Thread: Ebay Masonic?

Originally Posted by gugi

there are a bunch of styles of john barbers, i suppose they may even be indicative of the time, or may be they just made them different.
i'm pretty sure that's not the original grind and i don't see any indication that it ever had tapered spine.

I am not sure the stamp was meant to be masonic either.

Gugi....Just curious on what you mean by "don't see any indication that it ever had tapered spine"

Originally Posted by FarNorthAK

I bought this on ebay a week ago...hasn't arrived yet, but I haven't been able to find anything on it. Can anyone tell me something about it? The seller said it is marked OHN. Could this be short for JOHN? I'll be able to see more when I get it...ideas?

Your blade stamp certainly indicates a particular level/rank in Freemasonry but I question it's authenticity as a Masonic symbol as the square shown is greater than a 90 degree angle. Freemasons are a little picky about stuff like that and I don't think it would have been acceptable to them. I can go into this further with you if you wish to have more information but don't want to give away any secrets.

Originally Posted by webgemcanada

Your blade stamp certainly indicates a particular level/rank in Freemasonry but I question it's authenticity as a Masonic symbol as the square shown is greater than a 90 degree angle. Freemasons are a little picky about stuff like that and I don't think it would have been acceptable to them. I can go into this further with you if you wish to have more information but don't want to give away any secrets.

I think the way the square & compass has been struck on the blade is more down to crudeness in the die rather than an intention to indicate any particular degree. Although I think maybe that I can see what you are getting at. As for Freemasons being picky, I can think of one that wouldn't mind owning it.

Originally Posted by welshwizard

I think the way the square & compass has been struck on the blade is more down to crudeness in the die rather than an intention to indicate any particular degree. Although I think maybe that I can see what you are getting at. As for Freemasons being picky, I can think of one that wouldn't mind owning it.

There is no mistaking what the symbology represents. One arm of the compasses is above the square and one is below. I don't think that was an accident or poor striking. Does anyone else have a Masonic razor so we can compare marks?

I wouldn't mind getting that one either.

I think it's just a nineteenth century brand name, although it's a fair bet that John Barber, whose brand it was, was a Freemason. Many factory owners would have been during that period. In terms of the symbolism of the Square & Compass die, which admittedly, appears to be different on the two razors in the pictures, why produce a razor commemorating a degree that one would pass through fairly quickly?