Thread: Need a little help with info on some Wostys

I got these a couple of weeks back. I have been trying to get all the info I can, but I could uses a little help. The pictures are not the best. all I have is my phone

The first one is is marked

IXL Geo WOSTENHOLM & SON
SHEFFIED ENG.

On the back is

WECK.
NY
This a very light strike and hard to read.

The scales appear to rubber/Bakelite and the blade is very clean There is no visible signs of hone wear.
I know there was a WECK in NY, But I am not sure why there is a period after the name. My thought so far is he may have bought the blades and added his mark to it.




The next one appears to have some age on it. The scales are bone. Etching on the blade is very like, but it looks like "Peerless". The style looks like a model 101.

The markings on the front are

Geo WOSTENHOLM & SON
SHEFFIED ENG.
England

On the back

"trademark
his pipe marking
REG9DEC 1694"



I know that the "9 DEC 1694" is the original registration for the Trademark, but I have never seen all this markings together.

Any help is appreciated.

Hi – won’t go into the long and detailed George Wostenholm history, but hopefully some of these details help. I also don’t claim to be an historical expert – just have some nifty resources tucked away!

First, the marking of “England” or “Eng” may date both razors to post-1914, although this is not always the case. The etchings may also be dated later than the blades – as WECK and PEERLESS were only around from 1893 and 1920 respectively.

Here are the details:

GEORGE WOSTENHOLM & SON were successors to GEORGE WOSTENHOLM in the early 1800s – possibly 1823.

The ‘pipe’ mark has a very long history – it was only acquired by WOSTENHOLM & SON in around 1843 from William Hutchinson, but was apparently granted on 22 December 1694, making it the oldest mark on the Company of Cutlers' register.

The I*XL mark was also acquired, from William A. Smith in around 1826, but dating back to 29 June 1787.

In the 1830s GEORGE WOSTENHOLM & SON entered a partnership with William Stenton, a buyer for Naylor and Sanderson's of Sheffield. William Stenton opened up markets in America for the surplus stock that the Wostenholms had on their hands in the 1830s.

In 1834, George took over the firm as a result of his father’s death, and in 1836 made his first visit to America and set up a chain of agencies selling cutlery carrying his famous l*XL trade mark. The main office was in New York.

That brings us to the final two markings, which are both American – EDWARD WECK was based in New York from around 1893 until recent times, and PEERLESS CUTLERY CO. was based in New York from 1920 – 1921.

Hopefully that helps, although may simply serve to confuse. Happy to be corrected on any details if inaccurate!

Suavio,

Thank you for the information!

Andy