Thread: celluloid history - not what your daddy told you

Here's a question: everyone talks about "celluloid" scales going all the way back into the 19c, but I happen to know from the history of fountain pens that celluloid was not introduced into mass-manufacturing until 1927-28 (because before then pen manufacturers had to use "hard rubber," which only came in two colors, red and black, and was quite inferior in many ways - thus celluloid took the pen world by storm and was ubiquitous in a year or two.)

so I'm thinking whatever the acrylic is that was used in the late 19c - early 20c, it's something besides celluloid. of course, it might be chemically quite similar - but I dont think so, given the night and day difference between the hard rubber and the celluloid in the two eras of pens.

Originally Posted by Mijbil

Here's a question: everyone talks about "celluloid" scales going all the way back into the 19c, but I happen to know from the history of fountain pens that celluloid was not introduced into mass-manufacturing until 1927-28 (because before then pen manufacturers had to use "hard rubber," which only came in two colors, red and black, and was quite inferior in many ways - thus celluloid took the pen world by storm and was ubiquitous in a year or two.)

so I'm thinking whatever the acrylic is that was used in the late 19c - early 20c, it's something besides celluloid. of course, it might be chemically quite similar - but I dont think so, given the night and day difference between the hard rubber and the celluloid in the two eras of pens.

The Celluloid Manufacturing Company started in 1872. I'd guess that if they were a manufacturing company that they could easily produce razor scales at that time.

I'm not that well-versed in these materials, but if I had some scales from the 1800s and had to choose whether they were celluloid or acrylic, I'd guess celluloid. Not sure that acrylic was any more used than celluloid before the '20s.

"Celluloid is the name of a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, plus dyes and other agents. Generally regarded to be the first thermoplastic, it was first created as Parkesine in 1856 and as Xylonite in 1869 before being registered as Celluloid in 1870. Celluloid is easily molded and shaped, and it was first widely used as an ivory replacement. Celluloid is highly flammable and also easily decomposes, and is no longer widely used. Its most common uses today are in table tennis balls and guitar picks.[1]"


This is from Wikipedia

I can find straight razor advertisements offering razors in "celluloid" pre-20th century

I don't know how prevalent those advertisements were because I didn't look very hard, but I took a quick peek at google books

huh. thanks for the info, guys. well that certainly explains why celluloid is the term used so much in the razor world. sure stumps me, though, in reconciling it with the pen history I mentioned.

Originally Posted by Mijbil

Here's a question: everyone talks about "celluloid" scales going all the way back into the 19c, but I happen to know from the history of fountain pens that celluloid was not introduced into mass-manufacturing until 1927-28 (because before then pen manufacturers had to use "hard rubber," which only came in two colors, red and black, and was quite inferior in many ways - thus celluloid took the pen world by storm and was ubiquitous in a year or two.)

so I'm thinking whatever the acrylic is that was used in the late 19c - early 20c, it's something besides celluloid. of course, it might be chemically quite similar - but I dont think so, given the night and day difference between the hard rubber and the celluloid in the two eras of pens.

Could it be that you're confusing the history of celluloid manufacturing and its early uses with the history of fountain pens and the use of celluloid in their manufacture?

The two are not necessarily one and the same. Maybe pen manufacturers resisted using celluloid initially, but then accepted its use in the manufacture of fountain pens.

Originally Posted by Mijbil

Here's a question: everyone talks about "celluloid" scales going all the way back into the 19c, but I happen to know from the history of fountain pens that celluloid was not introduced into mass-manufacturing until 1927-28 (because before then pen manufacturers had to use "hard rubber," which only came in two colors, red and black, and was quite inferior in many ways - thus celluloid took the pen world by storm and was ubiquitous in a year or two.)

Coming from the pen world, I thought the same thing too. However, I just finished restoring a razor that dates to no later than 1920 that has celluloid scales. I think that the pen manufacturers were too entrenched with the use of hard rubber on their fountain pens to give celluloid much of a thought until the late twenties.

Originally Posted by jhenry

Could it be that you're confusing the history of celluloid manufacturing and its early uses with the history of fountain pens and the use of celluloid in their manufacture?

The two are not necessarily one and the same. Maybe pen manufacturers resisted using celluloid initially, but then accepted its use in the manufacture of fountain pens.

Well, sure - but my understanding was that it wasnt previously available, not that they had been dense and ignored something that existed since before fountain pens existed and then all started using it within a year. And while precious metals (gold, silver) and hard rubber dominated, some companies were always experimenting with different things and proprietary materials, so it is very wierd that no one tried celluloid, if it was so prevalent in such a similar kind of application (razor handles).

According to Robert Doyle's "Collecting Straight Razors" by 1880 most ..... or many razor mfgs had gone to celluloid scales. He says that the celluloid and imitation ivory use began around 1870.

No discussion of Celluloid with regard to razor scales would be complete without the plastic which followed it. Check out this article regarding Bakelite.

Bakelite History © www.mbzponton.org

Have fun,

Lynn