Quote Originally Posted by QuinnFlint View Post
So, three questions: (A) can anybody help narrow down the period/region? (B) in the close-ups: are these markings or corrosion? (C) If this is from the 1700s or earlier, what type of metal is it likely to be, and how should I proceed to clean it up?
A) period: September 17, 2009 about 3:12PM
region: Halfway between Chengdu and Deyang on the eastern slope of a small hill

B) Both markings and corrosion. The markings translate to Genuine Original George Washington eBay Razor

C) It is a proprietary titanium alloy known only to two Buddhist monks who own and operate the Zeepk and Krieger razor companies. Each of them only knows half of the formula in order to prevent either from attaining total world domination. (You just can't trust a Buddhist monk.)
You should not attempt to clean such a valuable antique. The natural patina, that was attained through weeks of exposure to wet dirt, represents a large part of the value of that razor. The rust is the most valuable part of that razor.