Thread: George of the Jungle! Sheffield razors from before 1830

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

The early 1800's provided an impressive array of styles. By the time William IV took the crown most of the features that are found on later razors had been invented. The steel was often good or even very good.

This is a razor club for those Sheffield razors made during the reign of George IV.

Earlier Georges are allowed. Later George(s?) are discouraged.

George IV spend an incredible amount of money on luxury. If only I had a tiny fraction of his wealth to spend on razors made during his life.

I'll begin with my George Box.




Beginning on the left and moving clockwise:

• Tang Stamped WOSTENHOLM. 1800(?)-1826, probably on the earlier side.
• Blade Stamped GREAVES & SONS, tang stamped WARRANTED. Predates the Sheafworks, post-dates '& SONS'. 1817-1823
• Tang Stamped LORD & HARVEY. No other marks. Very stubby tail. I'm guessing early 1820's.
• Blade Stamped WADE & BUTCHER, tang stamped UNIVERSALLY APPROVED, with (crown) GR. 1821-1830, likely earlier in the range. Bears a strong resemblance to earlier WADE razors. Restored by Undream.
• Tang Stamped G(crown)R, WADE & BUTCHER'S / FINE INDIA STEEL / UNIVERSALLY APPROVED. 1821-1830, almost certainly the tail end of George IV's reign. Extremely similar razors have W(crown)R stamps. Some sort of stamp has been sanded off of the blade.
• Stamped GEO. HAMMOND / DON PLACE / SHEFFIELD. 1827-1840's This one I'm very unsure of. I place it here because Hammond turns up in Sheffield directories as far back as 1827, and this razor has by far the most primitive design and stamps of any of the Hammond razors I've tracked down. The extreme swage spine, the fluting near the toe and the shape of the tang suggest late 1820's as the earliest date. If I turn up a more solid candidate, this one will be replaced out of the box.
• Stamped W. GREAVES & SONS on the blade. Tang says CAST STEEL / WARRANTED -- Lummus lists this razor as 1830.

I just picked up a wostenholm identical to the one you have there, but the stamp is a bit messed up and I have different scales. The blade is exactly the same. U mind posting a couple more pictures of it?