Thread: A request for information regarding Packwood razors

I've spent the last few hours online trying to find any information at all on this maker. So far my searches have turned up a few vague references on this forum and not a lot more anywhere else.
Could somebody pass on some information on this make or point to where I might find some, please?

Packwoods are very, very old. If you post in razors with a pic, I would bet Manah can tell you something. Good luck!

I may disappoint you, it's very difficult to find any info about these Packwood razors maker. I vainly spent much time to find some info.
More importantly, Henry L. Lummus, in his article wrote:
"Date 1828. Maker, unknown, Sheffield. Trademark "Packwood".

Well if I do manage to score one I'll be sure to post as much detail as I can photograph.

Just a litle update on my search. I've discovered that the trademark "Packwood" was not registered in Sheffield or surrounding districts. Since it's not a registered trademark it's going to be rather difficult to determine who actually made them. I've also searched the census records from Sheffield and surrounding areas and found that no one of that name lived there in 1851, and the 1797 Sheffield and district directory does not list that name at all either. Going on that information, I would consider that whomever did make the item, if indeed they did operate in Sheffield, had a small operation and couldn't afford to register their mark. Effectively it could have been made by anybody.

Well it's mine. My first ebay razor purchase. I'm so dead when the wife finds out ... so dead. Nevermind, she owes me after the last lot of Pandora jibblets she bought so I think I can get away with it. Anyway, this is what the fuss is all about.

That is a sweet antique.

If the firm/trademark ceased being in use prior to 1862 you will have some difficulties tracking them down. Especially if they were a small firm that didn't join the Cutlers of Hallamshire (the company responsible for issuing trademarks).

From the 1911 Encyclopedia Britanicca
the cutlers of Hallamshire - the name of the district of which Sheffield is the centre - were formed into a body corporate for the protection of the "industry, labour, and reputation" of the trade, which was being disgraced by the "deceitful and unworkmanlike wares of various persons." The act of incorporation specifies the manufacture of "knives, scissors, shears, sickles and other cutlery," and provides that all persons engaged in the business shall "make the edge of all steel implements manufactured by them of steel, and steel only, and shall strike on their wares such mark, and such only, as should be assigned to them by the officers of the said company." Notwithstanding these regulations, and the pains and penalties attached to their infringement, the corporation was not very successful in maintaining the high character of Sheffield wares. Most manufacturers made cutlery to the order of their customers, on which the name of the retailer was stamped, and very inferior malleable or cast iron blades went forth to the public with "London made," "best steel," and other falsehoods stamped on them to order. The corporate mark and name of a few firms, among which Joseph Rodgers & Sons stand foremost, are a guarantee of the very highest excellence of material and finish; and such firms decline to stamp any name or mark other than their own on their manufactures. In foreign markets, however, the reputation of such firms is much injured by impudent forgeries; and so far was this system of fraud carried that inferior foreign work was forwarded to London to be transhipped and sent abroad ostensibly as English cutlery. To protect the trade against frauds of this class the Trades Mark Act of 1862 was passed chiefly at the instigation of the Sheffield chamber of commerce.

PS is your porn name going to be Mick Packwood or Packwood Mick?

Happy Brougham ... apparently. I had to look it up though.

I am forming a theory, based on so close to nothing as to need to take my own words with a pound of salt, that these razor may have some connection to George Packwood, perfumer and razor strop maker from the late 1700s to early 1800s. I'm basing this partly on information in the encyclopaedia quote above (ie that makers often stamped other people's names in their work), the almost complete lack of information about the maker as well as on the wording of this little verse:

Nature, regardful of the babbling race,
Planted no hair upon woman’s face.
Not Packwood’s razors,
though the very best,
Could shave a chin that never is at rest.

You may notice it refers to Packwood's razors, not razor strops and paste, but the verse was commissioned by George Packwood as part of his mass advertising campaign. Does this constitute real evidence? Like I said, I'm taking salt with my own theory here. It's pretty vague at best and without REAL data to go on conjecture is almost a kind term to apply, but it's about all I have so far.

Please, if anyone wants to provide a rebuttal with some proper info I would be most grateful!

Well I received the razor today. Heavy little bugger it is. Tidy little wedge measuring 6/8 across the blade (complete) and 3 1/8" blade length. Not sure how restorable it is but that's a concern for another time. Of particular interest to myself, and possibly to manah, is the coffin it came in. I can't get a decent picture right now but it's quite old and bears the name " Sanderson Brothers & Co Sheffield" and has a little double star on the back of the box. It also has "Allen D" scratched into the coffin but it's obviously from much later and in poor penmanship. While there's no guarentee that the coffin is original, it might well be old enough. Maybe.