Thread: New at this, need a little help

Can anyone offer any info on the attached razor? I'm new at this and can't find a consistent answer to what I have. I've found a few anchor stamps but they have been different to this one. The rope or strop is either missing or different. Any info would be appreciated..

thanks, Mitch

If I remember correctly, the anchor indicated a particular type of steel and made in Birmingham. Check with member Voidmonster, these old English razors seem to be one of his areas of expertise.

Thank you, I will reach out to him..

I'm sorry it's taken me a little while to get back to this. I've been away on vacation and didn't have regular time in front of the computer.

The Birmingham affiliation for the anchor mark is purely for sterling silver and doesn't have the same association on base metals.

That particular anchor is a fouled anchor, which has been use for a good long time and is usually associated with the Navy.

What did it mean on a razor, and who made razors with that mark?

Unknown. My quasi-educated guess is that these were sold as 'Navy Razors'. A generic term, probably made by a variety of manufacturers. The old Sheffield work system meant that the factories and workshops of all the 'name brands' also produced large numbers of cutlery stamped with the names of other companies (even competitors!), people or even just marketable slogans.

A fouled anchor would fall into the category of a marketable slogan in this case.

There might possibly be a more identifying mark on the top of the spine, etched in, but usually not.

The scales were also part of its marketability. There were a couple of prominent Sheffield families who specialized in scale production and they also made that variety of ornately pressed scales. Many of them have the scale-maker's name cleverly hidden in the borders of the design. V.W., was the mark of one of the Woofindin clan (probably Verdon), Wilson scales were made by Samuel and William Wilson, John and Thomas Morton made scales with a flowery 'Morton' mark, and 'Broadwell' remains mysterious. Since these scales were made with a metal mold, they were also copied and reused by others, but never with the maker's name copied as far as I can tell. There were, I'm certain, other manufacturers of these scales, but those are the names I've encountered.

The date range for all of these elements places it from about 1815 to about 1830, with it being more likely earlier than later.

I hope that helps!

Welcome to SRP Mitch. You know if that razor was made shave ready you could undoubtedly get a DFS (damned fine shave) out of it.

Andrew ........ don't salivate on the keyboard when you see that razor ! ...........

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Welcome to SRP Mitch. You know if that razor was made shave ready you could undoubtedly get a DFS (damned fine shave) out of it.

Andrew ........ don't salivate on the keyboard when you see that razor ! ...........

Thanks JimmyHAD - have one of those downstairs...while the general agreement is that this Anchor stamp is made by, "Goodlad", I have one with that Anchor stamp made by, "I.Barber"...is there a name stamped on the tang of your blade?

Here's the pic of the I.Barber Anchor I have:

Thank you very much.. I will check the scales for markings, I remember something being at the bottom of the front side. The blade is clean enough to see any markings and none appear. I've seen razors with the same anchor but none with the rope on it, is there a relation between the 2? I've also seen some with the rope but a lot longer one, that goes past the anchor it'self. I've collected knives for a long time, this razor thing is fascinating. would you consider this razor valuable?

Originally Posted by Mitchp

Thank you very much.. I will check the scales for markings, I remember something being at the bottom of the front side. The blade is clean enough to see any markings and none appear. I've seen razors with the same anchor but none with the rope on it, is there a relation between the 2? I've also seen some with the rope but a lot longer one, that goes past the anchor it'self. I've collected knives for a long time, this razor thing is fascinating. would you consider this razor valuable?

Most likely, on the front scale it has something like "Justice" or "Liberty" to identify the figure in the cartouche. The scale-pressers marks are usually very small -- like get out your magnifying glass small -- and hidden in detail. Sometimes not, though. And like I said, some aren't signed.

Unfortunately, what the differences in anchors mean is unknown to me. Many people think that an anchor mark was George Brittain's mark, but that isn't true. It was a generic symbol used by multiple manufacturers.

We don't do valuations here because it's too subjective. Basically, it's worth is what someone will pay you for it. I know that sounds like an evasion, but it's actually the only answer that matters. People that assign a number value to an antique are people who are trying to sell antiques.