Thread: Frederick's Celebrated Sheffield

Hello everyone. I have a razor marked on the tang:

FREDERICK's
CELEBRATED RAZOR
SHEFFIELD

The blade is etched with "THE KEEN EDGE BLADE"

I'm not finding much information at all about a manufacturer named Frederick's. I wonder if this company is related to Frederick Reynolds? Also, I see that Frederick Reynolds and other Sheffield made razors called "celebrated," and I'm wondering if that has any particular significance. What does "celebrated" actually mean in this context? Is it just some kind of a trademark for Sheffield razors?

Thanks for your input.

I don't think the razor is a Fred. Reynolds . The word "celebrated" inferred popularity (weather true or not) . Can you post a pic or two ?

I'm pretty sure that the blade is a Frederick Reynolds. I have one that has the same stamp on the tang and also has "F R" stamped on the tang going up and down. There may be a way to ballpark the production year based on the stamp, but I don't know which was used when.

Thanks for the info. There are some postings indicating the razor would only say Sheffield -- without England -- if it had been made before the late 1880s. The blade shape and stamping does look a lot like some Frederick Reynolds. I will put up some pics within the next couple of weeks.

As an addendum to this, I noticed what looked like it might be some kind of a very small mark before the word Celebrated -- very small. Not even readily identified as an intentional mark. According to my keen-eyed 11-year-old, however, it's an obvious number 12. I'm still not sure.

Is it an R? The letters FR would be arranged perpendicular to the rest of the writing going from the bottom to the top of the tang.

what about pictures,got a camera?it would help in identifying your blade.

I had one like that, but it was a frederick hall razor not frederick Reynolds a lot of small time razor makers were making knock offs or using part of a popular manufacturers name of the larger manufacturers much like today... For example joseph wostenholme and sons vs George wostenholm ... Not saying that it's a poor quality razor just an off brand...

Here's a pic of mine that I rescaled also I sanded off the etching where it said "the keen edge blade" the maker stamp reads "frederick hall celebrated razor Sheffield"

Picked up a 7/8" near wedge with a barbers notch for $2.50 at a flea market. Rusty in spots & the front scale has had gassing problems. Got it cleaned up & it had a pretty good edge on it. Touched up the edge on my 3 line Swaty & stropped on my Koken shell strop. Shaves arm hair & real smooth feel. Can't wait to get it restored. New scales & some more cleaning & Bob's your Uncle I think it will be a great razor. Pictures when I get my cord back from my granddaughter!! LOL
No stamp on the tang that I can see but does say "The Keen Edge Razor" on the presentation side. Also no jimping on the razor. Also there is the number 13 scribed on the front scale.

Slawman

OOPS ! I meant "The Keen Edge Blade" ! Long night last night!