Thread: JG Dodd, Liverpool, "Magbel" 6/8"

Agreed!!

The maker of Magbel razors is shrouded in mystery. The term itself comes from the words Made And Ground By English Labour, which suggests some type of conglomerate.

Magbel razors have many makers marks on the tangs, as well as agents or re-sellers names, such as:

J. G. Dodd, Liverpool
R Kelley & Sons, Liverpool
John Clarke & Son, Sheffield
William Rodgers, Sheffield

It seems that they had 'Sheffield' on the reverse of some of the tangs. Some people say the mark is that of John Clarke & Son (of 'NEVA' and 'I Cut My Way' fame), but research the first use of the mark in advertising by them and you get a date of 1952.

You also find that the "I Cut My Way" mark was owned by William Rodgers before John Clarke acquired it. Rodgers stopped production c1870 and Thomas Hobson acquired the mark, it was then taken by John Clarke in 1911, so the Magbel Razor with William Rodgers "I Cut My Way Stamp" on it predates 1911.



There is an ad (I won't show it due to copyright law) dated 1909 and held by the National Archives. They manage to add another 'L' to Magbel, although the ad itself spells it correctly:



There is also a mention of a Manchester Depot stocking Magbel Razors in 1914 in several papers, worded: "Shaving free from discomfort or difficulty guaranteed by using the Magbel perfect edge easy cutting razor. Direct from maker 4/6 post free any address. Apply Magbel Depot, 4 Manchester Street, Liverpool".



4 Manchester Street Liverpool happened to be the address of J. G. Dodd in 1911-14! It was a jewellers before this.

Going further back to 1904 we have another advertisement from the London Monitor and New Era newspaper worded as follows: "...“MAGBEL” RAZORS for easy shaving, post free 3s., 4s. 6d., and 5s. 6d.—J. G. Dodd, Cutler, 10, St. John's Lane, Liverpool..."

So who was this J. G. Dodd? I have not had much success trying to research him, but I have found a Canadian gent who arrived on 'The Germanic', a ship of the White Star Dominion Line, in Liverpool in 1903, and who returned to Quebec, Canada on "The Calgarian" in 1914 - the outbreak of WW1.

Could it be the same person?

Regards,
Neil

Neil, if you EVER decide to put a book together about razor and maker history together, I want THE first signed copy that comes off the press