Thread: Razor ID help...

I snagged this old boy today and was wondering if anyone knows who the maker is. Methinks it's a Sheffield from before 1820 but that's all I could gather:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...obalID=EBAY-US

I was bidding also. Congrats. It is probably late 1700's or early 1800's. You can probably clean and soak the scales and fix the crack with super glue. Looking for pictures of restore.

A few makers used the term "Old English" on the side of the spine. One was Packwood. I'd guess that this was made by a smaller Sheffield maker that thought "Old English" has more marketing clout than his brand.

I have a very similar one marked "Old English" on a similarly shaped razor, but my tang is marked John Bingham

Originally Posted by bouschie

I was bidding also. Congrats. It is probably late 1700's or early 1800's. You can probably clean and soak the scales and fix the crack with super glue. Looking for pictures of restore.

Thanks. Only my second of this approximate vintage and I am very excited about it. Hopefully the scales are repairable and will clean and Polish up well. Will post pics once done.

Originally Posted by johnmrson

A few makers used the term "Old English" on the side of the spine. One was Packwood. I'd guess that this was made by a smaller Sheffield maker that thought "Old English" has more marketing clout than his brand.

Maybe John Barber?? Saw a couple of pics of others that looked close.

Originally Posted by furious

Maybe John Barber?? Saw a couple of pics of others that looked close.

I wouldn't think so. As far as I know, John Barber marked all his razors with is distinctive stamp.

The 'Old English' stamp was John Barber's trademark. He went into business in the first few years of the 1820's and by 1830 or so was litigating against people copying his goods.

Who made it? There's no way to know anymore. It might well have been made in Barber's factory and sold as a generic good. All the same, a neat piece of history and likely to be a good shaver.

That's one of the great things about old Sheffield. Even the fakes are great!

Well, been looking for a real John Barber since last summer and I snagged this one tonight:
http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/201444022100

Spent a little more than I wanted to but I'm planning on a nice honey horn rescale anyway...