Thread: What is this?

I've been picking up straight razors here and there over the couple years and I've never found one like this before. I looked all over for any markings or stamps but the only thing I could find was "1814" on the shank. I'd be forever grateful if someone could tell me what kind of razor this is. Thank you.

It looks to have very nice aluminum scales. Don't know the significance of 1814, except that was the year the British/American war of 1812 ended, with the Treaty of Ghent. Also, the year the Star Spangled Banner was written published as a poem. In Europe, Napoleon abdicated and British forces entered Paris-Treaty of Paris signed. Interesting year, but no way of telling how or if it applies to your razor.

Originally Posted by Croaker

It looks to have very nice aluminum scales. Don't know the significance of 1814, except that was the year the British/American war of 1812 ended, with the Treaty of Ghent. Also, the year the Star Spangled Banner was written published as a poem. In Europe, Napoleon abdicated and British forces entered Paris-Treaty of Paris signed. Interesting year, but no way of telling how or if it applies to your razor.

1814 was a very good year. Thank you for the information about the scales at least. As I posted I really have no idea about the razor and any information, even a little bit is a great help.

I'm not sure that "1814" refers to that year - a lot of razors have model or series marks that could be misconstrued as dates.

The scales are beautiful - are they aluminium? If so, aluminium was unknown as a metal - only for its salts and oxides, until comparatively recently. French chemist Antoine Lavoisier postulated the existence of the undiscovered metal in 1787 and British natural philosopher Sir Humphrey Davy confirmed it in 1807/1808 (he named it "aluminum" - the spelling still used in the States), but the actual metal was still undiscovered. Danish physicist Hans Christian Orsted was the first to produce the metal in 1825, according to Wikipedia.

Regards,
Neil

According to the "Standard Guide to Razors" third edition, page 52, aluminum wasn't used as a material for scales until the 1920s. This might help you to establish a timeline for when it was made.

Regards - Walt

An interesting fact about aluminium is that in it's early days it was more valuable than gold. Napoleon III (1808 - 1873) gave a dinner party where the honoured guests were given aluminium knives and forks, while the less illustrious had to make do with ordinary gold! Not like today...

Regards,
Neil

Just an addition to the story about the Napoleon aluminium dinner service: After Oersted made the first pure aluminium, some of it was used to make a military helmet for the danish king. It still exists at the Rosenborg castle: Beware, danish text. But there is a photo. http://www.denstoredanske.dk/@api/de...g?size=webview