George Brittain "Acier Fondu" Razor

Found this on eBay last week, on the way to Phranky's Shave Den and a cleaning.

This razor is stamped, "Acier Fondu", molten steel is the literal translation, but cast steel seems to the technical translation.

Obviously French, which makes me wonder if the GB and Maltese / Iron Cross were added later? Who knows. No anchor stamp as well....

Looks like it may have a slight frown, but I think this should clean up nicely, think it's the smallest GB I've seen.....:D

Attachment 256215
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Definitely not added later, was very common for Sheffielders to stamp cutlery with Acier Fondu instead of cast steel. That razor is approximately 200 years old. Great find!

A beautiful thing

And yes "Acier Fondu" is French, after Huntsman invented "Cast Steel" the English cutlers didn't like the new steel so Huntsman was selling most of his production to France hence the mark "Acier Fondu". Decades later they were force to use it to compete with the French and many used the "Acier Fondu" markings because what was made from the French was superior as far as steel goes.

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Originally Posted by Martin103

And yes "Acier Fondu" is French, after Huntsman invented "Cast Steel" the English cutlers didn't like the new steel so Huntsman was selling most of his production to France hence the mark "Acier Fondu". Decades later they were force to use it to compete with the French and many used the "Acier Fondu" markings because what was made from the French was superior as far as steel goes.

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So to surface the old legend, the Anchor signifying Birmingham, which I've read has no or little basis in fact...curious as to why the Anchor stamp is missing? Any ideas?

I dunno, but I thought I may see some 9/8 razors here!

Before the anchor GB?

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Originally Posted by Phrank

So to surface the old legend, the Anchor signifying Birmingham, which I've read has no or little basis in fact...curious as to why the Anchor stamp is missing? Any ideas?

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Well firstly its not a George Brittain razor, its a Brittain, Wilkinson & Brownell.
Attachment 256225
I'm assuming the anchor came later in this firm history as you mainly see that on the big choppers.

Fascinating Martin, thank-you, so this razor most likely is an 18th century razor? Just under the wire at 1797? ;)

So can the anchor be attributed to George alone? Way I understood it?

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Originally Posted by Phrank

Fascinating Martin, thank-you, so this razor most likely is an 18th century razor? Just under the wire at 1797? ;)

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Personally I think this razor is early 1800's.

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

So can the anchor be attributed to George alone? Way I understood it?

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Don't think the Anchor had anything to do with George since he died in 1812, you notice an evolution with their razors, from the ones marked "France" then the ones like Phrank, and later the big choppers. George sons took over his part of the business by 1815, Verdon and Bernard.

Thanks again Martin, either way, 200 years old, I'm going to tell myself 1797.... :-)

Now to read up on how to fill that gap in the scales, and clean this up without changing anything at all, leaving it as original as it is...no unpinning I guess, gentle hand sanding and some WD-40 possibly to get at the gunk in the pivot pin area...this one stays as original as I can leave it.

Had good success fixing the bug bites, with epoxy and horn dust from a left over piece.

So thanks for that info, Martin!
If I understand correctly, no such thing as a George Brittain?
Its Brittain, Wilkinson, and Brownell!

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

So thanks for that info, Martin!
If I understand correctly, no such thing as a George Brittain?
Its Brittain, Wilkinson, and Brownell!

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That is correct, The partnership was George Brittain, Jonathan Wilkinson, and Peter Brownell. Could never figure out as to why many claim to have a George Brittain razor.

Perhaps because they have GB upon them....
I suppose he was the principle partner ?

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Perhaps because they have GB upon them....
I suppose he was the principle partner ?

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Yes that does make sense.

George Brittain likely did make razors early in his career, but that was in the 1760's.

The anchor mark was a generic one, and it really chaps my donkey that I have no idea what it signified.

It persisted for quite a while, and I've seen GB, Rodgers, Wade & Butcher and generic (warranted, cast steel, etc) versions. Most of them are big razors, but not all.

This is probably the most unusual one I've seen:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e6fc4189e8.jpg

The scales are red translucent horn. The blade is etched "Fine Silver Steel" on the front and "Probe Gut"(!) on the pile side.

Hey Zak - so what do you think the date is on the OP GB?

interesting - I have an Anchor stamped blade that looks exactly like yours, no makers mark though, and another with a "fouled Anchor" by I. Barber.

And of course the requisite early W&B with the Anchor...heard everything from the made in Birmingham to they were sold at Ports specifically for Sailors.

I'd say that one is near the end of their run -- 1835-1840ish. I also just checked my Tweedale directory, and he records that the Brittain and Brownell families parted ways in the late 1830's and that the Brittain family continued producing edge tools under their own name (though the biz was being run by George's son, Verdon).

