Thread: Amazing Find

So I'm home on leave for 10 days and we have a big family get together on Sunday. Lots of relatives (around 50) came down to eat at my granny's house. Granny is 90 and has dementia. My aunt lives with her and along with other family members assistance, takes care of her. Anyway, she can say hello to you and then look at you 2 minutes later and ask when you got there.

So my momma was talking about how I was shaving with a straight razor and she couldn't believe it. Granny looked up and said "You should give him Jacks (my deceased grandpaw) old razors from the war (WWII)." Nobody knew where they were and she directed my cousin into the attic to a pile to a box and a smaller box inside that which contained 2 old straight razors. She gave them to me and said my Paw Jack would want me to have them. Then she said her brother, my Uncle Junior, could show me how to use them and to tell him to give me Jack's old shaving mug. Uncle junior had died of cancer nearly 10 years ago.

I have no idea what the make is or what they are worth but I know I'll never sell them.

I have my Great Grandfathers razors. It's awesome to have a family piece or two in your case. Enjoy them, I know I do mine. I take mine out for special shaves, like if I am going out to an event or if I'm feeling nostalgic. It's a great shaver too!

Way cool. If you can read whatever is stamped on the tang of the blades, or if there is any etching on the belly of the blade, maybe someone can tell you something about the maker.

All I can say is...Wow!!!

Congratulations.

Dementia and other age related diseases are a truly awful thing. Its wonderful that Gram was lucid enough to recall what to many would seem like such a trivial bit of information. I think the fact that she pulled out this bit of memory is a testament to the bonds of family, and make those razors just that much more spectacular. Use them in good health! =D

I read the etching on the blades and got some information from a quick search. The razor with the darker scales was made by A. J. Jordan of Sheffield, England. The razor with the lighter scales, like ivory or something, was made in Germany and imported to the U.S.A. by Townley Metal and HDW Co of Kansas City, Missouri.

Originally Posted by Darth

I read the etching on the blades and got some information from a quick search. The razor with the darker scales was made by A. J. Jordan of Sheffield, England. The razor with the lighter scales, like ivory or something, was made in Germany and imported to the U.S.A. by Townley Metal and HDW Co of Kansas City, Missouri.

Here a good thread about A.J. Jordan Sheffield/ St-Louis, history : http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ve-here-2.html

And some history about the Townley Metal and Hardware Co. James P. Townley was born in 1848 in Cincinatti Ohio. As a young men he worked in various hardware companies in Terre haute Indiana.

In 1884 he moved to Kansas City, and founded the Townley Metal Company. 1885 the company was incorporated as Townley Metal Co.
By the year 1902 the company changed it name to Townley Metal and Hardware company. The company grew rapidly, and was forced to built 3 warehouses within the city. Their catalog was massive, and you could buy pot belly stove, hardware, cutlery, tools etc.

That said your Townley razor was made after 1902, more then likely by a high quality Solingen Germany firm.

Andrew Jackson Jordan was quite an entrepreneur.
Here's another example of his cutlery. This was made at the old PLATT'S Brothers factory shortly after he bought it in 1912. He later changed the names of the knives made there to Clay Cutlery after his nephew.




A. J. Jordan from Solingen

Great story and what a save for history...it's easy to imagine that had your Mom not jogged her memory they could have been "lost" is some yard sale. I recently received two of my Grandfathers razors and it still gets to me when i think they could have slipped away.

May they bring you good shaves and better memories...