Thread: Filarmonicas Imperial Alliance?

I managed to find some very early Filarmonicas:- No 14 Especial.
The grind is full hollow singing blade, just like a Barbas Duras.
This is not a Barbas Duras. It just says Filarmonica Especial on the blade.
The stamping on the tang doesn´t mention the model unlike the Double Temple, Sub cero etc.
They also have a distinctly different goldwash pattern on the blade. On this example the goldwash was all but warn off and the blade etching is barely visible to the eye. I did some light hand polishing before taking these photos.



What really caught my eye was the stamp on the box. It says:- "Navaja Filarmonica de Afeitar ESPECIAL de José Monserrat Póu. Fabricante desde el año 1917."
It ALSO has a stamp of a spread eagle facing left, with 5 feathers per wing and 5 tail feathers. This is very interesting as it is EXACTLY the same stamp used by the Richard Schmidt No 14 IMPERIAL razor from Germany.



Both razors have virtually identical designs, weight etc, however the IMPERIAL is not a singing razor. I find this use of the same monogram and resemblance hard to put down as a coincidence. However I have as yet not found out any more information on a possible connection between the two marks.

If you have any info on these please post here............

"Inquiring minds have got to know."

nice ... drooling a lil ....find

Some additional photos of the original etching and gold wash of the Filarmonica No 14 Especial - the really rusted model is mine but the other isn´t:-



Photo of the typical Filarmonica etching and goldwash:-

Great finds! Those are very old Filarmónicas prior to 1967.

I don't know if there was any connection between Filarmónica and Richard Schmidt
but I know Filarmónica made one razor named Imperial.
The Especial were probably the first Filarmónicas.

I once had an Imperial 14 with the same stamp as the OP's shows on the back of the razor. I always thought she shaved and looked like a Filly.




I, for one, strongly believe that Filarmonica blades appear under a number of other brands. Some agree; others do not. I think this is a very strong suggestion that they did.

holli4pirating that is very interesting... Solingen brands?

There were Jose Monserrat Pou Imperial and Especial razors (without Filarmónica stamped, before the creation of the Filarmónica brand) and Filarmónica Imperial and Especial razors.