As for the anchor mark, all there are are guesses and until some period sources turn up, I don't place stock in any of them.

The mark is ancient. Here's an anchor stamped razor from the 15th-16th century, probably made in Germany.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a953f8625b.jpg

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Originally Posted by Voidmonster

I'd say that one is near the end of their run -- 1835-1840ish. I also just checked my Tweedale directory, and he records that the Brittain and Brownell families parted ways in the late 1830's and that the Brittain family continued producing edge tools under their own name (though the biz was being run by George's son, Verdon).

As for the anchor mark, all there are are guesses and until some period sources turn up, I don't place stock in any of them.

The mark is ancient. Here's an anchor stamped razor from the 15th-16th century, probably made in Germany.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a953f8625b.jpg

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Interesting...So was Wilkinson still involved after the departure of Brownell?

Seems later ones may well be George Brittain razors. (If you can call 1830's 'later'!)

I like Prank's idea of being pushed to sailors on the anchor. Makes perfect sense?

Let's see a 'fouled anchor', Phrank! :shrug:

So here's the one I have that's like Zaks...Anchor and no maker's mark:

Attachment 256354

And here is an I. Barber, "Fouled Anchor", notice the Anchor rope wrapped around the anchor?

"It is usually applied to the state of an anchor, which has become hooked on some impediment on the ground, or has its cable wound round the stock or flukes."

Attachment 256355
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An I Barber!
Whose words are you quoting, Phrank? Sounds familiar!
Might that be an 'S' superimposed upon the anchor?

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

An I Barber!
Whose words are you quoting, Phrank? Sounds familiar!
Might that be an 'S' superimposed upon the anchor?

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It's an old symbol, but here's the link, it's currently used by the United States Navy, and it's not a, "S", it's a rope....;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foul_(nautical)

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I see! :tu

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Originally Posted by Phrank

It's an old symbol, but here's the link, it's currently used by the United States Navy, and it's not a, "S", it's a rope....;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foul_(nautical)

Attachment 256357

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So by this description could they have been marketed to the Royal Navy?

Yup...there's a few different symbols for a "fouled anchor":

Attachment 256360

More cut and paste info:

An anchor that is foul of the cable or chain is a symbol found in various Navy crests. No one really knows why the anchor was used as a symbol for the chief petty officer.
Many chiefs believe that it symbolizes the difficulty that they face everyday, but that is just a fanciful guess. The device is on the cap of the most naval officers, the distinguishing device of a Chief Petty Officer, the collar device of midshipman, and on the cap badges of the British naval officers.
Many sailors regard the device a sign of poor seamanship. Although, artistic to a civilian, it has been called a sailor's disgrace by some.

The fouled anchor was first seen as an insignia of the Lord High Admiral of England, Lord Howard of Effignham, around 1588 during the Spanish Armada battle. More than 400 years later, the insignia is still the official seal for the admiral's office.
The fouled anchor insignia is just one example of how the British navy influenced the navies around the world.

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Originally Posted by Phrank

So to surface the old legend, the Anchor signifying Birmingham, which I've read has no or little basis in fact...curious as to why the Anchor stamp is missing? Any ideas?

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The association of anchor-stamped steel items with Birmingham comes, as far as I can tell, from a misunderstanding that the silver hallmark for Birmingham could be meaningful on anything other than silver.

Tweedale didn't say what happened to Wilkinson, so I dunno!

And hey, 1830's is awfully late for me. :D

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Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Tweedale didn't say what happened to Wilkinson, so I dunno!

And hey, 1830's is awfully late for me. :D

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1830's to late as in you think the razor is dated earlier? The Acier Fondu stamp and the almost stub tail looks earlier to me, almost a transition razor....

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Originally Posted by Phrank

1830's to late as in you think the razor is dated earlier? The Acier Fondu stamp and the almost stub tail looks earlier to me, almost a transition razor....

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1830's is too young for me. :D

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Originally Posted by Voidmonster

1830's is too young for me. :D

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LOL - so my hope's for a 18th blade are dashed...with that tail, figured it looked a bit later...been looking at this site, some fascinating stuff:

https://acierfondu.wordpress.com/mak.../early-razors/

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Originally Posted by Voidmonster

1830's is too young for me. :D

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It just arrived, it's a stub tail, definitely very early 1800's....

Later than 1830's, no way, you've been staring into the Void too long.....:)

Do you have more pictures of it? The one from the original post looks maximum 1820s to me, more toward the younger.

Have terrible photo conditions, have to get that little light box set up...here's a shot of the tang area:

Attachment 256890