Thread: W&B Boxer Rebellion Razor

Gentleman,
I picked up my first Wade & Butcher off the Bay last week. It is a 7/8 and has an interesting history. According to the vendor this razor was made shortly after 1900 as a political commemorative to the British involvement in the Boxer Rebellion.

As history shows Britain entered the fray after Chinese forces employed by the Empress Dowager (the Brits called them boxers but actually they practiced Chinese martial arts) declared war on all foreigners. The Righteous Harmony Society Movement (as the Chinese called the war) soldiers cornered dignitaries, diplomats, foreign civilians and Chinese Christians in the Legation Quarter of Beijing and threatened to slaughter them. The foreigners held out for 55 days until an eight nation alliance of 20,000 troops arrived to quell the uprising and rescue the besieged Quarter residents. But before the end of the conflict Chinese washu (kung fu) warriors had killed hundreds of Protestant converts and 18,000 Catholic converts.

The razor is in very good condition with a repaired chip in the translucent handle. It has inscriptions on both sides of the blade that are deeply engraved. This razor is not politically correct today but certainly shows a piece of a bygone era and a historical event in British history. Does anyone have any information on this razor and does it hold any special collector's value?

Thanks for your comments and any information.
Denny
300WSM

An interesting razor and a very cool piece of history. She's in great shape too. Awesome find.

My dear Denny,

That is an intriguing razor, with an intriguing story. What a great find.

Regards,
Obie

According Robert A.Doyle this razor was made during 1850's and 60's.
"It's also interesting to note that some blades manufactured during this period have Chinese symbols stamped on them, evidently manufactured for the Chinese imigrants."
And I think it is more likely.
I have W & B with the same symbols.

A very interesting razor. I like it a lot, and it's an interesting history (although I question its bias, especially by focusing on religion and leaving out the "Britain was doing its best to destroy the Chinese by poisoning them with opium" part of the story).

I don't read Chinese, but that looks like "Chinese flavored gibberish" to me. Chinese characters, and by extension Japanese (which I do have some familiarity with) tend towards some level of symmetry and balance. Those look more like poorly executed futhark runes...

I think, that it's not Chinese language. It's really Chinese symbols.

It's not even Chinese symbols either, more like random strokes made to somewhat remotely look like Chinese symbols.

Otherwise a nice razor, I was quite tempted to bid on one in the last weeks.

Originally Posted by manah

According Robert A.Doyle this razor was made during 1850's and 60's.
"It's also interesting to note that some blades manufactured during this period have Chinese symbols stamped on them, evidently manufactured for the Chinese imigrants."
And I think it is more likely.
I have W & B with the same symbols.

And that inscription, "The Heathen Chinee", seems to refer to a famous poem:

The Heathen Chinee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Beutiful, nevertheless...

Regards

Looks like something out of Lord of the Rings:


One Razor to rule them all, One Razor to find them,
One Razor to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Sheffield where the Shadows lie.

Now THAT is a truly unusual collectors piece. Gimme gimme gimme..how much?