Just had to have it !!

[Bazz]

I just purchased this straight of Ebay , I'd liked the look of it and it was a buy it now so I just hada jump on it
It was listed as Genuine 1850's-1860's , cow horn scales ..lead spacer .. NO makers marks whatsoever , hmmmm I hate to buy a dud... Ive done so before I brought an un marked vintage razor off the bay aswell , and I could nt hone for the life a me ... so Im hopin this aint the second time round .. any thoughts on the razor are appreciated ...Baz

[basil]

i have no idea what it is but it sure does look pretty!

[JimmyHAD]

Bazz I wish you luck. It may be a good one. In my experience as a pocket knife collector one of the first things I was taught was to look askance at blades that didn't have a makers mark stamped on the tang. The thought being that if the maker didn't think enough of his work to put his name on it the blade couldn't be of a good quality. There are exceptions to every rule so after you have it honed up I hope it shaves well for you.

[holli4pirating]

I was tempted too. I thought there were some reminants of a stamp on the front of the tang, but couldn't tell. Also, since the blade looks reground to me, it's possible the mark was there but removed.

The shape/style of the tail, tang, and shoulder is very unusual - maybe that was modified as well? Please let us know how this one shaves.

[Utopian]

Given the length of the monkey tail, I doubt it's as old as claimed. I'm under the impression that razors of that era had short ones. I don't recall when the change occurred (1870-1880?) but hopefully someone will chime in to comment on it.

[JimmyHAD]

Given the length of the monkey tail, I doubt it's as old as claimed. I'm under the impression that razors of that era had short ones. I don't recall when the change occurred (1870-1880?) but hopefully someone will chime in to comment on it.

I just took a look in Robert Doyle's "Collecting Straight Razors" and I couldn't find a specific example. Going by his saying that the practice of stamping the initials of the sovereign adjacent to the maker's mark on the tang began in the 1820s it appears they were already over the stub tail era by the then. Certainly the meat choppers of the 1850s had normal monkey tails. So it is earlier than 1870 the way I read it.

[leadduck]

It bears a striking resemblance to a W&B I have. And like yours, mine shaves like a charm. Congratulations on a great find.

[Bazz]

It bears a striking resemblance to a W&B I have. And like yours, mine shaves like a charm. Congratulations on a great find.

thanks leadduck , any chance of ya posting a pic of your W&B as I'd love to lay eyes on it ...Bazz