Thread: Razor ID Help! W & H Rontons Superior Razor (Pictures attached)

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

I've been digging for info about W & H Ronton, but I cannot turn up anything. Not only can't I find anything about them as a manufacturer or even retailer, I can barely find any people actually named Ronton. Most hits are transcription errors for Boston or Renton. So, unfortunately, that's going to remain a mystery until the various archives up their OCR game.

What I can tell you is that it was almost certainly made in Sheffield for a retailer somewhere else. The most reliable hits on Ronton as a family name are all in Yorkshire but there are one or two in America.

It was probably made between 1830 and 1850. Of the few other Ronton razors I've seen (there're a couple running around out there -- I've even bid on some simply because the name is a mystery), the probable date of manufacture has been the same.

Yours appears to have been reground by an expert. It was not originally a hollow grind.

Like T. Ascher, E. L. & Co and Taylor's XQ SITE, it's almost impossible to know who made these because they were commissioned pieces. My gut instinct is that the Ascher, E.L. & Co and likely Ronton as well were all made by William Stenton, but I have absolutely no evidence of that. Taylor's XQ SITE is another story, since the extant examples cover a wide range of time and styles.

As for the scales, gutta percha / vulcanite wasn't used much for scales until the 1880's, so I'm afraid it's a bit anachronistic for this razor.

Thanks so much for the information Voidmonster...My best guess was that it was from that era (early 1800's) but now with your expert opinion I feel even more comfortable believing it.

If it is to remain a 'mystery' as far as origin, I guess that is not so bad after all. It is a very nice shaver even with the chronologically incorrect scales. If I can do a decent restore on the original scales...they will find their way back on this razor!

If it was manufactured by W. Stenton & Sons (c 1837-1846) that would correspond date wise also. If it was I would be happy because I have 2 Stenton's and they are both GREAT razors. Here is a pic of one, a 8/8 beauty (c 1846-1860) that is currently on the project table being restored. Interestingly the Stenton is inscribed on the tang "AGAIN SUPERIOR" whereas this Ronton simply says "SUPERIOR RAZOR".



Thanks again Voidmonster...and thanks much to Martin and Neil and all for helping me find out more about this "MYSTERY"...

I love mysteries!

WP34