Thread: Identification and information Robert Smith...

A razor recently came into my possession and I don't seem to be able to find out much on it. It's a 6/8" full wedge and is stamped what looks to be Robert Smith and it seems they were in York. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by Porl

A razor recently came into my possession and I don't seem to be able to find out much on it. It's a 6/8" full wedge and is stamped what looks to be Robert Smith and it seems they were in York. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

How incredibly lucky that he included his address!



Seems to have been in business for a good long time in York, on High Ousegate (which, unlike his name, is extremely searchable). Note, he claims 1838 as his starting date and that ad is in an 1884 Yorkshire Gazette.

Whether he really got started in 1838 or not is anybody's guess, the earliest info I can find on him is this, from 1846:



In the late '60's he had something bad happen to the window in his shop:



Later on he was providing some manner of optical entertainment at fancy tea parties. (Really!)



I would bet money that his razors were made for him in Sheffield, because that is a quintessentially Sheffieldy razor right there. Probably more toward 1880 than 1840.

All hail Voidmonster

You sir are a genius. I tried looking for the address too but did not come up with much at all. Thank you very much indeed.

I shaved with it today and it was superb!

Originally Posted by Porl

All hail Voidmonster

You sir are a genius. I tried looking for the address too but did not come up with much at all. Thank you very much indeed.

I shaved with it today and it was superb!

I agree! I dont know how he does it.

Originally Posted by Porl

All hail Voidmonster

You sir are a genius. I tried looking for the address too but did not come up with much at all. Thank you very much indeed.

I shaved with it today and it was superb!

What I did was to omit his name entirely and search on 'High Ousegate' (as a single term) plus 'cutler'. There was still a lot of chafe to sort, but it was a surprisingly rich vein of what I was looking for.