H.Boker & Co Germany 346

My grandmother tells me this belonged to my grandfather's grandfather who passed in 1850. That doesn't really seem the line up though. I know my grandfather had this in his possession from some paternal linage before he went to WWII in 1941. I wouldn't be interested in selling it for less than 5 figures and most of things like this seem to be 3 figures or less. Should I clean it up and use it?

Attachment 191444Attachment 191445Attachment 191446Attachment 191447Attachment 191448

Images linked to high res originals: poweredbyone.com/open/SR

Welcome to the forum. Valuations and sales are not discussed on the open forum. From what I see you have a fairly run of the mill razor in not bad condition that should clean up easily and take a fine edge. If you have no experience in restoring or honing razors I would send it out to for that to be done as it is an family heirloom. It should make a good shaving razor .

Bob

Oh wow, major writing error on my part. I was so busy trying to tell the store and upload the images, I basically forgot my question. I don't care how much it's worth, I want to know when it was made.

You most certainly should use it. I'd sell almost anything to get a hold of my Grandfathers razor.

First, the box does not belong to the razor. I may be wrong but I would estimate it 1900-1924.

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Originally Posted by intellilogic

Oh wow, major writing error on my part. I was so busy trying to tell the store and upload the images, I basically forgot my question. I don't care how much it's worth, I want to know when it was made.

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Generally it is impossible to get an exact date when a straight razor was made. None had serial numbers just like most tableware today. German records are a mess after the massive bombing in WWII. The best you can hope for is to narrow it down to a time frame possibly spanning several decades.

If you look here STRAZORS.com - all about classic razors - H.Boker & Co, Solingen. and try and match the tree stamp to one of the ones illustrated you might get and idea. Or cruise the vintage catalogs to see if you can find a match to one of the listings. Good luck.

Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

Generally it is impossible to get an exact date when a straight razor was made. None had serial numbers just like most tableware today. German records are a mess after the massive bombing in WWII. The best you can hope for is to narrow it down to a time frame possibly spanning several decades.

If you look here STRAZORS.com - all about classic razors - H.Boker & Co, Solingen. and try and match the tree stamp to one of the ones illustrated you might get and idea. Or cruise the vintage catalogs to see if you can find a match to one of the listings. Good luck.

Bob

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I saw this guide before posting and looked at some of the ones on eBay. I think that guide is really for the box as none of the blades have markings like that, but are more like mine. Since I don't have the box... I think it was sold in this buy, basically a marketing thing like car dealerships putting there logo on your car.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by intellilogic

I saw this guide before posting and looked at some of the ones on eBay. I think that guide is really for the box as none of the blades have markings like that, but are more like mine. Since I don't have the box... I think it was sold in this buy, basically a marketing thing like car dealerships putting there logo on your car.

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There are subtle differences in the tree logo stamped on Boker razor tangs from different time periods. The shape and number of branches etc. may give a clue as to time period from what I have been told. There seems to be a similar razor to yours illustrated in the ones from the 1906 catalog. Yours is stamped Germany so likely made after 1891 when the country of origin was required to be stamped on the razor. Unless you have the original bill of sale you will likely never know for sure. Hopefully some of the real experts will chime in with more info for you.

Bob