Results 1 to 9 of 9
Like Tree11Likes
  • 3 Post By bouschie
  • 4 Post By Voidmonster
  • 1 Post By bouschie
  • 1 Post By Gasman
  • 2 Post By JBHoren

Thread: Early razor - need identification

  1. #1
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Pompano Beach, FL
    Posts
    4,014
    Thanked: 631

    Default Early razor - need identification

    Just got this one in a group of razors and cleaned it up. Has a Pipe logo with what looks like I.B., L.B. or J.B. I thought William & John Birks or F.W. plumacher. Any help would be appreciated.

    Name:  1539463264799823920813.jpg
Views: 302
Size:  64.4 KB
    Name:  1539463304994-744289683.jpg
Views: 284
Size:  32.7 KB
    Name:  1539463342664-778245884.jpg
Views: 329
Size:  54.0 KB

  2. #2
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Pompano Beach, FL
    Posts
    4,014
    Thanked: 631

    Default

    34 have viewed and no one has any info on maker. I know someone out there has a clue. Awaiting the answer.

  3. #3
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Niagara, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    2,767
    Thanked: 550

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bouschie View Post
    34 have viewed and no one has any info on maker. I know someone out there has a clue. Awaiting the answer.
    Looks like an early Wostenhome, but the pipe stamp looks different from the ones I have seen. I’m guessing.

    STRAZORS.com - all about classic razors - George Wostenholm & Son, Sheffield.
    David
    “Shared sorrow is lessened, shared joy is increased”
    ― Spider Robinson, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon

  4. #4
    32t
    32t is offline
    Senior Member blabbermouth 32t's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    50 miles west of randydance
    Posts
    9,573
    Thanked: 1352

    Default

    A pipe must have been popular as I have seen multiple uses of it in marks.

  5. #5
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Pompano Beach, FL
    Posts
    4,014
    Thanked: 631

    Default

    That is what I thought at first but Wostenholm pipe is curved this is straight. I found many makers that used a pipe or crossed pipes. Some had words or symbols with them. Nothing like this. W & J Birks used a similar pipe but no initials. I am stumped.

  6. #6
    Captain ARAD. Voidmonster's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Pacifica, CA
    Posts
    2,474
    Thanked: 2226

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bouschie View Post
    Just got this one in a group of razors and cleaned it up. Has a Pipe logo with what looks like I.B., L.B. or J.B. I thought William & John Birks or F.W. plumacher. Any help would be appreciated.

    Name:  1539463264799823920813.jpg
Views: 302
Size:  64.4 KB
    Name:  1539463304994-744289683.jpg
Views: 284
Size:  32.7 KB
    Name:  1539463342664-778245884.jpg
Views: 329
Size:  54.0 KB

    That's a head-scratcher alrighty.

    I have several thoughts on possible ID.

    The first and most likely is that it's not from Sheffield. I can't really pin it down more than that, but the shape of that razor is just all wrong.

    The second though is:

    If a late 1700's Sheffield razor got 'modernized' at some point, it might possibly end up looking like that.

    How thick is the tail? The older razors tapered in thickness a lot more than the newer ones.

    If it is a heavily modified old Sheffield razor, there's only one mark that's close, in Gales & Martin's 1787 directory.

    William Mullins. Scroll down to near the bottom of Fikira's page on the Birks pipe mark to see.

    But if it is, it's a misprint and... Uh, it'd be pretty weird for a sickle maker to also make razors. There are a handful of Mullinses in the apprentice registry, but none are in the right trade. They all made files or sickles (and an oddball who made shears). Sickles were a sufficiently different trade that even the family names are different from typical Sheffield cutlers.

    Still, never say never! Table knives were fairly separated too, but William Teal made both table knives and razors and was only listed for table knives.

    The short version: I don't know, probably not Sheffield, but maaaaaaaybe William Mullins or kin, heavily modified.
    JBHoren, 32t, Fikira and 1 others like this.
    -Zak Jarvis. Writer. Artist. Bon vivant.

  7. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Voidmonster For This Useful Post:

    32t (10-14-2018), Fikira (11-07-2018), JBHoren (11-02-2018)

  8. #7
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Pompano Beach, FL
    Posts
    4,014
    Thanked: 631

    Default

    Thanks so much for the info.
    The second guess I made was Plumacher. Definitely not Sheffield.
    And the mystery continues.
    Voidmonster likes this.

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to bouschie For This Useful Post:

    Voidmonster (10-14-2018)

  10. #8
    Skeptical Member Gasman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Colorado Springs
    Posts
    10,473
    Thanked: 2182

    Default

    It looks a bit on the thin side. But you know its a great blade! Got any plans for it yet?
    MikeT likes this.
    It's just Sharpening, right?
    Jerry...

  11. #9
    I'm a social vegan. I avoid meet. JBHoren's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Greenacres, FL
    Posts
    2,834
    Thanked: 599

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gasman View Post
    It looks a bit on the thin side. But you know its a great blade! Got any plans for it yet?
    It's now mine (see SOTD entry for today, 02 November 2018). I plan to keep and use it!
    Last edited by JBHoren; 11-02-2018 at 08:17 PM.
    32t and Gasman like this.
    You can have everything, and still not have enough.
    I'd give it all up, for just a little more.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •