Thread: Jonathan Crookes

I just won this on ebay, and was wondering if anyone have a clue to how old this may be? It has nothing but "Jonathan Crookes" and the "heart & pistol" stamped on it. Looks like it might be a very early J. Crookes.. Anyone?




I find it very difficult to find info on J.Crookes. I have the basic info of course but don't know how to find out what period or approx. time the different razors were made.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

I was watching, but decided to hold off. I have no idea about the razor, other than she looks cool and is from an underrepresented maker. Nice grab!

Crookes is very known Sheffield family.
Company "Jonathan Crookes" in business since 1780. And this trademark "heart and percussion pistol" was first used as early as 1780. The original user was J.Crookes, 1780 - 1827. The firm became & Son about 1827. The owners of this company were James Hibbert - 1893 - 1907, Joseph Allen - 1907 - 1947 and H.M.Slater - 1947 - present day.

Thanks holli4pirating.. Glad you didn't bid.. but I was going to get this no matter what though.. It could have been expensive for me. For some reason I have developed a special love for the Crookes razors. I got this for $15.5 (a STEAL) but my maximum bid was muuuuuch higher. Guess I'm lucky nobody cares much about the Crookes razors

Thank you very much for the info Manah.. Does this really mean it could be from 1780-1827?

Here is another Crookes razor I have.. And a Brookes & Crookes:

Nice razors.Oh,I care about them,just don't have much of a budget for now.I try to only spend on razors what I make on razors."try"

Originally Posted by manah

and this trademark "heart and percussion pistol" was first used as early as 1780.

Crookes might have made it big as fortune teller since he was using a percussion pistol as a trademark 30 years before the percussion system was invented.

Regards - Walt

This certainly looks like a flintlock pistol and this knife isn't that old..

I think it's a flintlock pistol he uses in the logo, and those have been around since 1630s I think. Most references to the trademark that I have found, are usually just "heart and pistol"..





They might have changed it to a percussion pistol when they were invented to keep up with the times.. Not easy to see in the stamp on the razors, but this picture from a cardboard box would suggest that this could be the case. It looks more like a percussion pistol. The percussion principle was patented in 1807 and was widely in use by the 1820s.
Jonathan Crookes didn't become Jonathan Crookes & Son until 1827 according to manah's sources so this is quite possible.

Crookes might have made it big as fortune teller since he was using a percussion pistol as a trademark 30 years before the percussion system was invented.

Yes, I think, the name has been given after, it's a usual firestone pistol.