Thread: Marsh Razor

Hi all,

I am new to the forum and it looks like you may be able to help me with this razor...i need some help on when it was made and if it was mass produced ect...is it a collectable one?

any info would me please

trekky

at first look ... pre-1890 what does the etching on the tang read... cannot make it out in the picture

The tang reads: MARSH BROTHERS & CO, POND WORKS, SHEFFIELD. Picture of a 'W' on its side with an arrow in middle? a 'y' and a cross like on the blade...

sorry has ENGLAND on back of tang....

Ahh.. the England ... then i have to change my date... most likely made AFTER 1890. although uniceletica lists them as :

MARCH BROS & CO
Pond Works, Sheffield until 1852
Navigation Works, Sheffield ca. 1853 - 1920

collectiblity is subjective... all the marshes that i have had or seen have been very worthwhile shavers. polish it a bit with maas... hone it up and enjoy... look like the new pattern is a hollow ground razor

Not much desire or value then?

I have a number of the non Wade and butcher Sheffield's, they all shave as well and most better than a WB but since many fewer were made or are still in existence they are not widely known or collected...


the real value is in the way the razor shaves some highly sought after blades are not all that great at shaving... butthey sure are pretty

Jim, I thought I'd wait for your post on the matter as you have a lot more experience.
My thought when I saw it was that it's a late 19c regrind and I don't see what would prevent the company that reground it to put the England stamp on the back, just like they engraved the blade.
Can we have a picture of the reverse?
The pictures are bad, but from the way the shank goes it seems to me that it was originally a nice thick wedge.

Originally Posted by gugi

My thought when I saw it was that it's a late 19c regrind... The pictures are bad, but from the way the shank goes it seems to me that it was originally a nice thick wedge.

I doubt that. Doesn't look like it would have been anything but made exactly how it looks now. I know when you think of Marsh Bros. razors you think of older wedges and all, but they were in business until at least 1920 and I'm sure their designs must have evolved to these types of razors. This is just my hypothesis though- I doubt any of us REALLY know besides what we can piece together from bits of history.

Yeah, I don't see anything about that blade that indicates that it was reground!