Thread: The Stub-Tailed Shavers

Originally Posted by Traskrom

S Norris cast steel

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Beautiful!

Originally Posted by Traskrom

S Norris cast steel

Great looking razor! NORRIS, SAMUEL
Sheffield
1795 - 1815


Samuel Norris (1795-1815), used trademark ‘*P wondering if its the same person?

I've posted it to the "That 1700 show" thread but it sure qualified for this one as well

My S.Norris stuby

Originally Posted by Martin103

wondering if its the same person?

I don't know any other manufacturer the with name S. Norris. Should be the same.

i think i fall in love with this kind of razors. but i think they hard to find.

Originally Posted by Martin103

Great looking razor! NORRIS, SAMUEL
Sheffield
1795 - 1815
Samuel Norris (1795-1815), used trademark ‘*P wondering if its the same person?

According to one expert, the P and star, or other symbol, are an indication of the metal alloyed in the steel.
~Geezer

Originally Posted by strawinski

a new Razor for mes. A old english. what is this for a logo?


Attachment 108003

It isn't 'I. Barber' - the 'I' is the latinised version of 'J' a popular way of doing things at one time. The maker was John Barber. John Barber was apprenticed in 1802 and was making cutlery and flatware in the 1820s as well as strops and razors. In 1823 the company was at 29 South Street, Sheffield, before moving to Norfolk Street in 1828. After his death in 1834 the company continued as John Barber & Son. In 1839 they were also advertising themselves as successors to George Shepherd and were using the well-known Shepherd 'Wolf' mark - which was used by a variety of makers and has already confused many on this forum as to the true identity of the razor maker. Marks were 'fluid' things and often changed hands, it seems. The company died in stages. The 'Old English' line of razors was sold off to Stephen Martin in 1847. In 1864 another John Barber - the grandson of the original John Barber - set up in the razor and cutlery business at the Portland Works in West Street, and used the old marks. The company did not survive after 1871 and never re-emerged again. But their marks did - they were used by Hall & Colley and Joseph Elliot.

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

It isn't 'I. Barber' - the 'I' is the latinised version of 'J' a popular way of doing things at one time. The maker was John Barber. John Barber was apprenticed in 1802 and was making cutlery and flatware in the 1820s as well as strops and razors. In 1823 the company was at 29 South Street, Sheffield, before moving to Norfolk Street in 1828. After his death in 1834 the company continued as John Barber & Son. In 1839 they were also advertising themselves as successors to George Shepherd and were using the well-known Shepherd 'Wolf' mark - which was used by a variety of makers and has already confused many on this forum as to the true identity of the razor maker. Marks were 'fluid' things and often changed hands, it seems. The company died in stages. The 'Old English' line of razors was sold off to Stephen Martin in 1847. In 1864 another John Barber - the grandson of the original John Barber - set up in the razor and cutlery business at the Portland Works in West Street, and used the old marks. The company did not survive after 1871 and never re-emerged again. But their marks did - they were used by Hall & Colley and Joseph Elliot.

Regards,
Neil

I could have sworn there was also an Isaac Barber who was specifically trading on the confusion between J and I, who John Barber took to court (also for using the OLD ENGLISH mark). Sheffield Indexers lists Isaac Barber (razor, etc mfr) as being in White's 1834 directory, but I can't find the actual entry, so my dubiousness alarms go off a little.

Of the razors I've seen, I. Barber razors don't seem to be made to quite the same standards as J. Barber, at least for the quality of stamping and uniformity, but it's always so hard to know if that's an artifact of small sample sizes...

Originally Posted by Cangooner

Hi all,

Kind of hoping someone might have even the slightest hint of what I have here! I bought this earlier this year off the bay and have put off doing anything to it in terms of restoration until either a) I decide to leave it as-is or b) my skills are such that I'm confident tackling a 200-year-old blade without doing any damage. I think it is probably circa 1810. Any other estimates?

So I guess I really have two questions:

Any idea who made it?
What would *you* do with it? Attempt to restore and bring back to use? Or leave as-is and preserve it?

I started a thread about this razor back in April ( http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ery-razor.html ), but figure this is probably the group of folks to ask.

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The writing is obscured and can only be partially read: "Beach" followed by what could either be an "&" or possibly another symbol, and then below "...chwitz". It *could* possibly read "Aschwitz" but I cannot be certain. Only the very top of the "A" can be seen, and it could have been preceded by other letters that are no longer visible.

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It could have been William Beach or one of his family. He was born in 1793 (some say 1796) in Salisbury. Although he exhibited at the 1851 Exhibition, he is known to have been active from at least 1829 form his address at No1. Catherine Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire. He married a woman called Susan and they had 10 (I think!) children, among them a number of boys. The eldest boy - another William, was listed as an office clerk in the 1851 census, but another - Charles - was listed as a cutler.

In 1848 he was known as a cutler and a medical instrument maker. He was also bankrupt:



So he either came back again with another trade name or under the trade name of one of his sons. So your razor could have "Beach & Son" or "Beach & Co" or something similar on the tang.

I don't get the bottom bit at all, though. Can't think what it could be, but it is not Salisbury!

Regards,
Neil

Could well be, Zak - the original Old English John Barber razors tended to have his corporate mark on them, the masonic square and compass. That was pointed out on the advertisement warning agains 'I. Barber' razors taken out by John Barber & Sons.

I should have remembered that, especially as I compile the following chronology myself some time ago!



doh!

Regards,
Neil