That 1700's Show

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Originally Posted by ScienceGuy

There's plenty of knowledge on that here but that's such a broad topic it's really hard to answer. I'd start with one of the Sheffield history books like Masters to Mesters to get an overview of how the industries worked.

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Will def. look up that book, thank you.
Too broad really? I was specifically being broad cuz i thought "i want to know more about history of english straight razor making and cutlers and how it relates to the general trends and zeitgeist of each era of history experienced by the region" was too narrow! lol

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Originally Posted by Voidmonster

(It's worth noting: the Plymouth museum has a razor they claim came over on the Mayflower and Spanish manufacture, it is in fact a late 1700's Sheffield razor.)

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Wow. As anyone told them this?

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Originally Posted by JP5

Wow. As anyone told them this?

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No, don't tell them, it can be an "inside joke" where whenever any of us "in the know" have a chance to visit that museum, we can just giggle to ourselves...how often does THAT happen (museum being off about something)?

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Originally Posted by Tjh

Interesting, at that point, isn't it more "hoarding" than "collecting"? I like that tho "magpie collectors". One of the main reasons collecting stuff never really took off for me (I;ve tried the usual suspects, stamps, coins) is because at the time I found learning about the thing to be BORING! (not so with straight razors, interestingly enough).

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I am the exact opposite of this.

If I spend $10 on something and spend a few hours on different tangents learning things related to it I feel that that is cheap fun.

Even if I learn that it is only worth $1.:)

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Originally Posted by 32t

I am the exact opposite of this.

If I spend $10 on something and spend a few hours on different tangents learning things related to it I feel that that is cheap fun.

Even if I learn that it is only worth $1.:)

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sorry are you saying "learning abt things you collect" is smthg you ENJOY doing (which was my point that to me there's no point in collecting unless you do)?

Yes, although I know many that collect only do so only in the hope that the value of whatever they collect will increase.

Honestly, for me, I just want to have something I could pass down to my kids. Along with a story I can tell them.

It was either THIS or watches, and watches are too expensive. :P

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Originally Posted by Tjh

No, don't tell them, it can be an "inside joke" where whenever any of us "in the know" have a chance to visit that museum, we can just giggle to ourselves...how often does THAT happen (museum being off about something)?

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Great answer! A while back, I donated very good quality shave set up to take the place of poor quality/ junk shown in a wealthy man's 19th century bed chamber. Razor, Vienna skuttle, strop, and mirror stand with a proper fancy shave brush to complete the set. . .accepted, inventoried, and then put into the archives, never to be viewed again. The trash remains on display.
Yes museums can and do make mistakes.
YMMV
~Richard

One of my latest acquisitions: Havenhead Mark, High-lane, Sheffield (according to 1787 directory). Frankly, this razor looks to me earlier than 1787, but I'm not sure how much so. Anyone here has any info on this Mark Havenhead?
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Originally Posted by dimab

One of my latest acquisitions: Havenhead Mark, High-lane, Sheffield (according to 1787 directory). Frankly, this razor looks to me earlier than 1787, but I'm not sure how much so. Anyone here has any info on this Mark Havenhead?
Attachment 308891Attachment 308892

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A stamp with the initials MH did belong to Mark Havenhead, but it's unlikely he made this razor. He made sickles, which were a significantly different industry from razors. They used different steel, different stones and different workshop layouts.

You should get in touch with the Cutler's Company and ask about that mark. Their archivist is very helpful!

My gut feelings on the razor: 1790-1810, homemade replacement scales (from long ago), while the blade blank may have been made in Sheffield I don't think the mark is for a business there and I can't really guess where it would be from. The letter forms are distinctly outside the norm for anything coming from there.