Thread: Evidence of Filarmonica Manufactured in Solingen?????

I have a couple of good friends (one African and the other European) who visited Solingen today. I asked them to look for Filarmonica paraphernalia because of the ongoing discussion about the possible Herkenrath connection.

I got a few interesting pictures after their visit. Unfortunately, no 14 Filarmonicas, but there appears to be some legs to the story. Especially with the Palmera pic. Clearly, it's not a Vollmer Palmera, but it's interesting at least that at Herberz would have "Navaja La Palmera" on the blade and a very similar palm logo... Apparently, this isn't news though: AfeitadoClasico • Ver Tema - Relación F.Herder Abrm & Sohn con La Palmera.

As to the scales, I'm not sure I've seen any of those on a razor in the wild, but they were said to be genuine and were found in a Solingen scale maker's shop. By the box. Hundreds of them... I thought you all would at least find it interesting

Very interesting...

The logo and lettering on the scales appears to be a metal inlay, I have seen the harp as a metal inlay but not the actual "Filarmonica" word.

Thanks for sharing!

As my friend said above, very interesting! I was never aware this connection existed. To find some kind of proof of it is really cool.

Or evidence of fake Filarmonicas being produced?

Considering the price they are fetching, why not?

If I were a betting Man I think the betting that all 14s were made in Solingen are very high bookmakers would be prepared to offer extremely good odds against anything that good coming out of Spain, having seen many 14s they are very very similar and many of them even though they bare different names and brands are identical now to me that's more than just a coincidence, my minds made up I say they are German but that's something that I've always thought.

Originally Posted by jaycey

Or evidence of fake Filarmonicas being produced? Considering the price they are fetching, why not?

Let me put it this way, if I were to fake any razor, I would go for a Sahara/Camel Rider. Those would fetch far more interesting prices.

That said, looking at the cardboard boxes, I have not seen that particular make in many years. If I had to wager a guess, I would say 60s to early 70s. Back then, Filarmonica were not considered a brand worth having, for known reasons.

And if Paul's friend is right, having hundreds(!) of these scales would not do the market any good, either. It is saturated already.

So, I think Paul may have a point here. Of course, it does not prove anything. Nothing ever will, because the old order books were trashed some time ago. But hundreds of these scales in Solingen do not make sense unless there was production there, too. In my opinion.

Maybe they are the scales that are used on the 'things' that are still being produced in the Spanish factory to this day? Razor | Scissors And Shears | Hairdressing | Razors - 3 Claveles fabricante de cuchillos, tijeras, alicates, accesorios de cocina y belleza

Trust me, shipping these to Spain from Germany would eat up your entire profit margin, and more. No, I think they are the real deal. Not least because they look as old as their boxes (as I said, I have not seen that type of box for decades).

Originally Posted by RobinK

Let me put it this way, if I were to fake any razor, I would go for a Sahara/Camel Rider. Those would fetch far more interesting prices.

That said, looking at the cardboard boxes, I have not seen that particular make in many years. If I had to wager a guess, I would say 60s to early 70s.

So, on the basis of a poor picture you can deduce that the box is from the 60s or 70s. Tell me Robin, did you ever work with Batman?
And by the way, the last comment about shipping from Germany to Spain seems to contradict your overriding conviction that Filarmonicas were all made in Germany.

Well, Rob, unlike yourself, I grew up in this country. I know a box when I see one. And that box (or, rather, these boxes, except for the yellow lined one) are old.

I regret to inform you that I have never worked with Batman. It may come as a shock to you, but Batman is a comic figure. He is not real. Neither is his sidekick.

And by the way, the last comment was a joke. For which apologies. Further to Birnando's demand that I mark my opinion as my opinion, I shall henceforth mark humour as such. Shipping would not kill you. But production would, even today. <humour>It would be as useless as shipping to the UK. Which is why we simply export our engineers. Ask JLR, they will tell you what the difference is.</humour> In my opinion.