Thread: Tortoise Shell?

Greetings Gentlemen, I just purchased a very nice razor. It was made in Germany with the words "John Fernsler," "Dependable" and "Philadelphia, PA" on it. The scales are made of tortoise shell. Would anyone out there have any idea as to when the razor was made, or, when tortoise shell was mainly used as a material for scales, or, when it was no longer (approx.) used? I'm just attempting to get a general idea as to its date of manufacture. Thanks.

Tortoise was never a common material for scales. Really premium, more so than Ivory. I guess they outlawed it back in the mid 20th century so your razor could be from WWll or before. I don't think I have ever seen a genuine Tortoise scale made after WWll and most are quite a bit older. Much of the stuff you see sold as Tortoise is actually celluloid made to look like it. Of course that assumes you don't have a rescale job.

If you're talking about ebay item 200689721356, that is not tortoise shell, it's horn dyed to resemble tortoise.

In the Joseph Rodgers history booklet you can see photos of their ivory and stag cellars, but the only photo of a tortoise shell is on page 10, one decorating the wall.

Thanks Gugi...actually, that thought was going through my mind as I was writing it. It certainly appears to be pressed horn. However, the dye job makes it look somewhat different than horn. Nevertheless, I agree, it is horn. My main reason for asking was, like I mentioned, I am simply interested in finding out the approximate age of the razor itself. You see, I have certain ancestral connections to the Philadelphia area. My people are descended from the first Swedes and Dutch that landed on that shore in the 1630s. So, whenever I come across something like a Philadelphia razor, why I just try my best to scoff it up. By the way, that razor is really such a sweet shaver. It honed up very nicely. I'm actually considering re-scaling it myself, as it seems to me to be a little warped and one I may like to get to know better. Thanks again for your input. Oh, do you have any guess as to its approximate age...just wondering?

Well, the scales don't quite match the razor, so I wouldn't be surprised if they're a replacement. This type of razor usually comes with plastic scales. The double shoulder full hollow grind on a 5/8 seems to have gotten very popular in the 1900s, so that's what I'd guess for the razor. Furthermore it looks like a solingen import for a US outfit, which also seems to have got the heyday in the 1900s (you can find online the congressional hearings on this from I think the 1920s or the 1930s).
I dont't remember which one, but I thought one of the larger US razor makers was briefly in Philadelphia, I thought I had a razor with a stamp to that fact.

Tortoise shell looks different, even the one that's mostly tan with fewer brown spots (usually it's the other way around). I think I have few pictures in the razor database in the library/wiki if you want to take a look - they're on heljestrands.

I own a bunch of the Solingen imports, they're all great shavers. I mean, I really have no complaints about them at all. And, they do come - all things equal - fairly cheaply. As an aside, I would imagine you might be referring to the congressional hearings involving exporters like Prescott Bush and the like; they were making some good money on trading with the Deutsche-folk and their behavior was "worrying" people in this country (?). Anyway, thanks for your input, it is greatly appreciated. I suppose at the end of the day, all that really matters is that I enjoy the razor fully, completely, and with all due and appropriate reverence ( a little over the top). Hoorah!

Actually,Not to be picky,But Tortoise shell was never used,Comes from the shell of ocean going turtles.

Not to be picky, but, what the heck do you mean? Do you mean to say that tortoise (small t) was never used. That, in fact, turtle shell, belonging to "ocean" going turtles was the tortoise shell described herein? That, you mean to say, it was used not colloquially, but as a term of art; that's what you're saying...isn't it? So, the shell belonging to the land tortoise - the understood origin of the term - wasn't ever used? To the preclusion of land tortoises, swamp tortoises and turtles, etc. And, not to be picky, but, your sentence is really awkward, at least the way I read it. Not to be - too - picky anyway.... The way I understand it is like this: the tortoise shell was never used, that the scales are made from the shell of ocean going turtles to the exclusion of all others...right?

Originally Posted by cflaageriv

Not to be picky, but, what the heck do you mean? Do you mean to say that tortoise (small t) was never used. That, in fact, turtle shell, belonging to "ocean" going turtles was the tortoise shell described herein? That, you mean to say, it was used not colloquially, but as a term of art; that's what you're saying...isn't it? So, the shell belonging to the land tortoise - the understood origin of the term - wasn't ever used? To the preclusion of land tortoises, swamp tortoises and turtles, etc. And, not to be picky, but, your sentence is really awkward, at least the way I read it. Not to be - too - picky anyway.... The way I understand it is like this: the tortoise shell was never used, that the scales are made from the shell of ocean going turtles to the exclusion of all others...right?

Not to be too picky. Google is your friend! search hawk-bill sea turtle.

Originally Posted by livingontheedge

Not to be too picky. Google is your friend! search hawk-bill sea turtle.

Not to be too picky . It's Hawksbill , not hawk-bill