My friend just gave me a razor stamped with "The Torrey Razor Co." It also has "No. 256" stamped on it. I was just wondering if anyone had any idea on the date that this razor was made, or any other neat history.
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My friend just gave me a razor stamped with "The Torrey Razor Co." It also has "No. 256" stamped on it. I was just wondering if anyone had any idea on the date that this razor was made, or any other neat history.
I can't help but if you post pictures I'm sure someone can.
If you wanna know about the razor I can tell you it will be a great shaver, all Torrey's are. Company history......well they were established in 1858 to make strops and import English and Swedish razors then started making razors around 1880. The last owner of the company was an interesting fellow. Here are some snippets I discovered with a little google-ing:
"The strop business was established in 1858 by Joseph Rice Torrey (b. 1828) in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1880, he decided to add razors to his inventory and organized with a cutler, Joseph Turner, to form the J. R. Torrey Razor Company."
This is on the last owner (The founder's grandson?):
"Joseph R. Torrey, 19 Westland Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, was born on September 4th, 1892, at Worcester. He learned to fly at the Curtiss School in Buffalo during the summer of 1916 and made his first solo flight in August of that year. On September 29th of that year he received his F.A.I. #577. He also holds F.A.I. Free Balloon Certificate #608, and Dirigible Pilot's Certificate #18, issued in 1917 and 1918 respectively. Mr. Torrey later became a flying instructor and taught U. S. Naval Cadets lighter than air flying. He piloted the Massachusetts entry in the 1916 National Balloon Race from St. Louis, Missouri. He is President and owner of the J. R. Torrey Razor Company, 128 Chandler Street, Worcester, one of the oldest razor companies in the U.S.A. He is present self employed as an Investment Counselor."
By Waldo Waterman, President
The Early Birds of Aviation Newsletter
December 18, 1962
They stopped making razors one year after his death in 1963
Here are a few pictures of it. Thanks for all the help so far guys.
Torrey razors have been the topic of many a threads here on SRP. You will find tons of information if you perform a search for Torrey from the menu bar above.
Great razors! We have a few and have never been disappointed in the shave quality.