Thread: Rodgers Ivory Scaled Two Razor Set Age and Legitimacy?

Hi all,

I just joined the Forum and I have a question for all you early SR fans. I recently bought these razors online. They were kind of a "pig in a poke", but I got a good price on them.

They ended up being a nice set of mustache razors with scrimshawed ivory scales. Really nice shape for their age and very fragile looking.

My questions are that I know many Rodgers razors have been forged over the years (or were simply the wrong Rodgers). These have very worn lettering that appear to say Rodgers Warranted, but that's only a guess on my part. The other question is their age. They look to be from 1800-1820, but I saw a similar razor in Phil Krumholz's book that referred to the 1700s.

What do you guys think?

Best regards,

Steve

They certainly lack the refinement of Joseph Rodgers who were appointed cutlers to the court in the early 1820s I think and I do not see their trademark sign star and cross which they claim more than a century before that.

They have been extensively and not very well reground and the straight scales reflect early 1800s period while the thumbnotch on the shank late 1800s. The stamp is not like the Joseph Rodgers stamps of their bid days either. Not sure what you can make out of all this, but to me they have no resemblance of the high quality Joseph Rodgers products.


There are few documents in the library with company marketing you may find interesting e.g. http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...s_and_Sons.pdf

Originally Posted by gugi

They certainly lack the refinement of Joseph Rodgers who were appointed cutlers to the court in the early 1820s I think and I do not see their trademark sign star and cross which they claim more than a century before that.

They have been extensively and not very well reground and the straight scales reflect early 1800s period while the thumbnotch on the shank late 1800s. The stamp is not like the Joseph Rodgers stamps of their bid days either. Not sure what you can make out of all this, but to me they have no resemblance of the high quality Joseph Rodgers products.


There are few documents in the library with company marketing you may find interesting e.g. http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...s_and_Sons.pdf

Thanks for your feedback, Gugi! Great article, too.

Welcome to SRP. I had the same box/set, except with smooth bone, and I don't think they were marked on the scales. Stamped Rodger's Refined Steel. This is years ago, since I sold them. I thought they were early 1800s, particularly if you consider they distinct tang and thumbnotch. Nice set.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Welcome to SRP. I had the same box/set, except with smooth bone, and I don't think they were marked on the scales. Stamped Rodger's Refined Steel. This is years ago, since I sold them. I thought they were early 1800s, particularly if you consider they distinct tang and thumbnotch. Nice set.

Thanks for the welcome, Jimmy! It is a nice little set and the marking could definitely be Refined Steel. I appreciate your input!

Originally Posted by shotgunnersteve

Thanks for the welcome, Jimmy! It is a nice little set and the marking could definitely be Refined Steel. I appreciate your input!

Glad to help, if and when I can. Here is an old thread with a similar razor, maybe from the same outfit. BTW, Joseph Rogers wasn't the only Rogers making razors back then. I have a Rogers Cast Steel, circa 1790, that may have been made by Joe's outfit, or maybe by another Rogers. I was bummed out when I found that out, but it still shaves good whoever made it.

I think you should hone at least one of them and give it a spin.

Oh, I will. They are both sharp enough to take hair off my arm...

Originally Posted by gugi

I think you should hone at least one of them and give it a spin.

Something I just noticed in your photos is the color of the pins, which appear to be copper. I have a Truefitt razor with copper pins and domed washers that puzzled me until ScienceGuy showed me a photo from one of his books showing the same style razor (though with some inlay in the scales and "Old Bond St" versus "New"). I think the pins are highly unusual and would be adverse to drilling them out in order to clean/polish the blades. I would rather try cleaning as best as possible without dismantling the razors.

Good catch on the copper pins! I'll definitely leave them alone and just do a little cleaning. Nice Truefitt you have!

Originally Posted by goldragon

Something I just noticed in your photos is the color of the pins, which appear to be copper. I have a Truefitt razor with copper pins and domed washers that puzzled me until ScienceGuy showed me a photo from one of his books showing the same style razor (though with some inlay in the scales and "Old Bond St" versus "New"). I think the pins are highly unusual and would be adverse to drilling them out in order to clean/polish the blades. I would rather try cleaning as best as possible without dismantling the razors.