Thread: Joseph Rodgers & Sons - A query

Hi
Slightly catching the bug here, I've just purchased my 2nd vintage SR, the first being a John Heiffor with ivory scales and a lovely restored Wade & Butcher. I came across the manufacturer Joseph Rodgers & Sons. For now, i'm interested in vintage English razors as I come from the UK. I was wanting to know if the
below logo appears on any of their razors? I'm particulary interested in the VR (Queen Victoria) cypher and the words 'cutlers to her majesty' as well as the Maltese Cross (used to cancel the very first postage stamps 1d penny blacks). Seeing several on eBay they all say 'cutlers to their majesties'. After reading some more info online I learnt that the monarchs they covered were GIVR, WIVR, VR, EVIIR and GVR all of which had royal warrants for their cutlery. I would also like to know if anyone knows of any other razors which contain Royal Insignia on them, especially VR. Thanks

I don't think I have any with the V- regent symbol now but I've had them come and go. They pop up on the bay from time to time and members here have them. I also think I've seen ... maybe had 'Cutlers to Her Majesty. Check out 'The Jolly Rodgers' razor club here . Something may very well be in there. Also manah has a big PDF article on Rodgers history on his website.

http://www.strazors.com/uploads/images/rodgers.pdf

Rodgers marks circa 1919:



There are a lot of others that had Royal Warrants - that's what you have to have to be able to display that insignia. Plus many, many others from the same era that did not have a Royal Warrant, so couldn't display the mark - Victoria reigned an awful long time, and most of the well-known makers fall into that time-frame.

Regards,
Neil

Oddly, I don't see that many Rodgers blades with the crown mark, and fewer still with 'Her Majesty'. Many, many of them say 'Cutlers to Their Majesties', which I've always taken as A) Victorian and B) a degree of chauvinism on the part of the Rodgers company.

I have an incomplete box set where the stamped logo on the outside says 'Cutlers to Her Majesty' and the blades that came with it are stamped 'Their Majesties'. I also have an ivory handled desk knife with the 'Her Majesty' stamp, possibly simply due to size constraint as the tang is very small.

All but the very oldest of my Rodgers blades have the star and cross.

where the stamped logo on the outside says 'Cutlers to Her Majesty' and the blades that came with it are stamped 'Their Majesties'

Thanks for all this info. It is useful to know that there are indeed some that do say 'to her majesty' and not their majesties. During Queen Victoria's reign there was only one HM as Prince Albert was only ever an HRH. Looking at the info on Manah's pdf file, I'd say their majesties was to emphasise they had had several Royal Warrants. Queen Victoria would have been the 3rd, with George IV and William IV preceding her. I will be keen to find one with 'to her majesty' and / or the Royal cipher. Thanks everybody who has replied.

During last seven years, I've never seen razor(!) blade with stamp "Cutlers to Her Majesty".
...even in catalogs.

Thanks Alex, that is interesting info and what a beautiful set. It makes sense that they would use the "their majesties" stamp even when it was only Queen Victoria. People in those days never thought that a century or two later people would be collecting these things. If they only knew.

Alex this stub tail Rodgers Cast Steel ..... do you 'know' whether it is a Joseph Rodgers ? IIRC there were other Rodgers making razors that early.

Originally Posted by manah

How neat, I myself have not seen a two part tang like that before. How cool.

Originally Posted by postmastergeneral

Hi
Slightly catching the bug here, I've just purchased my 2nd vintage SR, the first being a John Heiffor with ivory scales and a lovely restored Wade & Butcher. I came across the manufacturer Joseph Rodgers & Sons. For now, i'm interested in vintage English razors as I come from the UK. I was wanting to know if the
below logo appears on any of their razors? I'm particulary interested in the VR (Queen Victoria) cypher and the words 'cutlers to her majesty' as well as the Maltese Cross (used to cancel the very first postage stamps 1d penny blacks). Seeing several on eBay they all say 'cutlers to their majesties'. After reading some more info online I learnt that the monarchs they covered were GIVR, WIVR, VR, EVIIR and GVR all of which had royal warrants for their cutlery. I would also like to know if anyone knows of any other razors which contain Royal Insignia on them, especially VR. Thanks

I've a wee Harrison Brothers & Howson with VR stamped and the Joseph Rogers I had also had it if I remember. Warrants on goods tend to move around different manufacturers from monarch to monarch, queen mother, prince of Wales etc. All can dish out warrants.