Thread: Can you id this Wade & Butcher

I see Karl and Phrank have you covered on what the phrase is! Here's a little background on its use.

The earliest verifiable date I can find is from August 9th, 1810, in an ad that ran in the American Citizen newspaper from NYC.



Next we have a 'Magnum Bonum' etched razor and strop case illustrated in Smith's Key (1816)




In practice, these looked a little different, with the etching on top of the spine. From the examples I've seen, it looks like these early 'Magnum Bonum' razors were made from blank patterns purchased from a common source (with some variations).

By the mid 1820's, the etching was on the blade face and there wasn't any particular style associated with the slogan.

Yours dates to between 1830ish and 1850ish, with the middle being most likely.

Enjoy!

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

I see Karl and Phrank have you covered on what the phrase is! Here's a little background on its use.

The earliest verifiable date I can find is from August 9th, 1810, in an ad that ran in the American Citizen newspaper from NYC.



Next we have a 'Magnum Bonum' etched razor and strop case illustrated in Smith's Key (1816)




In practice, these looked a little different, with the etching on top of the spine. From the examples I've seen, it looks like these early 'Magnum Bonum' razors were made from blank patterns purchased from a common source (with some variations).

By the mid 1820's, the etching was on the blade face and there wasn't any particular style associated with the slogan.

Yours dates to between 1830ish and 1850ish, with the middle being most likely.

Enjoy!

Was waiting for you Zak!!! I couldn't exactly remember the period, so they're earlier in fact.

What's with the acid wash (if I have that correct) versus what looks like the stamped etchings?

Can barely see the MB on mine as well, have another two, that unless you tilt it at just the right angle, you wouldn't even be able to tell that the blade face had an etching on it?

Here is my Magnum Bonum - based on the earlier version of the Robert Wade mark (right?) this should date to perhaps 1820 give or take a few years.



-Mickey

Originally Posted by cwomg

Here is my Magnum Bonum - based on the earlier version of the Robert Wade mark (right?) this should date to perhaps 1820 give or take a few years.



-Mickey

That's gorgeous, trade you mine for that one.....LOL.

That one might even be 1790-1810? The scales on that are original aren't they? Spectacular.....

Originally Posted by Phrank

Was waiting for you Zak!!! I couldn't exactly remember the period, so they're earlier in fact.

What's with the acid wash (if I have that correct) versus what looks like the stamped etchings?

Can barely see the MB on mine as well, have another two, that unless you tilt it at just the right angle, you wouldn't even be able to tell that the blade face had an etching on it?

They're both etches. The difference is probably the chemistry of the etchant, or possibly how long the etching process went on. It's possible that it's a difference between chemical end electrical etching. Electrical etching was used as early as 1850! It could also be that it's simply because it's buffed. The darkening or hazing of an etch is dependent on microscopic pits in the metal. Dark etches have some oxidation product bonded more or less tenaciously to the metal, hazed etches are just the holes in otherwise clean metal. There are loads of different ways it was done with varying results.

Originally Posted by Phrank

That's gorgeous, trade you mine for that one.....LOL.

That one might even be 1790-1810? The scales on that are original aren't they? Spectacular.....

Robert Wade was in business from about 1816 until 1825, when he died. Though his wife Jane did continue making razors with his name (and, remarkably, her own!) until her death in 1829. As near as I can tell, the razors marked just 'WADE' are from earlier.

Interestingly, Mickey's Robert Wade "Magnum Bonum" is in the same scales as my Barlow (it has the etch on top of the spine):

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

They're both etches. The difference is probably the chemistry of the etchant, or possibly how long the etching process went on. It's possible that it's a difference between chemical end electrical etching. Electrical etching was used as early as 1850! It could also be that it's simply because it's buffed. The darkening or hazing of an etch is dependent on microscopic pits in the metal. Dark etches have some oxidation product bonded more or less tenaciously to the metal, hazed etches are just the holes in otherwise clean metal. There are loads of different ways it was done with varying results.



Robert Wade was in business from about 1816 until 1825, when he died. Though his wife Jane did continue making razors with his name (and, remarkably, her own!) until her death in 1829. As near as I can tell, the razors marked just 'WADE' are from earlier.

Interestingly, Mickey's Robert Wade "Magnum Bonum" is in the same scales as my Barlow (it has the etch on top of the spine):

<pic snip>

You've convinced me Zak - I'll take both then for my W&B Magnum Bonum, restored by Glen (GSSIXGUN)....everybody wins, right? :-)

Surprisingly, I only have 4 Magnum Bonum razors. Less surprisingly, only one of them is from the 1820's (the Crawshaw with the blade-face etch).

Originally Posted by Phrank

That's gorgeous, trade you mine for that one.....LOL.

That one might even be 1790-1810? The scales on that are original aren't they? Spectacular.....

Pretty sure the scales are the originals...interestingly they are cracked almost exactly the same as Zak's Barlow.

Originally Posted by cwomg

Pretty sure the scales are the originals...interestingly they are cracked almost exactly the same as Zak's Barlow.

The vast majority of the super-deluxe-extra-beef razors I've seen have that exact same crack. It's just due to the weight of the blade. It doesn't take a lot of pressure on it while it's closed to make the scales crack there, regardless of what they're made of. Well, metal scales probably wouldn't do that so readily. But a huge razor in metal scales would need to come with a sling and a hoist for your arm.