Thread: Expensive razor manufacturer?

I was posed a question today at work about straight razors. They wanted to know what was/is an expensive razor, or most expensive. Well, you could Gold inlay a piece of ivory and put it with just about any razor, but I was actually curious as to which manufacturer ususally had the top spot for expensive razors? I know Dubl Duck and Filarmonica are some contenders, but not sure about J.A. Henckels or some others. Might even be Westfalia, which, by the way, we have a cetrifuge for wine/juice that I've run at the winery by that same name.

I'm finding razors (TOO MANY) at 10-30 dollar range and a lot of Solingen razors. I have seen some Sheffield stuff sell. Recntly I bought a Wade & Butcher Extra Hollow Ground for something like $16.50 that came out of a woman that inherited her Dad's razor colletion, so from the pictures I know it's pretty good. I also got one that appears to have Ivory handles with an end cap from the same place for around $17.00. It is an " A Fiest & C Solingen Germany Monterna Razor" http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=170619205296 . So, there are some interesting razors out there, but who would make the most sought after?

I think Dubl Duck Vesuvius Grim Reaper was selling for $650

NOS Fillies go for twice that amount on the bay.

With really rare stuff, it's a matter of who sees the auction and how much the top two bidders are willing to pay. I've seen junk razors in rare scales sell for hundreds; I've seen really really old razors in beautiful pressed horn go crazy; I've seen scales that most would agree are worth big bucks (fancy sterling silver or intricately carved MOP) in the top dollar ranges. But things like that cannot really be assigned a value.

As far as actual most expensive, there are links around somewhere to a modern razor, I believe scaled in platinum, that was listed for 15k or something like that.

This is not the one I was thinking of, but it's 30k. http://www.luxist.com/2008/09/16/the...zor-for-30-000

I be all wrong here, but I thought that the original question was:

What was the most expensive razor Originally

And

What is the most expensive razor now,

Cuda, you're a better man than me...I can't figure out the question.

Are you talking about Mfg. price? Current market price?

If it's the original, then you'd best forget about the vintage razors--they tended to be about $2.

Currently, Wacker razors get pretty up there for his limited editions and whatnot.

The custom makers are all pretty pricey as well--wasn't there a Livi that sold for more than a grand?

Iwasaki razors run up to $500 or so for current production 2 chou gake razors, depending on the exchange rate.

If you're only talking about current market prices, then NOS Filarmonica razors are consistently $400+ these days, aren't they? Can't recall any other consistently higher prices than that, though DDs do get the occasional one-off in that range.

I didn't post the original statement. I was simply trying to clarify what I thought the original question that was stated was about. I truly didn't mean to add any confusion!

Well, it's kind of two fold. For new razors, who would you think brings top billing? Makers like DOVO, Thier-Issard, J.A. Henckel, Revisor, Boker, etc? And when you look at those that are recently out of production, but may have different models, such as Fillarmonica or ERN by Crown & Sword... those kind of older razors.

Of the current makers, Wacker are definately up there. My limited edition was over $300. The custom makers will be more as well. Livi's can be around $1000 and the other makers (Alex Jaques, Joe Chandler, Charlie Lewis, Buddel...) can get fairly pricey as well, depending on what you go for.

Of the classic stuff DD's, Filli's, W&B's and other well known and popular makes can get pretty pricey. I've noticed eBay prices going up generally over the last year or so as more people have got into the sport.

Its the same story with hones as well! Eschers, CF's, vintage Thuringians and popular barber hones like the Swaty's all seem to command a pretty penny as well.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Clearly you've never seen Zowada's prices.

Correct!
Bill Ellis and Robert Williams are two other makers who can reach those levels, depending on the customers choices.
The custom market is a different entity, not really comparable to the regular "mass producers".

From the current producers it seems that there are a few things that really drives up the price. Damascus is one.
Ellaborate spine work, time consuming elements such as filed jimps and thumb-notches, Gold wash and scale material are others. Scales can be really expensive and time consuming.