, professional training and the development of the Nestlé-LeMur Company.

International Research Project on the Permanent Wave

This website is part of an ongoing historical research project dedicated to the development of the permanent wave and the life of Karl Ludwig Nessler (1872–1951).

The aim of this digital archive is to document the history of the permanent wave in a comprehensive and source-based manner.

The project includes:

  • biographical developments

  • historical documents and newspaper sources

  • patents and technological innovations

  • international connections within the hairdressing profession

The archive is continuously expanding and is based on ongoing research in European and international archives.


 → View the German archive (nessler-dauerwelle.de)
 → View the research project (charles-nessler.com)
 → Explore the industrial development (Nestle-Lemur)​

 → French-language research blog – De la Forêt-Noire au monde

This research project is made possible by people who are willing to share their knowledge.

Do you have historical documents, photographs, letters, newspaper articles, family records, or personal memories relating to Charles (Karl Ludwig) Nessler, his family, his companies, or the history of the hairdressing profession?

I would be delighted to hear from you. Every piece of information is carefully reviewed and may help preserve the history of Charles Nessler and the development of the permanent wave for future generations.

All information will, of course, be treated confidentially. If you wish, sources, loaned materials, or contributors will be acknowledged in future publications.

Thank you very much for your support.

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