Thread: Asian writing on Sheffield razor

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Not a very complimentary saying in english on that razor.

In 1870 American author Brete Harte, better known for The Outcasts of Poker Flat, and The Luck Of Roaring Camp, wrote and published the poem, The Heathen Chinee. The razor was undoubtedly capitalizing on Harte's popularity at that time.

http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/roughi.../chiharte.html

Originally Posted by Kmcmichael

I have read that this was a marketing ploy for Chinese immigrants and it is not Chinese. Any insight on this? It is a Hawcroft and Pearsons. I understand they went out of business in 1840. Although Chinese weren't San Francisco at that time they did not immigrate in substantial numbers until 1849.

First character is 東 and the last one is 行. Sorry, I can't read the second character. 東 is a Chinese surname, and Chinese names tend to be either 2 or 3 characters, so it may well be a name.