Thread: A straight razor found in the garden/yard. Can anyone identify its maker?

Hi,

I have a somewhat unusual question here. It is almost archaeological in nature. I have an old house built in 1935. It's in Hungary. In the garden, as I planted grass near the old well, I found a straight razor. This was a few years ago, but I finally got the chance to take a closer look at it.

The handle looks like it is made of bakelite. A kind of khaki green colour. The blade was broken. I believe the second half of the blade was found near it, but maybe it just fell out when I found it. The part connected to the straight razor was frozen in rust. The other night I removed the packed dirt carefully. Still it would not move. So, I used some WD-40 and now the blade swivels as it was meant to. My hope was that I could see some manufacturing information. Unfortunately, the corrosion is so great I don't think I can see any writing there.

I am pretty confident that this straight razor is from 1935-1965. Plenty of old perfum bottles, and ink bottles from the 1930s-1940s have been found in the kitchen midden in the corner of the garden/yard. But that is pretty far away from the old well. In fact, around the old well I have only found this razor and a small pair of scissors. So, for these reasons, and for hygienic reasons, it looks like the people who lived here 70-85 years ago, weren't dumping their rubbish next to the well.

But 1935-1965 is a wide range of years. I would like to narrow it down if possible. I did some research on straight razors. Most look pretty similar! However, I found one on a Hungarian site that really matches the one I foun pretty closely. I mean the colour of the handle, its design, the shape of the blade. Here is a link to the razor that looks just like mine. This is from a Hungarian antique site. The straight razor depicted here appears to have been made in Sheffield, England, and was produced by the S. Pearson & Co established 1820. https://galeriasavaria.hu/termekek/r...orotva-tokban/

In the kitchen midden perfume bottles from the 1930s-1940s have been found, even from international companies, so it would not be impossible that an English made straight razor was being sold here. Of course, maybe it is just a knock off, or a very typical design and colour.

There is one further twist to this. The people who lived here generations ago seemed to have been pretty careful about getting the rubbish to the far corner of the garden. But this straight razor was found near the well. And to leave a broken blade there, too, could be dangerous for anyone who stepped on it, particularly kids. Anyway, it didn't seem to be the habit of the occupants of the house. However, there was a group of people here, in the garden, who might not have cared if some rubbish was left near the well. Soldiers. The Battle of Budapest in 1944-1945 literally began right here in the villages near the capital city. Some old bullets were found in the garden left by the allied army (in this case, Soviet). So, soldiers were here, and it is very possible that some stayed in the house for some time during the winter. One of the bullets, (donated to the local museum) was lend-lease, and was found right outside the back door just a few metres from the well. The well was the source of water and indoor bathrooms weren't the norm at that time in this part of Hungary, so maybe someone really did shave right next to the well.

Probably that idea is all wrong, and this is an early 1960s straight razor produced in the Soviet Union.

I would love to hear your thoughts as to the manufacturer and its age. Thanks!

I am attaching some pictures for you of the straight razor I found.

Low cost, small, wedge grind razor. At least back when it was still shaving. Maybe 1890 to 1930 is my guess. Nothing special. Bury it deeper so its not dug up again so nobody can get hurt on it in the future.

Even with the tang stamps readable many razors are hard to find the history on.

At this point it is a personal history for you and your house.

Maybe the razor Jack the Ripper used, who knows? It's toast now and there isn't anything readable to give any hints.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Low cost, small, wedge grind razor. At least back when it was still shaving. Maybe 1890 to 1930 is my guess. Nothing special. Bury it deeper so its not dug up again so nobody can get hurt on it in the future.

Thanks gasman. The last sentence of your reply, though perhaps serious made me laugh. No, I won't bury it again. I love history. If it was in much better condition, I might even restore it. But since it isn't, I'll have to make do with putting it in a display case with some of the nice old things from the past found in the garden. That is if my wife will permit it. Some of the old glass bottles for beer, perfume and even ink, were beautiful from 80-100 years ago. In some cases actually showed quality. You realise when looking at them, that thinking was involved and in its small way, made the world a better place by choosing specific colours for the glass that really stood out. Not all of my finds are intact, for example this straight razor, but a few of the bottles are, such as the ink bottles. I would love to find intact one of the beer bottles from back then. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Probably your analysis is correct about the straight razor. Thank you for it. I was hoping that I might tie it to a specific maker, and that might have told more of its story. This house, though not a poor one, was not a mansion. And the things found in the garden reflect this.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Maybe the razor Jack the Ripper used, who knows? It's toast now and there isn't anything readable to give any hints.

Yes, you're definitely right about that.Lol. If I learn more about it I'll let you know.

I just noticed your from New Mexico. I lived in Clovis for a number of years. The Land of Enchantment. Many varities of landscape there. Quite scenic in parts.

Originally Posted by 32t

Even with the tang stamps readable many razors are hard to find the history on.

At this point it is a personal history for you and your house.

Thank you 32t. I agree with you. If the missus permits it, it will go into a glass display case with some of the other things found in the garden. I have found some old intact bottles from 80-90 years ago and a few not intact.

Back then everything was buried in the garden. No regular rubbish service in rural places. There was even a guy a few years ago (in England) who found a car buried in his back yard. The car was from the 1950s. Nothing nefarious, just didn't know what to do with it, and saved a little money. LOL.

My house was built in 1909.

The main things that I have found have been coal clinkers and marbles. I dug a garden and found many marbles......

Was there an old outhouse hole. I have never done it but heard that is a good place to look.

Originally Posted by 32t

My house was built in 1909.

The main things that I have found have been coal clinkers and marbles. I dug a garden and found many marbles......

Was there an old outhouse hole. I have never done it but heard that is a good place to look.

An old home has character and some stories that go with it. That's cool that you found some marbles in the garden. Our home is from 1935. Yes, they had an outhouse. Haven't checked it yet. For some reason, LOL, it doesn't sound like one of those pleasant prospects. You're probably right about that, though. I think I have heard the same.

I would love to find an intact one of these. I have found pieces of them. I like how in the past even a lowly beer bottle, a beer bottle ! could be made into a work of beauty.

https://galeriasavaria.hu/termekek/r.../#lg=1&slide=0

https://galeriasavaria.hu/termekek/r.../#lg=1&slide=0

There are some bottle collectors in the forum. One guy inAustralis had a big collection