Thread: Calling on the historical experts, I'm stumped! An unassuming mystery razor.

This blade completely vexes me. A lot of it looks like late 18th century French design to me: the rounded point, the vaguely defined shoulder, the very thin tang --



But that tail looks distinctly later to me. Late 1820's, maybe. Though I notice that Lummus' Norris razor from 1801 has a very similar tail. And the scales, while they certainly could have been replaced, are very 1800-1820 Sheffield.

Then there's the stamp.



I could swear I've seen the (CROWN) (STAR) stamp before but I can't find it anywhere, and that's definitely a crown. It also very clearly says PATENT. Above that, I'm a lot less sure. ST. <something>? Maybe STUART?

Were there any French razors stamped 'PATENT'? Did a 'STUART' make razors? (I know about Charles Stewart, but this is pretty clearly NOT one of his).

Manah? Neil Miller? Anyone?

Very nice! I never seen such a stamp. Maybe you could clean it a little, especially above NT in Patent, a couple of letters more could appear. The third letter doesn't seem an E to me, maybe it's a C or G. The second and fourth letters could be E's... The blade design is strange, it reminds me too of the French XIX century blades...

I hit it with the 2000 grit sandpaper and took a few more pictures with different lighting.

I'm now reasonably certain it's 'STEWART'

Yes ti is!

Hello Voidmonster!

Nice razor - I can see what you mean about the 'french' look, but I think it is english. I'm not so sure about the tang markings - I'm reasonably sure that I have seen the symbols together before, but not where - could have been tools just as well as razors. I'm not sure that the name is 'STEWART' either (you are right about it being no relation to the Stewart of Caring Cross famous for the 'Plantagenet' Guard Razor - I have since found that that particular Stewart's Sheffield agents were John and William Ragg and I suspect that they made the razor for him as 'Plantagenet' was one of the marks they used) - but I digress! The third letter along from the left looks rounded in places - like an 'O' and I know of a famous cutler, surgical instrument maker and razor maker called James Stodart of 401, strand, London, whose business ceased around 1836, probably run at that time by David Stodard as James died in 1823. His lancets and surgical instruments were simply stamped STODART in capital letters, but with no makers mark. I have never seen a razor by him (you will recall he was senior to Faraday and instrumental in Faradays discovery of true silver steel). The instruments mostly had shagreen cases, tortoiseshell handles and were known for their excellence. He also made razors from wootz, a crucible or 'cast' steel.

Being a London cutler, his mark - if any - would not appear in the Sheffield register.



It may not be a Stodart razor, but is intriguing nevertheless!

Regards,
Neil

After a little more research it now seems like your razor was definitely made by James Stodart. Below is a picture of a gold lancet case, complete with his crown and star symbol and name:



and here are a few of his trade cards that prove he made razors as well as surgical instruments:









Regards,
Neil

you are right about it being no relation to the Stewart of Caring Cross famous for the 'Plantagenet' Guard Razor - I have since found that that particular Stewart's Sheffield agents were John and William Ragg and I suspect that they made the razor for him as 'Plantagenet' was one of the marks they used


Here's an example of Ragg's patent plantagenet guard razor, is it possible that Ragg took over the patent of Stewart?
Could you tell me where I could find more information about the connection Stewart-Ragg?

Greetings

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

So, as cited above, the business ceased trading in 1836 or in the last two months of 1835 and I suppose the dates given by the London Knife Book are the birth/death dates for David. The only thing that worries me is that the Sun Insurance archive for May 1836 shows that the occupant of 401 Strand was David Stodart, but that may be because the insurance did not expire until then?

Curiously, I came across a walking tour of the Strand from 1836 which says the address was occupied by Stodart, cutler. I wonder if David struck some sort of deal with his creditors to sell remaining stocks? I really don't know anything about the mechanisms of failing business in the time and place, so I'm just wildly guessing. It seems clear the shop was occupied past the date he officially ceased trading.

I'm also kind of amused to own another razor from a nearby firm, Nortzell & Sons.

wow, what a read. Sorry I am lazy, but this is the same Farady as in "Farady Cage" the direct lineage to the anti-static bag most electronics come in?

Originally Posted by LameBMX

wow, what a read. Sorry I am lazy, but this is the same Farady as in "Farady Cage" the direct lineage to the anti-static bag most electronics come in?

The very same. And on top of all that, he seems by all accounts to have been a really genuinely good guy.

(Also, the 'farad' as a unit of capacitance is named for Faraday.)