Thread: #78 F. Herder ABR Sohn, 5/8. Picked it up, curious to history, probable age etc.

Hi everybody,

I recently picked up a straight razor from an antique shop and I am curious as to how old the blade might be. It is a 5/8 Full Hollow razor, with the following inscriptions:

TANG, Side 1:
F HERDER ABR SOHN
SOLINGEN *Ace of Spades insignia*

TANG, Side 2:
*Two Keys insignia*

It came with what seems to be the original box, on which the following is imprinted:
F HERDER A Sn
Solingen

While looking around through SRP I did find some information on F. Herder, it however states nothing on the possible age of my #78 blade. ((SRP page on F. Herder, SRP forum post on a 6/8 F Herder, Page about a #78, 5/8 F. Herder. I can't deduct anything about the actual age of the blade from these posts.


The case


Two Key insignia


F HERDER ABR SOHN
SOLINGEN


Front view.

I sincerely hope somebody from here would be able to tell me more about the blade (and perhaps F. Herder Abraham Sohn). Thanks in advance.

PS. The scales broke about a week after I had it, while trying to unpin them to look at the blade. I am going to make new scales from oak and try and restore the blade. It will be my first restoration and I'm quite excited about the whole idea.

Welcome to SRP Luco, seems like you allready found much about the history behind your razor, but furthermore by looking at the razor its shape, and materials used for scales, i would date this razor to 1880-1890, good luck in your venture to restore, keep us posted on your progress.

By the way, properly hone you will find that Herder's are fine shavers.

The lack of country of origins make the razor pryor to 1891 and in 1915 the name change to F. Herder and Sohn.

The company was established in 1727 by Peter Herder - this is when the ace of spades was registered - the oldest trademark in Germany.
1762 - company owned by Abraham Herder and Johann Peter Herder after death of Peter Herder.
When Abraham Herder's son Johann Herder (b 1761) joined the company, Abraham named it to Joh Abr. Herder & Sne.
1839 - Abraham's grandson Friedrich Herder taken on as partner.
1841 - company re-named to Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn.
1848 - crossed keys trademark.

There were no more Herders, so the company name did not change.

1887 - Company taken over by Gustav Weyersberg.
1908 - Gustav's son Carl Weyersberg takes over company with Hermann Bick.
1927 - 'Constant' trademark for stainless steel knives.
1931 - 'Don Carlos' mark for pro knives and high carbon scissors.
1993 - company goes bankrupt with the Weyersberg and Bick families still as main shareholders.

Regarding the change of name in 1915 to "Friedrich Herder and Son' I have only seen this in one reference book on german bayonets and daggers. I have seen posts about people talking of F Herder and Son bayonets, knives, razors, etc, but when pics are supplied with the relevant posts they all have Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn on them.

Perhaps there is an alternative mark - but why? There were no Herders in the company at that time, only Weyersbergs and Bicks. I have seen a narrow bladed dagger with 'F. Herder. A. S.' on it - perhaps someone mistook the 'A.S.' as 'and son' whereas it would more likely be 'u. S.' - 'und Sohn' or '& S' - clearly space was short on the dagger and 'A. S.' means 'Abr. Sohn'.

I'm happy to be proven wrong, though! but by pictures, not reproductions of pages from knife and sword and bayonet collectors that are merely printed. In my support here is the front page of a Herder catalogue from 1938:



The blade looks to me like it could be from the early half of the 1900s. The fact that 'Germany' is not on it does not matter - hardly any of the makers that made edged weapons for the Third Reich in WW2 appended 'Germany' - just Solingen, as witness the 'F Herder A. S.' mark from that era:



Regards,
Neil

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...tml#post859908

I have already read that - all it does is repeat info from other sources, it doesn't give the answer.

Regards,
Neil

That thread stirred me in the wrong direction, looking at all the trademark for F. Herder Abr. Sohn all of them are registered to Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn, none of them for Herder & sohn. But Gustav Weyersberg and Hermann Bick were part of the Herder family, Gustav was the son of F. Herder daughter Emilie and Hermann Bick was the son of the second marriage with Emilie Herder.

Gentlemen, would Rich. Herder be a part of this family?

Yes.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...tml#post879678

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

repeat info from other sources,

I don't know about what sources you speak.
That info from my books, including Sword and Bayonet makers of Imperial Germany.

Originally Posted by manah

I don't know about what sources you speak.
That info from my books, including Sword and Bayonet makers of Imperial Germany.

Exactly. I have the same book.

It just states what you reproduced, with nothing to substantiate it. A single line - not even a full line - of print. No examples, no reproductions of the mark, no citations. Just because it is in print doesn't mean that it is so.

Regards,
Neil