Thread: That 1700's Show

"Nothing is definite in this world, except death and taxes."

You got that right Neil..............

[QUOTE=rhensley;1496238]

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

I couldn't be for sure and certain but from the grain I see in the photo plus what looks like a bug bite I would guess it would be horn. Really don't know but I've had horn that looked the same.

Tortoiseshell (from the hawksbill sea turtle as Martin has pointed out previously) was a very costly item at that time, always has been I suppose. Razor makers and others (hair-slide makers, spectacle frame makers, comb makers, etc, etc) needed a cheaper alternative and began to use blond horn (or bleached horn) and treat it with various dyes and chemicals to make it look like tortoiseshell, but at a fraction of the price. The item was called 'spotted' at the time. We now call it mock-tortoiseshell. Badly executed examples can be spotted immediately as fakes, but good examples replicate the markings of the real thing extremely well.

They are both composed of the stuff that forms hair and fingernails - keratin, so they take on exactly the same finish when worked and polished. They also suffer from the same sorts of ageing (delamination, brittleness, flaking, etc) and the same pests attack them and leave bug-bites.

Unless you have had experience with the real thing and have the specimen under consideration in your hand, you can not tell the difference without an experts documentation of it. And by photos alone.... pah!

Regards,
Neil

Your completely right there Mr. M. Photos are very deceiving though. If you think about the time these were made and as stated the cost of Tortoiseshell then treated horn would a good guess. Then again It would be nice to really have a set of scales from that period in time. It's like Ivory I really like the looks of it but wouldn't want a new set made of it.

I have read somewhere that the oldest depiction of a folding razor was in a painting from, the 17th century? Does anyone know anything about this?

I finally have a real pre 1800 razor coming soon. I'll post a picture once I'm sure I won it. I'm very excited. I have a few 1830 razors and some 1840-50's but I really love anything older than 1800.

If anyone is looking to get rid of one or two nice 1700's blades I am in the market. You can be sure they will have a good home and oggled over daily.

Should add mine to the 1700's Show.

French razor, listing has it 1730-1800.

[QUOTE=Phrank;1502350]Should add mine to the 1700's Show.

French razor, listing has it 1730-1800.

Good Andrew, I'm glad you added it!

Here is the one I won. French razor, fleur de Lis with crown. I couldn't find any information.

Looks like it should hone up well. I can't wait to shave with it.

[QUOTE=DireStraights;1502461]Here is the one I won. French razor, fleur de Lis with crown. I couldn't find any information.

Looks like it should hone up well. I can't wait to shave with it.


That's a beautiful straight!!!!!

[QUOTE=engine46;1502463]

Originally Posted by DireStraights

Here is the one I won. French razor, fleur de Lis with crown. I couldn't find any information.

Looks like it should hone up well. I can't wait to shave with it.


That's a beautiful straight!!!!!

I think I got lucky because its from France. I don't think many saw it to bid. It is a little under 5/8 but should still be pretty cool.