Thread: Joseph Smit&sons sheffield. england

Welcome. Purchased for the occasion. Really liked the razor.

Nice razor.

Joseph Smit&sons sheffield. england

But I'm sure, the stamp is Joseph Smith & Sons.
The razor was made by Joseph Allen & Sons. The company acquired the name and mark in 1887.

Thank you manah! As always, excellent

Originally Posted by manah

Nice razor.

But I'm sure, the stamp is Joseph Smith & Sons.
The razor was made by Joseph Allen & Sons. The company acquired the name and mark in 1887.

I always look at the "need help IDing a razor" threads because I know that manah will teach me something...

Imagine my surprise to see the logo on a razor that I just acquired, with a different name.
I dont have access to it at the moment so these are the ebay pictures, it cleaned up very nicely, razor is a 6/8 Wedge/Near Wedge.


Tang is marked "B.J. Eyre & Co.
Challenge Razor
Sheffield England

Here is a twist! Mystery!

Mystery!

No, but interestingly.
Benjamin James Eyre died on 5 September 1878, aged 66.
In 1876, he sold his Sheffield firm and New York office to the New York merchant house of Frederick Wiebuch.
This razor was made more later.
After the death of F. Wiebusch in 1893, the firm became part of the Wiebusch & Hilger Company of New York.
By 1899, they had purchased the Hatch Cutlery Company of Bridgeport, and moved into the Hatch factory. The name then became the Challenge Cutlery Company.
I have no facts now, and I can only guess(!) that this razor was also made by Joseph Allen & Sons company. They used marks of different companies: Jonathan Crookes, Levesley Bros., Joseph Smith and etc.
There was a good business with trademarks/stamps.
For example, the Adolph Kastor company paid Joseph Allen a royalty for the use of its "NON-XLL" mark, because of the resemblance to Wostenholm's "I*XL".

It is logical. The same situation was and Zazadze, ordered a razor Erne, along with your name, logo were Ern.

What is the meaning of Non-XLL?

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

What is the meaning of Non-XLL?

Wostenholm used the acronym I-X-L to mean ... I excel ..... Joseph Allen came along with Non XLL .... I guess hoping a confused buyer would pick his razor because he had heard how good the 'IXL' was. Not sure if that is the deal but that is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Thanks Jim,for me,another mystery solved