Thread: Denver antique razors

Does anyone know a good place in Denver to find antique razors. I went to a local thrift shop and they wanted $35 for a razor in pretty rough condition. There used to be a man specific antique shop but it closed days before I attempted to go there.

Originally Posted by aboarder4life

Does anyone know a good place in Denver to find antique razors. I went to a local thrift shop and they wanted $35 for a razor in pretty rough condition. There used to be a man specific antique shop but it closed days before I attempted to go there.

I look all over for razors simply because I like to collect and use them and I live in the Denver area and it's really hit or miss. Sometimes you will find a razor in decent shape at an antique mall such as brass armadillo or a small antique store but from my experience the finds are few and far between. A lot of these antique dealers think straight razors are made of gold and want between $50-$150 dollars for stuff that would reach half that on ebay. My two best finds in the area were a 5/8 george wostenholm with a cool etched logo and a morley razor that was like new. There just isn't a lot out there but good luck to you. I prefer ebay myself but finding a razor in the wild is always cool.

I've learned this the hard way. Antique dealers in our area also want an arm and a leg for run of the mill blades. Ebay or SRP classifieds are better places to start looking for one.

Why do you think antique dealers want such high prices? Does everything they sell have such a high markup or are they just uneducated in the straight razor market?

As a former antique dealer I can tell you that there is no way that you can be "educated" about every item that passes through your shop. Most dealers have their own areas of interest that they are very knowledgeable about and a few other areas that they are very conversant in. They come across every kind of object at one time or another and most can put a ballpark price on most items based on experience and observation. But the majority depend on a variety of antique price guides that are based on a number of sources such as auction results and prices found in antique stores. When a dealer comes across a straight razor he may look in the guide and only find a handful with which to use as a pricing model. He may see a Wade & Butcher FBO with a price of $185, a Wostenholm EBRO for $110 and a Torrey set at $45. Now, how is he going to set a price for the 4/8 Joseph Elliot with excessive hone wear and a crack through the scale at the pivot? He's flying by the seat of his pants and will try to get whatever he thinks the market will bear. Antique shops depend on turnover and can't afford to let their stock collect dust. First, ask the dealer if this is his best price. He will probably make at least a 10% reduction. Then politely make the dealer an offer that you think is fair. If you can't come to terms thank him and leave. In a week or two come back and repeat your offer. When he sees you're interested and the razor's just sitting there he may come off his high price and become more reasonable.

Regards - Walt

I was a bit afraid this would be the answer as all my attempts to ask barbers and antique dealers have been fruitless. One dealer I spoke to had a razor with Denver in the manufactures engraving would not budge on her price. She told me that five years ago they were quite easy to find in the market but they have becoming harder and harder to find hence her unwillingness to come down in price. It was a nice razor and I would have considered but it was nearly identical to a Korn I already own. She could not give me a reason as to why they were disappearing but I would assume it is due to the reemergence of the hobby. Well I guess I will have to stick to e-bay for now, but I hope someday I can stumble upon my own hidden treasure so to speak.