Thread: WWI Razor? James Barber - Hand Forged

My latest eBay acquisition.

I've dug around here a fair bit and I can find nothing on a James Barber 'Hand Forged'.

Plus, the stamp on the horn scales strongly resembles the WWI razor refurbs but clearly isn't one of them.

The blade is a hair shy of 6/8ths and is a true wedge. Looks like it's going to be a lovely shaver after some cleanup.

The stamp and blade style make me think 1850s, but I'm just guessing. Anyone have a more informed opinion on this one?

If it were WWI it would probabbly be celluloid, I am going to agree with you and say 1850 and maybe then some. This is also about the same time that the phrase "Hand Forged" became a selling point while competeing with blades that were machine forged.

I would guess 1850 or 1860. And excuse my pet peeve, but I'm also going to guess it's not a true wedge.

The company was started by Isaac Barber in the 1820s. In 1845 Isaac & James Barber were listed as making knives. Isaac died in 1854 and James died at the tender age of 40 in 1859. The trademark 'ERA' featured prominently over James Barbers name in the 1850s, and they had began making razors by then. The firm carried on under the directorship of Harriet Barber (widow of James) until the 1870s, then under Mary Ann Barber until her death in 1897. Then another James Barber took over as senior partner. In the 1900s they had the Era Works in Sheffield but in 1928 the trasemark was taken over by Joseph Elliot. It was still listed as a part of Elliots in the 1970s.

So - it could have been WW1.

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

If it were WWI it would probabbly be celluloid, I am going to agree with you and say 1850 and maybe then some. This is also about the same time that the phrase "Hand Forged" became a selling point while competeing with blades that were machine forged.

My WWI guess wasn't about manufacture, but refurb. I've seen a number of pictures of blades which had been sent to the British army for refurbishing in WWI, and all of them had the same style translucent horn scales. They were all also stamped with numbers and letters, but the codes were completely different.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I would guess 1850 or 1860. And excuse my pet peeve, but I'm also going to guess it's not a true wedge.

Hah. Yes. You're correct, there's about a 1/16ths inch gap down the middle of the blade when I lay it on the DMT. It is flatter than any of the other wedges I have though.

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

The company was started by Isaac Barber in the 1820s. In 1845 Isaac & James Barber were listed as making knives. Isaac died in 1854 and James died at the tender age of 40 in 1859. The trademark 'ERA' featured prominently over James Barbers name in the 1850s, and they had began making razors by then. The firm carried on under the directorship of Harriet Barber (widow of James) until the 1870s, then under Mary Ann Barber until her death in 1897. Then another James Barber took over as senior partner. In the 1900s they had the Era Works in Sheffield but in 1928 the trasemark was taken over by Joseph Elliot. It was still listed as a part of Elliots in the 1970s.

So - it could have been WW1.

Regards,
Neil

The thing that's throwing me here is that there's no ERA stamp anywhere on this one, nor 'Sheffield'. But I've not seen many (any? I can't recall) pictures of James Barber razors... I will post better pictures in just a moment.

I just saw few days ago on Ebay a letter sent by some ministry to a Sheffield association of razor smiths, to encourage them to collect old razors from the people to send them to their soldiers during WWI. (I tried to save the imag but it was not allowed ) I have one Pipe like that, the handle is blonde horn with similar fire branded numbers (mine are a little different: 3CL 380).
According to this letter I saw, it seems we have razors that are older than 1915 (although yours looks older than mine), and that have been donated by English citizens to be sent to the front lines.

I should also add that the other side of the razor has no marks whatsoever.


The WWI razors this put me in mind of are pictured over here. It's definitely not the same, but it's similar enough to make me really wonder.

Originally Posted by Mauri

I just saw few days ago on Ebay a letter sent by some ministry to a Sheffield association of razor smiths, to encourage them to collect old razors from the people to send them to their soldiers during WWI. (I tried to save the imag but it was not allowed ) I have one Pipe like that, the handle is blonde horn with similar fire branded numbers (mine are a little different: 3CL 380).
According to this letter I saw, it seems we have razors that are older than 1915 (although yours looks older than mine), and that have been donated by English citizens to be sent to the front lines.

Yes! That's the exact program I was thinking of, and I too saw that listing on eBay (and this one as well, but it didn't mention the British refurbishing program -- just said it was an old James Barber razor).

I suppose it's possible that this one is from earlier or later in the war, but I kind of doubt it. Plus this razor has the 'RPA' initials burned in by hand rather than with a letterform stamp.