Swords and Crown

I have just received this razor I accidentally bid and won from eBay (having to many razors in to many tabs is a bad thing.) I received i from India and I know ERN has used the Crown and sword before but this in not to reminiscent. I am puzzled as to what kind of razor this is I got it cheap so if its garbage than so be it but if it turns out to be worth while I'll put it in to the collection (I wont dare introduce it to "the Family members" until I know what it is.) Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Just my opinion, but...

A glance makes me think this is an el-cheapo knock-off in the form of a kind'a-wants-to-be-classic. I say this for the following reasons. The pivot pin hole is stamped/drilled through in the wrong place... so far off from the center of the tang like I've never seen before. The blade grinding along the spine is uneven (see the back side of the razor). There is the 'hint' of a logo design stamped in the tang, but it is badly done. Not only is the stamping imperfect, but that portion of the stamping which does exist suggests a very poorly made punch (not consistant with European production values even in cheaper razor lines). The finish on the razor suggests it never got very close to a polishing wheel... even along the tang which looks somewhat as if it had nothing more than a quick sanded finish. The design on the blade is not only poorly etched, uneven and wavey, but on top of that is of very poor artistic merit (I'm being kind in even daring to use the word 'artistic'). Also note that the mark for the word 'and' ( & ) is stuck onto the end of the word 'Crown' and is not consistant with proper usage of English symbols (It reads "Crown& Sword" rather than "Crown & Sword"). That handle is cheap plastic, not even wide enough to safely seat the blade and what passes for a rivet has rather more the appearance of a flattened nail. Anybody see a washer around that rivet? The only unknown to me is the quality of the steel, but the fit and finish of the razor suggest that I shouldn't hold out any hopes there, either.

It certainly rings all the wrong bels!

The scales are not original for a C&S and the pinning is a poor attempt - C&S razors did not have washers at the pinnings - the pins were mushroomed over the scales, but they are done very well in the originals. The logo should have been a crisp and precise engraving and this is a poorly executed acid-etch and the grind marks show that the blade has been re-worked.

If I was to be charitable, I might be persuaded that the blade is original but was tarnished and has been reground, losing most of the tang stamping and all the engraving, so the seller has made an attempt to put his version of the original blade engraving back for the sake of authenticity. However, it should have said "The Crown And Sword Razor" on the top line (note that is "And" and not "&") with the sword/crown logo in the middle and below that in capitals "Extra Hollow Ground" and the back of the tang should have some trace of "ERN" stamped into it.

Given what you know of its provenance, I think its a pup.

Regards,
Neil

Ouch! Man, that's painful just to look at. Even a cursory glance tells you it's a ripoff.

Regards - Walt

That is one fine letter opener

Ya. Something tells me something's amiss.:td

There is a C&S in the database here with the "&"
Ern, Carl Friedrich "Crown & Sword 1935" 7/8 - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Also bellow is another version with the "And"