Thread: Prices of early 1800s razors when made

Hi,

I own some usable Sheffield razors dating from roughly 1815-1825.
One of the things that interest me is how much they cost back then
(pounds, shillings and pence). I gleaned little information from the web,
just a statement that a good razor in 1800, one made of tool steel, cost
as much as a standard sword, which is suggestive, but not much help.

My suspicion is that an early serious razor, for example a Greaves, cost
a weeks wages at least for a typical factory worker. Anybody out there
know or have pointers to sources?

THX

Good question. We have adverts from later razors to go by, but going back to those days, it would be interesting to see some.

If you look on strazors.com some of the manufacturers show catalog pages with prices.

Yes, that site does have some catalogue pages, thank you.

Those pages tell us what good razors went for post-1860, since the first mail-order catalogue in
Britain was 1861. In the US the 'Monkey Ward' catalogue started in 1872 and Sears much later.
The Hibbard, Spencer and Bartlett prices for the Wade Butcher razors are 1882 or later
(True Value Hardware goes back to Hibbard et al by the way). The Wostenholm prices are 1885.

Back in 1820 razors still required a great deal of handwork, since the blister steel needed was
made in small batches in crucible ovens. By the 1860s razors were indeed pretty cheap.

Yes, but in respect to cost at the time, all is relative. 20 or 50 years was a really long time in this era of small maker-made compared to factory.
Wish Neil Miller would come along??

Interesting thread. I hope someone has some cool information like old invoices or the like. Some of our members come up with some over the top information. My google fu is not that strong.

Probably about as now. They cost too damn much, but fellows bought all they could!

One of your distant relatives probably had a museum full of them.

Originally Posted by RezDog

One of your distant relatives probably had a museum full of them.

yes,,,,I would like to think so....

Originally Posted by ggfinn

I own some usable Sheffield razors dating from roughly 1815-1825.

Pics! Please!