Thread: John Nowill Sterling over Ivory Cammell and Laird Pair

I do not post every restoration I do, but this one is interesting and, at least by construction, to me, noteworthy.
These scales came a while back with sterling scales and some horrible, over-polished blades. Now, I can see keeping things original, but one blade had been shortened and both were obviously, in an earlier day allowed to rust and were overpolished...well... junk. The scales were beautiful and I was determined to find new blades. I felt confident in finding makers by hallmarks, but on these, I was unsure. Enter Mr. Neil Miller who helped me confirm that after a run with his brother, John Nowill, himself, was indeed responsible for the making of these scales!
(Thanks, Neil!)
Since very few makers provided sterling scales as well as blades, I felt only blades from Mr. Nowill should do. A pristine pair of matched Nowill blades are, ..well, impossible to find, so as this pair showed up, I aquired them.
This pair of blades from him were commissioned by the firm of Cammell and Laird as a presentation piece and were in pristine condition in (sadly) cracked ivory. The hallmarks on the sterling scales indicates a 1897 assay date on them and Cammell and Laird were merged in 1903. The subject of 0172 steel was developed at that time (which was a very "new" tool steel and, as speculated, could be the steel in these razors as supplied to Nowill), so no more than 6 or 7 years separate the dates of scales/blades and even then, closer dates are possible due to assay date anomalies, etc. Incidentally, Cammell shipyards built and commissioned a warship for the Confederacy in the American Civil War in secrecy, the CSS Alabama, which is a history lesson in it'self, as well as a multitude of British vessels and ferries as well as many for other nations . Quite a powerhouse back in the day!
The decision to go ahead was reached and as the blades were unpinned, it became obvious that something was very different here. The scales were of ivory, "capped" with very intricate sterling silver!
The pins had been beat into the silver and had indentations. Needless to say, a further excavation revealed the ivory had been "glued" to the silver by Mr. Nowill and peening had caused the unattractive phenomenon as the sterling was suspended above the ivory by the original "glue" . I completely diassembled and cleaned/polished the rough-cut ivory, lightly tapped the silver back to flat, and sized and CA'd stainless spacers atop the ivory to take up the space and firmly readhered with "goop".
The pins were sized and annealed on the ends and tiny collars were used to elevate the peens above the silver, but peened over them to keep the original collarless look. Nice and level and not "sunken in" as before!
Turned out very good, IMO, and will stand the test of time! I feel that Mr. Nowill should be proud!
Thanks for looking!
Tom

More pics!

Amazing work. I'm glad you were able to find the blades and match them with these scales. I really like seeing this rare and unique razors!

Really great job, you're getting the hang of it Tom !

>Insert standing ovation

those scales have a so much detail... I think that is the first set sterling silver scale that I ever liked.

Beautiful work Tom.

Wait!!!
Let me get this straight. This Nowill dude took ivory scales and thought to himself hmmmmmm there cool but how could I make this pair even cooler? I know I'll clad them in engraved sterling. I guess it was in better times when those skilled artisans didn't care about cutting corners. Just to make the coolest kit around, was the only way of doing things.
Thomas they are truly breathtaking.
On a side note. Bet you were sweating bullets the whole restore.
Again well done.
Darl

Im sure Mr. Nowill is proud, fantastic Job! you sure do like that automotive "GOOP".

+10 on all the comments above Tom. That work does warrant a standing ovation!