Thread: Paging John Barber Please!

I just found out that an old razor kicking around in one of my mugs, marked only I. Barber, was actually made by John Barber. Any guesses on the age of this grubby old horn scaled warhorse? I know there some much nicer ones out there, please share them, thanks!

Same jimps on my #42 and #92 (similar scales too), maybe both about 1820-1830. Same mark on my #53 (up to now I wasn't able to understand a precise period for this one! I'd say '30s, but necessarily before 1834).

About 1830-34?

Thanks Clavichord. I was thinking the same thing, based on the tang length. The date range for I. Barber marked razors was 1810-1834. Mine must have been one of the later ones, before the markings became John Barber and John Barber & Sons after 1834.

Mind if I hijack your thread? We could probably move it to the razor clubs. SRP needs a John Barber club...

behold another I. Barber, also with tang jimps above and below:

How did you discover that your I. Barber was actually made by John Barber?

I found an Isaac Barber razor manufacturer who was making razors on his own prior to going into business with a James Barber in the mid 1850s

You are right. Isaac Barber was in business with James Barber (1894 - 1944). But according books only John Barber (1810 - 1834) marked his razors I.Barber.
And the blade form corresponds to period of John Barber.

Hmm...

I'm not convinced yet. How did Isaac mark his razors? With a J. ?

The dates and ages in the census and the directories are not really giving me anything concrete, but it looks like the same Isaac of I & J was making his own razors as early as 1833

The I Barber I've posted looks to me to be later than the early 1810s style razors of John Barber. So now I'm wondering if John used I. Barber without a trademark, why would he do that after he became well known?

more mystery

The history have a lot mysteries.
From "History of Yorkshire", Jan.1822.



From "Post office directory of Sheffield", 1854.

The I Barber I've posted looks to me to be later than the early 1810s style razors of John Barber.

But enough for 1834.
As I saw, usually John Barber marked his razors with his name and Masonic symbol.

And now, in the Bill Schroeder book I have found one more I.Barber, he used logo "L D Englis". And comments "Very old very crude".

Thanks for your posts and photos, gentlemen. I now feel that I.Barber may not be John Barber, even though Goin's says that he is. I just found a reference and photo in part 1 of Lummus' "Old Sheffield Razors" which shows a photo of an ivory scaled John Barber razor with similar, though not identical blade profile to the ones we posted. The inscription reads:
L. Date 1828. Maker, John Barber, Sheffield, 1810-1834. Trademark, square and compasses. Inscription, "John Barber Silver Steel." Handle, ivory. I was not able to post the photo. Perhaps Clavichord (Federico, are you listening?) could post it for me. It is on page 6 of the first Lummus article. I am inclined to trust Henry Lummus on this, as he was as close to an expert on Sheffield razors as anyone ever was.