Anyone able to make a more educated guess than me about a rough time frame for this razor:
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Anyone able to make a more educated guess than me about a rough time frame for this razor:
Bump. Anybody?
Well, consider the source, but according to a letter from "Uncle Phaedrus; consulting detective and finder of lost recipes" :thinking: near the bottom of this page of recipes, the Washington works opened up in 1847, and remained in production until 1991. There is also an interesting tidbit about George Jr. listed as well.
So I suppose your razor can't be older than 161 years old, if you can believe what you read on the internet. :D
I suppose that's about as rough a guess as you can get. Sorry I can't narrow it down any better. :(
I can tell you that it was not likely made after 1891 based on the lack of the country of origin on the tang!
Well, that's twice as much as I knew about it before. That also (if the 1891 bit is true) may very well make this the oldest still-functional thing I've ever owned when it arrives.
I have a Wade & Butcher that was also made before the country-of-origin started showing up on the tang, but I have no clue how to judge how old it is.
Someone asked me a question that forced me to double check my information! It is actually before 1897!
The Washington Works was bought from Oakes, Tompkin & Co. in 1848, when it was given that name. It was demolished in 1971, when George Wostenholm & Son was bought out by Joseph Rodgers & Sons.
The lack of an "ENGLAND" mark probably does indicate pre 1897, as much of G.W.'s production was for export to the USA. Goods made for the home and other export markets were often only marked "SHEFFIELD" even after that date, if their manufacturers had no designs on the US market.
IXL
GEORGE WOSTENHOLM & SON
Rockingham Works ca. 1694 - 1847
Washington Works, Sheffield ca. 1847 - at least 1991
from: http://www.uniclectica.com/misc/manuf.html
The uniclectica link is a great tool as well as the knowledge of the country of origin stamp. Besides that, the design of the blade looks to be of an older style. I'd bet 1865-1875, just a guess.
The Washington Works marks it as between 1848 -1890
I used Goin's Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings for this deduction.
But I'm always wrong so...
hahahaha