Thread: Razor ID Help

Hi
here are the pics, this is doing my head in because ive done some research and spoke to a few people who have said this is a Razor made for the Earl or Royal family who resided in the Palace in Brighton England. Any clue what the handle is made of? Period of production? etc. It seems like Ivory?

a few more pics
thanks for any help

The scales look like ivory to me. Genuine ivory that is. I don't know about what era it would have come out of. Late nineteenth to early twentieth century is my guess.

Are there any further clues? Such as a tale of how you came to acquire it? If you found it packed away in your attic perhaps sommem of the itmes with it could shed light on the history. If you found it at a shoppe the dealer might be able to fill in some details. If the story you are told holds, it would date to before 1850 when the palace in Brighton became property of the city. You would be lucky to have George 4's razor from the 1780's/90's but it could be possible. It is pretty.

I have no clue about the razor, but it sure is nice. Too bad about the split at the pin, but that just adds to the patina.

Neat how the shank is done in ivory. My guess is that if it was made for one of the royals, it was genuine ivory.

In Fact my in-laws are FROM Brighton, and the Razor was found/collected by my wife's grandfather who lived in Brighton and was a Public Official for his entire career. He was in his late 80's when he died last year, and trust me when i say he was a true British Gentleman. Many straight razors he shaved with until his death, refused to use a camera that wasn't a Leica manual. WWII Vet European Theatre of Operation. He was not some rich guy, but he was a man who believed if its not quality don't buy it or own it. He was a REAL class act.

I love to research razors, but this one has me stumped! I have exhausted all my books and done every search I could think of. What I do know from the pictures is that the scales are ivory, the tang is almost certainly covered with ivory, and that it was manufactured after 1850. It is hollow ground and does not look to have been reground at a later date than manufactured. Based on its' appearance, I think that it was sold in a very upscale Old Brighton store during the Victorian era. Old Brighton was very much an international tourist destination in those days. I could find no references to any merchant matching the tang engravings, though. It is a really pretty razor-congratulations and I hope that you can find out more about the history.

Originally Posted by Croaker

I love to research razors, but this one has me stumped! I have exhausted all my books and done every search I could think of. What I do know from the pictures is that the scales are ivory, the tang is almost certainly covered with ivory, and that it was manufactured after 1850. It is hollow ground and does not look to have been reground at a later date than manufactured. Based on its' appearance, I think that it was sold in a very upscale Old Brighton store during the Victorian era. Old Brighton was very much an international tourist destination in those days. I could find no references to any merchant matching the tang engravings, though. It is a really pretty razor-congratulations and I hope that you can find out more about the history.

Wow! THANKS SO MUCH for looking in to it! I am going to try and contact the local curator of the museum for Brighton Hove and see if they can help. It seems to be of real interest. In a few days time if all the regulars on SRP can't ID this that's really amazing because after reading the forums for a few hours I am stunned at the sheer amount of knowledge and interest held here about Straight Razors, manufacturers, and the art of shaving!
Really, thanks so much again for your interest and time.

Originally Posted by Croaker

I love to research razors, but this one has me stumped! I have exhausted all my books and done every search I could think of. What I do know from the pictures is that the scales are ivory, the tang is almost certainly covered with ivory, and that it was manufactured after 1850. It is hollow ground and does not look to have been reground at a later date than manufactured. Based on its' appearance, I think that it was sold in a very upscale Old Brighton store during the Victorian era. Old Brighton was very much an international tourist destination in those days. I could find no references to any merchant matching the tang engravings, though. It is a really pretty razor-congratulations and I hope that you can find out more about the history.

Do your books tell you any thing about my razors?

The blade was slightly dull and I was afraid the square blade would slice into my face too much when I first started so I haven't used it. The name engraved on the shank is Christ. Hecker, Cincinnati and I'm pretty sure the scales are bone. They are thin in the middle and have open pours/grain around the pins that are stained from either polishing compound mixed with corrosion or from slurry from honing at some point.

The last photo shows both of my two razors. The daily shaver is marked "NABOB". It is the one with the bolsters. I believe the scales are French Ivory because they feel kind of like plastic and have a striation running through the length of the scales. The striations run parallel to each other.


I bought both at a local antique shop and the clerk didn't know any thing about either.

I didn't mean to hi-jack this thread, but I have looked in the Wiki but couldn't find either name. I would have sent a PM, but I don't know how (if even possible) to add photos to PM's. Any information would be appreciated.

Sorry, all I could find was a reference to a Christian Hecker straight razor in the Standard Guide to Razors. No further information anywhere else. What does the other side of the tang say? I could find no reference to a Nabob razor either, sorry. Again, does the opposite tang have any markings? Wish I could be of more help. Maybe some else knows about these razors. The Hecker is definitely bone, and the Nabob is celluloid. Both blades look good and could be honed to shave readiness. Check the Restoration forum for information on how to clean them up properly.

Originally Posted by MinniesMate

Do your books tell you any thing about my razors?

The blade was slightly dull and I was afraid the square blade would slice into my face too much when I first started so I haven't used it. The name engraved on the shank is Christ. Hecker, Cincinnati and I'm pretty sure the scales are bone. They are thin in the middle and have open pours/grain around the pins that are stained from either polishing compound mixed with corrosion or from slurry from honing at some point.

The last photo shows both of my two razors. The daily shaver is marked "NABOB". It is the one with the bolsters. I believe the scales are French Ivory because they feel kind of like plastic and have a striation running through the length of the scales. The striations run parallel to each other.


I bought both at a local antique shop and the clerk didn't know any thing about either.

I didn't mean to hi-jack this thread, but I have looked in the Wiki but couldn't find either name. I would have sent a PM, but I don't know how (if even possible) to add photos to PM's. Any information would be appreciated.