Thread: Asian writing on Sheffield razor

Originally Posted by karlej

Hey Wolfpack. Here is another with a sharp tang. More pictures and a brief description under the show and tell forum.

That's a real beauty Karl...love the 'nose' on that one. Is that a 'Colley'?

Mine has the sharp nose also.

I mentioned this in another thread somewhere I think. I read something once that said that English manufacturers of things, especially in the 19th C, would often see asian characters on crates and whatnot off ships importing goods into the UK.

They'd then copy, as best they could from hastily scribbled notes or sending the often illiterate junior "boy" back to the wharf, the characters onto their goods to give them an asian flavour, as Asia (particularly China and Japan) was a bit of a fashion back then and it helped with sales.

So it is entirely possible those characters are someone's name. Maybe the importer, found on the invoice for something. Other characters may be "This Side Up" or "Handle With Care" or "Fragile, Do not Drop" or "Heavy. Lift with Knees" off the side of a packing crate.

James.