Hey Science Guy...I'm glad you popped into the thread. Can you give me your opinion on the approximate time frame of when this razor was manufactured?
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Well it's VR, so you know the date range there. But it seems like the VR stamp lost popularity after a while, I'm not sure when this happened but there are certainly numerous examples of Rodgers stamps lacking a royal stamp that are pre-1901. Maybe Zak can chime in here - I don't have solid information on when that change may have occurred. The razor in question, if I were to guess, I'd peg it in the 1840s-60s range, but I can't offer any support for that estimate.
All the ones I've seen like this seem to have come from dressing kits. They were definitely a premium item!
I agree with ScienceGuy's date estimate, but I'd weight the probability on the earlier dates. The overall shape of the razor (apart from the very nice spinework) is that long-blade, shoulderless grind that was super-popular in the 1830's. Everybody made'em! Or at least everybody hired the guy that did make'em. :)
Wood scales are almost always replacements, but on this one I'm not so sure. I have a Rodgers with the exact same blade blank (minus spinework) that came in Macassar ebony scales, pinned collarless.
Thanks for chiming in Zak...
I agree that it has that 1830's blade profile (minus the spine work)...and as you well know that is one of my fav's. I pegged it in the 40's mainly because of the blade profile. The scales however are definitely replacements as Science Guy says. They're made from a rather thin veneer type light-weight wood...like blonde ash as I suggested. However if they were removed and sanded and polished properly, they would actually be rather attractive, and they do fit the razor quite nicely.
If this razor was mine, I would definitely replace them with a more period correct material. Horn of course, or Black ebony would be nice!