T.F. Bastet

Coutelier Du Roi
I have seen 3 of these razors now, one in my hands, one on this site (http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...azors-age.html) and one on a Dutch forum. The three had different scales and I am trying to determine what the original scales were and to determine the approximate age of the razor.
I have given the blade a quick clean up so I could shave with it before spending any more time or money on it. I like the racy look of the razor a lot. It is honed and ready to go...but I never shave two days in a row so that part will have to wait.The scales appear to be plastic and the wedge is white. Thanks for tuning in.


http://http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...pswiztejoq.jpg

The general shape of it reminds me a lot of the Antalope. I am willing to bet that the next shave will be great! Nice acquisition.

That's a nice razor. I like the shoulder-less design and the french tip.


Mike

I have a T.F. Bastet somewhere. A more boring grind (round point, single shoulder stabiliser). Its scales are original and in dark horn (unfortunately in bad shape). I also have a J.A.F. Best (a Dutch retailer) with a very similar geometry, which again is very similar to a Friedrich Herder model (No. 25), also a 7/8 shoulderless grind with a sculpted nose. Those pop up relatively regularly in the Netherlands, it seems to be a model made for the Dutch market.

Doesn't get much prettier than a shoulder less French point imho.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RezDog

The general shape of it reminds me a lot of the Antalope. I am willing to bet that the next shave will be great! Nice acquisition.

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Shaun,
Because of your post, I had to break my rule about shaving every few days (because I can)! I was wondering about the French point, how maneuverable it would be as it is my first shave with one. You were right, a great shave and super maneuverable (around a complex mustache). Man, the fun of spiffing up a risky razor, honing it, and the first shave...sweet!
Now if I can just nail down the date...

Picked up a NOS F.D. Bastet a year or so ago, guess the company was handed to the son or another family member. Probably one of the last off the production line. Nice razor and shaves a treat, is in rotation.

Those scales may well be original, Bill.
IMO, they would look lovely as-restored and are likely be Bakelite, or hard-rubber, or variant. So slick and black can be had, I think.
Don't underestimate what you have. For whatever scales, a very nice razor.

It would seem Bastet was a seller in Amsterdam. I have to think this example is Solingen-made.
As has been said, it looks of a Griffon Antelope, perhaps Herder as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Those scales may well be original, Bill.
IMO, they would look lovely as-restored and are likely be Bakelite, or hard-rubber, or variant. So slick and black can be had, I think.
Don't underestimate what you have. For whatever scales, a very nice razor.

It would seem Bastet was a seller in Amsterdam. I have to think this example is Solingen-made.
As has been said, it looks of a Griffon Antelope, perhaps Herder as well.

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My sentiments exactly. I forgot to mention the scales, all razors of this type (likely German made) have been in plain black plastic scales.

Anyway. T.F. (Thomas François) Bastet was a instrument maker (I am pretty sure I read he made surgical instruments, not musical) born in 1828, who lived on the Kalverstraat (legendary shopping street in Amsterdam). By all logic, his son C.J. (Charles Jerôme) Bastet, born 1860, took over his father's business. Coutelier du Roi is French for Cutler to the Crown; from the Kalverstraat to the royal palace in Amsterdam (one of the many royal palaces, of course) is about 200 meters.

Archive image

Some useful information in this thread, although not all of it seems to be correct. For instance, I posted back then that "Bastet was a Dutch manufacturer of high quality cutlery and surgical supplies since 1684", but now I have no idea where I found that date - it seems very early. Although here it is mentioned that Bastet was purveyor to the crown during the reign of William III. However, it does not specify which William III. There was William III of England (Willem III van Oranje), who reigned 1689-1702 and then there was William III of The Netherlands (Willem III Der Nederlanden), who reigned 1849-1890. The latter seems to fit better though, as the 19th century razors carry the Coutelier du Roi marking.

One more correction/confirmation: I am pretty sure that D. (Daniel) Bastet (brought into the discussion by the late Neil Miller), referenced in 1824/25 to be a manufacturer of surgical instruments (and razors) was T.F. Bastet's father, as D. Bastet's operation was in The Hague, T.F. Bastet's birthplace. Who later, in turn, became a manufacturer of surgical instruments; it seems only logical he took over his father's (D. Bastet's) business.

So I think stub-tailed razors marked "Bastet" are likely made by D. Bastet in The Hague somewhere during the first half of the 19th century. Razors marked "T.F. Bastet" then would be made/commisioned by T.F. and C.J. Bastet. Charles Jerôme did not change the name, as "T.F. Bastet" was a well-established firm, and purveyor to the crown. They undoubtedly cooperated with one or more Sheffield razor manufacturers judging by the marking on my T.F. Bastet razor's box: "The Dutch-English Improved Razor" and the markings on WW243's Bastet: "Sheffield&Amsterdam". Although I do not see why they would not have made razors themselves, as all of them (Daniel, Thomas François and Charles Jerôme) were listed as manufacturers and retailers of cutlery and surgical instruments.

Pithor and Tom thanks again for the information. I found a very similar set of scales on the Strazor site on a Jacques LeCoultre frameback. It had the same discolored wedge (which is now white on the Bastet). Another fact about the scales: the razor centers perfectly in them. So the scales stay!
Logically, it doesn't make much sense for a razor marked Cutlers To The King would be be made in another country. That would be like American flags made in China.
Well, I guess the European royalty freely crossed borders and made hybrids...