Thread: Asian writing on Sheffield razor

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 ;

It's not Chinese or other language, it's Asian symbols. Possibly, without any meaning.

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!

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

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 ;

Not a very complimentary saying in english on that razor.

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.

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.

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.