Thread: The Filarmonica

If you wonder about Toledo blades, just do a Google search and you will find that the blacksmiths from Toledo made the swords that helped make Spain a world power a few centuries ago.

The style of the tang stamp on your Filarmonica is exactly the same as my Filarmonica 14 Especial, so it's definitely pre 1950s.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Question for the Filarmonica Experts?

I was just looking at this Filarmonica #14, it's a 7/8 I picked up about a year ago.

It simply say's, "14 Jose Monserrat Pou" plus the "Filarmonica" stamp on the tang, nothing else, no model name like Doble Temple.

I just noticed on the scales, it's factory done, what looks like the name, "Miguel Garcia".

Does the name mean anything? Here's the razor?

This is an ESPECIAL. There is something written in the other side of the tang?

Originally Posted by zozo

This is an ESPECIAL. There is something written in the other side of the tang?

On the scales, by the Filarmonica etched "harp", in factory writing, is what looks like the name, "Miguel Garcia"...it's perfectly clear when held in the correct light, and it's definitely part of the scales.

Originally Posted by zozo

This is an ESPECIAL. There is something written in the other side of the tang?

It still could be a Doble Temple. In the early days, goldwash was the only difference between that two models.

Originally Posted by Phrank

On the scales, by the Filarmonica etched "harp", in factory writing, is what looks like the name, "Miguel Garcia"...it's perfectly clear when held in the correct light, and it's definitely part of the scales.

Maybe the first owner.
Retailers got the razors stamped with their name/brand on the main side of the tang, and Filarmonica etc. on the back side.

Originally Posted by ErreHache

Maybe the first owner.
Retailers got the razors stamped with their name/brand on the main side of the tang, and Filarmonica etc. on the back side.

No, this name is nicely imprinted on the plastic scales, right alongside the Filarmonica Harp logo, in a stylistic script, clearly done by machine or mold (?) and not by hand. Only thing I could find about that very common name, was that Miguel Garcia was a famous boxer during the late 50's early 60's.

I had read somewhere that JMP would permit some of his "grinders" (?) to put their own signatures on razors...who knows...but the name is there and it intrigues...who knew, wet shaving and an enjoyable detective, historical hunt....

Phrank,

You have me kind of intrigued here. That's an interesting theory that there may have been Filarmonica grinders that might have added a stylistic signature script to the scales. I'd be interested in hearing if there were any other Fili collectors who may have seen something similar?

Would you mind posting a closeup on the Miguel Garcia signature? I cannot see the script very well from the photo you posted.

My hypothesis here is that Miguel Garcia is a cutlery merchant rather than a grinder. As others have pointed out, there were numerous Filis that have a merchant's name of the reverse side of the tang, rather than the "Fabricacion Espanola / Made in Spain" that appears in later Filis (that were then probably be exported more frequently). I own a Sub Cero that says "Vda J. Mosteiro Cuchilleria La Coruna" on the reverse side of the tang.

One further hypothesis is that you have such an old Especial model, that JMP had not yet started to imprint the cutlery merchant's name on the tang yet. Could imprinting the scales be a precursor to imprinting the tangs?

Originally Posted by Bordee

Phrank,

Would you mind posting a closeup on the Miguel Garcia signature? I cannot see the script very well from the photo you posted.

I appreciate the help, I'm intrigued as well, could the script be hand done? Looks very neat???

This is the best I can do, you can clearly see the script. I took photo's, used HD quality for a larger file size on the iPhone 5s with no flash or added filters:

Phrank,

Thanks for the closeups. From the new photos, it appears that somebody carved their named into the scales. My best guess would be that Miguel Garcia was the owner of the razor and did the carving himself. The cursive writing would not be all that surprising because back in those days, most people would write cursive.

I have some old French razors were several of the scales have a person's name scrapped/carved into the scales in cursive. I believe I read somewhere that it was not uncommon back in the day for razor owners to write their name on the scales.

Now, this Miguel Garcia still could be the famous boxer...

Originally Posted by Bordee

Phrank,

Thanks for the closeups. From the new photos, it appears that somebody carved their named into the scales. My best guess would be that Miguel Garcia was the owner of the razor and did the carving himself. The cursive writing would not be all that surprising because back in those days, most people would write cursive.

I have some old French razors were several of the scales have a person's name scrapped/carved into the scales in cursive. I believe I read somewhere that it was not uncommon back in the day for razor owners to write their name on the scales.

Now, this Miguel Garcia still could be the famous boxer...

Yes, cursive writing, something we learned early on, which now seems to be something kids don't need??? Crazy!

My wife took the pics for me, she's much more savvy with the iPhone, and she said it looked like someone did it by hand as well, so guess that's confirmed. So, it was either owner by a boxer, a local counsel person, a member of a musical band, or someone else.....well, that was fun, a mystery, at least for me, solved.

Thanks for your help!