Thread: Need information on a 6/8 F Herder acquisition

Here are some pictures
Any information re: age, estimated value, consensus on company/razor's quality would be appreciated

Just to let you know we don't do valuations here it is against the rules.
All I know about the Herders is the blanks that were/are available. Sorry.
I do know of one guy who made a very nice shaver from one of those blanks though.

Ok, so nevermind the valuation, anyone have any leads on age or have one like this and know how they shave?

It's a very nice razor, that was made by the oldest of the Solingen firms, with a direct line back to 1623, Friedrich Herder was registered as the producer of all types of tableware and cutlery.The company was in business since 1623 to 1993, registered 20th December 1888, Solingen, Grünewalder Strasse 31. In 1993 the company went bankrupt. The trademark was bought by Hans-Joachim Röllecke.
The company have a rich history.



Trademarks: F. Herder's Real German Hollow Ground (1898 No.34262), La Perla (1899 No.40110),
F. Herder's Ready for Use (1903 No.58787), Friedr. Herder Abr. Sohn de echter Herder (1904 No.74797), Constant, Contador, Herder, F. Herder, F. Herder A. Sn, Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn Solingen, F. Herderstahl Solingen, F. Herders Schopjesmesser, F. Herders Schopjesscharen, Pick-Ass, Pique-Ass, Schuppen-Ass,
Fortuna, Meevaler, Don Carlos (1932), Spade.

There is nearly nothing more to say about the history of HERDER... manah's research is perfect !

Your straight razor is one of the earliest of F.HERDER's industrial production... ca. 1810s to 1850s I would say.
There is NO catalog number on the tang.
The very old "crosseds Keys" trademark is used.
The old style spanish-head type blade with single shoulder is hand-ground.
Regarding to the strong tang, it has been a bit larger before (abt. 7/8in) and shows now little wear remaining 6/8 or 11/16in.
The steel is a very dark carbon steel - the older it gets - the better it is to hone - the sharper it can be made and hold !
The scales are obvisiously made of horn (celluloid scales came later from 1870s on) and show no bug bites...
Respecting the rules I will not tell you a valutation here , but if you got it for less than 50 bucks you possibly made a nice find !
This is a rare one !
Looking up my picture-database I only found one similar rescaled spanish headed #11 blade of the later F.Herder Abr.Sohn company.



Greetings from razortown
Rainer

Your straight razor is one of the earliest of F.HERDER's industrial production... ca. 1810s to 1850s I would say.

The razor was made after 1848.
Logo with "Crossed Keys" was registered in 1848.
The oldest is "Schüppen-Ass"(ace of spades), 1727.

Some addition info:
Since 1915 it was F.Herder & Sohn.
Since 1939, Friedrich Herder & Sohn, Constantwerk.

I've got one stamped 'L. Herder & Son' over Made in Germany, with the number 6 and with the old Hen & Rooster logo on the reverse tang. I wonder if there is any relation between the two Herders ?

Sorry, there is not such info.
But all Friedrich Herder family was in Solingen.
Heinrich Herder was in business since 1806(?), registered 9th July 1866, Solingen, Schützenstrasse 26.
Richard Herder, another branch of the herder family was formed to manufacture cutlery and tools. Was in business sice 1884, registered 19th November 1884, Solingen, Rathausstrasse 20-22.
Robert Herder, a further branch of the Herder family. Was in business since 1872, registered 13th July 1901, Solingen-Ohligs, Benrather Strasse 7.
Jimmy, most likely, your razor was made by Leopold Herder. This firm was first listed in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania City Directory in 1847 as Clarenbach & Herder. After 1872 they became Herder & Company. L.Herder son Herman managed the company for over 50 years. He retired in 1920, and his two sons William C. and Herbert R. took over management.

Hi,
I found a Richard Abr. Herder straigth razor on a flea market. It has ‘1’ on the tang. Would anybody know what the meaning of the numbers are?

The #1 is possibly one of the oldest, if not the very first, of Richard Abr. Herder's straight razor blades of the 1880s.
It should be a 5/8 to 6/8 Spanish tip blade, probably manual ground near wedge and look like the following one...