Thread: The Stub-Tailed Shavers

My newest old acquisition.

GERMAN STEEL?

German Steel.





You would think a mark like that would be easy to track down, wouldn’t you?

Both Sketchley’s and Gales & Martin list Thomas Tarbottom (whatta name!), penknife cutler as using the mark QUEEN.

Except this razor is the word QUEEN with a cross at the end and an old-style fleur-de-lis above it. Details like that mattered, and while both Sketchley’s and Gales & Martin are full of errors, they never omit that much or agree on their misprintings.

So I sent a request to the Cutler’s Company and within an hour Joan Unwin sent me back all the marks that used the word Queen, because she is amazing.

The answer is Joseph Hall. He was granted the mark in 1789, a few years after Gales & Martin went to press, and he doesn’t seem to have done much advertising after that either. So this razor was likely made between 1789 and about 1800.

Now Thomas Bromley had the same mark before him, but Bromley had the word QUEEN on a slight curve and when Hall bought it he changed the mark to the form you see on the razor.

The scales are a very nice, early decorative pressed horn. If you look carefully, you can see they’ve got a very slight ‘S’ curve to them as well.

I’m looking forward to honing this and shaving with it in the next few days!

And for a real treat, here’s Hall’s signature next to his stamped mark!

A rare find. I have never seen a razor from Germany that old before, at least not that i took note of it. We see many Sheffield’s but not many from other regions. It all makes me very curious as to why that would be.

Originally Posted by RezDog

A rare find. I have never seen a razor from Germany that old before, at least not that i took note of it. We see many Sheffield’s but not many from other regions. It all makes me very curious as to why that would be.

Oh no, it’s not a German razor. It’s Sheffield. Instead of Cast Steel, it’s German Steel. Most of the steel sourced for Sheffield razors in the period came from Dannemora mine in Sweden, but some of it came from Germany, and a teensy weenie but from Russia.

For comparison, here's a Birks from about the same era, also German Steel:



And a William Warburton from I think the 1760s-70s:



This one has German Steel etched (not stamped) on the top of the spine.

And a John Hall, Sharrowmoor, "German Steel" - "Limrick", around 1781-1800

Originally Posted by Fikira

And a John Hall, Sharrowmoor, "German Steel" - "Limrick", around 1781-1800

That, I'm pretty sure, would've been Joseph's brother.

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

That, I'm pretty sure, would've been Joseph's brother.

That would be very nice!

Sadly Joseph Hall isn't found in "Hallamshire cutlers - Eric Youle", at least I didn't find him...
So, could very well be!

Originally Posted by Fikira

That would be very nice!

Sadly Joseph Hall isn't found in "Hallamshire cutlers - Eric Youle", at least I didn't find him...
So, could very well be!

In the apprentice list in Volume II of Leader's History:

Joseph Hall, born to Jonathan Hall of Dove House, Cutler (deceased), apprenticed to Georgius Smith, Cutler in 1779, freed 1789. Which is the year he was let Thomas Bromley's Queen mark.

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

In the apprentice list in Volume II of Leader's History:

Joseph Hall, born to Jonathan Hall of Dove House, Cutler (deceased), apprenticed to Georgius Smith, Cutler in 1779, freed 1789. Which is the year he was let Thomas Bromley's Queen mark.

I see, indeed! I believe though John Hall (F1781) most probably was the son of John, Sharrow Moor, cutler, in that case John & Johnathan weren't brothers, but maybe related in another way

Nice subject to dig into!

Originally Posted by Fikira

I see, indeed! I believe though John Hall (F1781) most probably was the son of John, Sharrow Moor, cutler, in that case John & Johnathan weren't brothers, but maybe related in another way

Nice subject to dig into!

There are entirely too many Halls!

At least the later Marmaduke had a really good and distinctive name.