Thread: 60-pc Joseph Elliot traveling salesman display set

A collector's dream.

Thank you for sharing

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

I saw these images when they were circulating, and I was terrified they'd be sold to someone who would break up the sets and sell the blades for profit.

I am so grateful that you got them and want to keep them together and documented!

I've got a busy day today, but later I'll try and post some pictures of the inventory system used on 1920's era Elliots in a much more modest sales kit. It didn't change much!

My best guess is these kits were from the 1840's-1850's. I'm pretty sure those are all black horn, not bakelite.

Most of the weird looking spines and seldom-seen blade patterns actually go all the way back to 1810, and are illustrated in Smith's Key. And I had never seen a physical example of them!

Yeah, there were more degrees of separation between the seller and me but I kept the back story simple for their privacy. I know some guys passed on the set because they didn't want to then have to break up the set to make some of their money back. Rest assured this set will remain complete as long as it is in my possession.

I would be very pleased to see the 1920's era photos. I also thought most of the black scales might be horn actually instead of bakelite but I can't take the razors out of the frames to examine them closely. They are all just so pristine, they look like plastic. Most razors with horn scales are so dried out you can clearly see the grain patterns and delamination and also bug-bites/cracks/splits/etc. There is just a bit of damage to these razors like on #8 (streaked horn) and #26 (MOP inlay).

That is the most amazing set I have ever seen. a serious "Holy S--t that's awesome!" moment when I started looking at the pictures.

As for the golden sheen, I have a Boker that was put in a display and never touched, and it too, over a period of a hundred years has gained a stunning gold tone to it. At first I thought it was deliberate too, but in all my searching's I have never seen another, or read of one. The only time I have seen that coloring is on steel out of the heat treat furnace, so I am going to go with it being a reaction to a certain combination of the steels particular makeup and tempering and controlled oxidation. Much like a fine wine, it adds beauty and depth!

Love it!

Amazing!


Mike

Now that's an all out collection...Well done!

simply outstanding set for sure
that would have to be a RAD killer for sure

This is just amazing, what a treasure, congrats!

That is simply stunning.

Looks like we have a winner for the "Joseph Elliot Lifetime Collection Award".

Thank you for giving the set a good home! I appreciate that choice.
~Richard

I have never been so envious of a post before. I am over the top impressed with the quality and of course quantity. I love the old Sheffields and have several sets of two, four and one of seven but that is incredible. I too am most pleased that you bought them with the intent of leaving them as a set.