An early Harwood & Co stubtail

Another recent acquisition, a late 1700s to early 1800s Harwood and Co. This is the third from this maker that I have, but by far the best condition. Actually, possibly the best condition of any I have from this period. It is almost untouched.

Attachment 154369

Attachment 154370

Attachment 154371

Here it is pictured next to a very similar Norris:

Attachment 154372

The patterns of concentric circles would have once been filled with some kind of silver metal, maybe pewter. The Norris still has some traces, and I will re-fill the patterns on the Harwood when I get the time.

Attachment 154374

Very rare and fine, never see a so early Harwood !

Truly looks museum quality. Probably a stupid question but are you going to get it shave ready and test drive it or preserve with said restoration of filling pattern and just admire it? Seems like it would be a difficult call, and I can see arguments on both sides as being reasonable.

Those tiny pins in the scales that process is called penning. The artisians that did that work way back then are pure genius. I even heard that the majority of penning was done by women.

Both very nice razors. I'm a sucker for early razors!