Thread: First razor pictures and questions

Hello everybody!

I have just recently acquired my first straight razor, from a friend who has many very old ones, and was wondering if anybody can give me any info on it. The shank is stamped FRIEDR. HERDER ABR. SOHN on one side, with a spade and crossed keys on either side of it, SOLINGEN - GERMANY below it, and 257 on the side. On the other side, it is stamped F. HERDER with a spade and a strange trident looking thingy. I have attempted to attach a few pictures of it with this post. I was wondering if anybody knows who Friedrich (I assume) Herder is, and what kind of quality the razor is? The blade seems very superbly hardened to me, but I have limited experience with knives only, none with razors. If anybody has any inclination of its age, quality of razor, what 257 means (serial # perhaps?), or what that strange stamp is, I would appreciate any and all info that I can get.

Thank you,
-Galen