Thread: Cooper C.E.Y.X, before 1830

Just got in the mail yesterday. According to this book,



this is Cooper C.E.Y.X made before 1830. The book gave highest possible price for this razor in this period. Fair condition for 200 yo , and absolutely beautiful handle!

..mm.. I remember this auction (about 10 days ago?): I decided to bid low since it was a regrind, but now it looks really nice! Congrats! What could you find about this manufacturer?

WOW,that's a beauty.Thanks for posting it.I'm going back and looking at it again......

I saw this auction too, but didn't bid since it was reground. But the handle is really nice.
About manufacturer nothing, only that it was before 1830.

Well, I am still not 100% sure that this is regrind, however it is possible. Have anybody seen this manufacturer before? Yea, I am doubt too..

Could you grade the grind with the Henckels' chart?

I found 85 different Cooper working in cutlery between XVIII and XIX century. Here a selection of good candidates:

1. John, son of Samuel (farmer), Upperthorpe; apprentice to Jonathan Hall (razor maker) for 8 years from 1797; thus allowed to sign a razor not earlier than 1805;
2. John, son of Samuel (tanner), Philadelphia; apprentice to Xtopher Elliot (razor maker), Stannington, for 7 years from 1800; thus allowed to sign a razor not earlier than 1807;
3. John, son of John (grinder), Heeley; apprentice to Charles Milnes (razor maker) for 7 years from 1807; thus allowed to sign a razor not earlier than 1814;
4. Thomas, son of William (labourer), Whittington; apprentice to George Bishop (razor maker) for 7 1/2 years from 1804; thus allowed to sign a razor not earlier than 1811.

Also, for a reference compare your razor to my #49 (blade and scales) and #164 (blade marked GR, so in the 1820-1830 period). Usually razors of this period have a grind in the I-III range on the Henckels' chart.

That must have been a remarkable beauty, a couple hundred years ago, when it was new.
As it is now, the handle still makes me week at the knees. Awesome craftmanship!

Thanks,

Mac

For some reason I had some trouble to make this picture, believe it or not.. Here we go.



BTW, on your site, is No 74 regrind?

From your pic, I'd say at least VI on the Henckels' scale. That's 100% a regrind, but this does mean nothing: there are wonderful reground blades!! And yours is one.
I guess my #74 isn't a regrind: it's a quite late blade (second half of XIX c.). This is the story of my #74: I bought this razor to use its scales on a nice and older blade (now with plastic scales), but I'm not brave enough to destroy a razor 125 years old. I need a buyer.

That's funny, I also rated it No VI but desided to leave it for you to deside