History

1899

Gustav Tonsor founds the company Gebrüder Tonsor with his brother Paul Tonsor in Berlin-Friedrichsberg on 1 April 1899.

1904

Company headquarters at Grüner Weg 64, production of shoe polish, hoof grease and wood primers as well as shellac and the first oil paints for shipping companies and blind factories

1906

Business yard around 1906, bottling and order picking

1910

Purchase of the first Dürkopp lorry; however, all horse-drawn vehicles continue to be used

1912

Father and son

1910 - 1914

The heyday and upswing of the business.

1915 - 1917

With Gustav Tonsors enlistment, business operations come to a standstill, and it is only the stabilisation of the Rentenmark that makes reconstruction possible from 1917 onwards.

1926 - 29

The first shop is opened and wallpaper and linoleum are added to the product range in 1927. The shop flourishes in the 1920s.

In 1928, junior Heinz Tonsor joins the business.

It was not until the economic crisis of 1929 that the long period of prosperity came to an end.

1946 - 48

The founder Gustav Tonsor dies. In 1948, his son Heinz receives a new business licence and opens a shop at Pestalozzistraße 11 in Charlottenburg..

1949

The company celebrates its 50th anniversary. In 1951, the forward-looking move to Kantstraße 34 follows.

1952

Owner Heinz Tonsor (right) with his employees; the first apprentice was trained in 1952.

1957

Anneliese Tonsor joins the company with a background in haute couture. With her feminine touch, she contributes to the further development of the company in the direction of interior design.

1960er

The business grows in the 60s.

1970

After taking over the corner shop, the extended business premises are officially opened in 1970.

Junior manager

Junior boss

1977

Beatrice Tonsor joins the business, followed by Andreas Tonsor in 1987. After Heinz Tonsor left the company for health reasons at the beginning of 1980, they run the company together with Anneliese Tonsor.

Art and cultural sponsorship

Together with Farrow & Ball, we supported exhibitions for the Haus am Waldsee, the Museum Neukölln and the Bauhaus Archive. The unique colours not only set the scene for large and small exhibits, but also turn the exhibition design itself into art.

To the projects

Gebrüder Tonsor cinema advertising in the 50s