Thread: Rare Razor prices

There is a segment of the straight razor community that collects decorated scales and they have been around for the 30 or so years I was active on and off in razor collection. Years ago when I determined that I wasn't going to shave with straights I limited my collecting to late eighteenth century and early nineteenth stuff. Also large W&Bs. I would buy them and put them in a drawer. Keep an eye on pressed horn oldies and you will be surprised at what they bring at auction.

I had one friend, a barber, who collected fancy scaled razors and had no interest in any others. He has passed away some years ago and when he barbered he would use a shavette to trim around the ears and the back of the neck. No face shaving. Anyhow, there is a new book out on collecting fancy scales by the author of the 1980 classic "Collecting Straight Razors", Robert Doyle. It is called ,"Celluloid Handle Guide For Straight Razor Collectors". It is filled with beautiful photos of scales but doesn't show the blades at all! Illustrates the point I think.

EDIT; The funny part of it is that in '06 I decided to ebay all of the razors I had accumulated and did. I would ask a friend who has a good eye for such things to evaluate my ebay presentations. In doing so he became interested in shaving with straights and found the various shaving forums. I told him not to waste his time and money but he wouldn't listen to me.

He got into it and shortly thereafter so did I. The rest as they say is history.