Thread: Rare razors

Indeed, Ed, I would consider, say, a Wade and Butcher to be quite common but the same razor, stamped for a retailer who is quite obscure, would make it more rare to see.

For instance this razor was obviously sold by Harry & Co of Chicago. The maker's mark on the reverse tang shows a maker's mark, yet I have yet to find the maker or anything of Harry & Co.

I do have to think it is quite rare, however?

I have a friend in Germany who tells me that W&B razors are rather rare there. I wonder why?

He also tells me that the German made razors with a 'Spike' tip were made for the American market and not for domestic sales.

So those of us with Spike point tipped German made razors may have some 'rare' ones.

JB Richard
Argyle St.
Glasgow, Scotland

Never seen another. And the blade is in mint condition.

Originally Posted by Arbroath

JB Richard
Argyle St.
Glasgow, Scotland

Never seen another. And the blade is in mint condition.

Is that more likely to be a retailer than manufacturer?

Originally Posted by UKRob

Is that more likely to be a retailer than manufacturer?

Being that it's the only stamp on the tang. As well as only marking on the coffin box, it's possible that it was a short lived small production firm.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

This is just a bit of speculation on my part, but a lot of the razors that came from hardware stores were just stamped with that name by the actual manufacturer therefore having a razor with the name of a retailer or reseller on it (even if it is the only one known to man) would not actually be that rare as it would be identical to all the other razors from that manufacturer just with a different name stamped into it.
If I am wrong I will happily have this post removed.

This is true, and has much more profound importance than you might expect. It's equally true of all the old brands we collect, at least with old Sheffield.

Wade & Butcher didn't make anything. Joseph Rodgers didn't. Almost none of them did.

They paid workmen to put their marks on blades.

But those workmen almost always worked for other companies too, and they'd make good for whoever would pay for them. That means your Tillotson may well have been made by a crew working in James Barlow's factory.

The goods made for hardware stores and merchants were exactly the same. Hiram Gilbert at Gilbert's Mills wasn't paying Joseph Elliot to make razors for him, he was paying a Little Master who sometimes also made razors for Elliot. Maybe in Elliot's workshops, maybe not.

Originally Posted by Arbroath

Being that it's the only stamp on the tang. As well as only marking on the coffin box, it's possible that it was a short lived small production firm.

A quick search of Argyle St comes up with other razors by ironmongers stamped from there.
I have seen many razors stamped Scotland and Ireland, but all seem to be Sheffield-made and stamped for the retailer.
I've yet to see a Scottish maker?

If the razor had a maker's mark in conjunction with the retailer's name it would be nice, but many examples, (American hardware varieties comes to mind) are simply stamped with the retailer's name.

Here, in this thread: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...n-salford.html, is a razor sold by J H Hall of Wigan. Research shows he was an ironmonger there. Another in the same thread came from nearby Salford and is stamped T. Smith. Only the barrel trademarks tell us that they were made by John Petty.
I have also seen other razors with different makers sold by J H Hall as well.
Slippery slope hoping a seller was a maker without some sort of proof, I think.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ibus-unum.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...w-bengall.html

These are 2 thread about the same razor, specifically the one with the Eagle and motto: E Pluribus Unum (From many, one). It was the unofficial motto of the USA for quite a while which explains the eagle too...

The difference is mine is a spike point, the other is a round point. There are subtle differences in the etching too, indicating it was done by hand. As for the ages of the razors I'm not sure... The point raised above about the spike points being exported could explain the difference in the toes, but I'm not sure why anyone in Germany (or anywhere else) would want a USA-centric razor.

Interestingly, the other Peres razor says "Full Hollow Bengall" on the coffin and the blade. Seems like a massive attempt at riding off Cadmans' Bengalls' fame...

Both of the Peres razors (mine) have the Solingen stamp but I get the feeling they may well be older than 1890.

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

This is true, and has much more profound importance than you might expect. It's equally true of all the old brands we collect, at least with old Sheffield.

Wade & Butcher didn't make anything. Joseph Rodgers didn't. Almost none of them did.

They paid workmen to put their marks on blades.

But those workmen almost always worked for other companies too, and they'd make good for whoever would pay for them. That means your Tillotson may well have been made by a crew working in James Barlow's factory.

The goods made for hardware stores and merchants were exactly the same. Hiram Gilbert at Gilbert's Mills wasn't paying Joseph Elliot to make razors for him, he was paying a Little Master who sometimes also made razors for Elliot. Maybe in Elliot's workshops, maybe not.

Point well made Voidmonster! And that is why, while people are chasing way overpriced W&B I have been quietly buying Sheffield smaller makers for $20-30 and enjoying the quality of a well crafted blade. My 2 favorites in my daily rotation are a James Barlow and an A J Jordan that are incredible blades both obtained for under $30. While not pretty and shiny they have a nice patina that I find quite attractive. YMMV.
These razors are far from " rare " but they don't seem to be out there in abundant supply like some other makers and somehow managed to survive 100-150 years without ending up in a garbage dump which says somewhere, someone cared for it enough to keep it around.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Indeed, Ed, I would consider, say, a Wade and Butcher to be quite common but the same razor, stamped for a retailer who is quite obscure, would make it more rare to see.

For instance this razor was obviously sold by Harry & Co of Chicago. The maker's mark on the reverse tang shows a maker's mark, yet I have yet to find the maker or anything of Harry & Co.



I do have to think it is quite rare, however?

Tom, I have seen that triangle mark a few times & it was recently that I saw it again. I'll have to try & find it.