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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.
In general many razor makers made razors with chinese writing. Most were meant for sale in those countries.
Wade & Butcher put out a similar razor called the Chinese razor. Strazors.com.
Not sure if that 'kanji' is just bogus, or if it actually means anything. Here is one of mine that is a bogus marketing ploys ;
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It's not Chinese or other language, it's Asian symbols. Possibly, without any meaning.
http://www.strazors.com/uploads/ForS...wb_ch_ad_1.jpg
http://www.strazors.com/uploads/ForS...15/wb_ch_5.jpg
http://www.strazors.com/uploads/ForS...015/rodg_5.jpg
thebigspendur is right about what he said. I have a Joseph Elliot Chinese that was restored by Maximillian, a W&B Chinese & another one that has Chinese writing on it but no maker but it definitely has the Sheffield style to it. The writing on all three I believe is the same wording. The one the OP shows has different wording or a different language.
Strazors has good info too!
Not a very complimentary saying in english on that razor.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
I have a new employee that speaks Mandarin. He stated that it seems to be a fancy style and believes it is a name. It could be Japanese. He thinks it is the person that made it. I do not think that type of razor was ever made in e East.
I did shave with it this morning. It was comfortable but not as sharp as my other razors. I like wedges but sharpening a smiling blade is new to me.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmcmichael
Lucky find, there! Since yes indeed Hawcroft & Pearsons was out of the business well before the gold rush. So no, it was categorically not anything to do with American Chinese immigrants.
Most likely, if the characters match up to any existing Hanzi, they aren't very close to meaningful. This blog collects lots of modern uses as tattoos, but the phenomenon is quite old.
Throughout much of the 19th century Chinese imports were prestige items. The upshot being that making fake Chinese goods or Chinese-inspired goods was a successful marketing tactic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by engine46
Let's see pics Engine46....
Here's mine:
Attachment 217684
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Oh great, Mike! NOW nobody will dare to show theirs! :roflmao
Did you sharpen that tail?
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/roughi.../chiharte.html
Hey Tom...no that is all original. In fact Karlej has one just like it.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
Looks like you could clean under fingernails with that! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Wolfpack34
Baaack to Chinese razors! ..............Think I have one?
It seems that there are two types of Chinese inscriptions on Sheffield razors: Spurious Chinese and Cheesy Chinese. Here is a link with an in depth discussion: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...e-razor-3.html
A heavy 7/8+ wedge with no makers mark but I believe it's a Sheffield.
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Sorry Wolfpack, I somehow posted on another thread but I know why. The wording is the same on two of them but a third one is different wording so I was wrong about that statement. Here they are:
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You can see the one Max did in the SOTD here:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/shave...ml#post1555159
And here after he restored it:
Vintage Straight Razors : Joseph Elliot : 'Chinese Razor' : 6/8 : Near Wedge : Gray Translucent Horn
The wording on the one Max did & the one w/o the makers mark have the same wording but the W&B is different.
Those are beauties Engine 46! Thanks for posting them up...
Hey Wolfpack. Here is another with a sharp tang. More pictures and a brief description under the show and tell forum.
Attachment 218559
That's a real beauty Karl...love the 'nose' on that one. Is that a 'Colley'?Quote:
Originally Posted by karlej
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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.
