Thread: Michael Price - San Francisco

I originally started collecting razors from my interests in knives over 15 years ago. I had read about an early San Francisco knife maker named Micheal Price. He is one of the most sought after early California knife makers from around the Gold Rush to early 1880's. I knew the likely hood of me ever finding one of his knives that I could afford was slim to none. I had noticed it was mentioned that he had made razors. I thought it may be possible to find one of his razors since I live on the centeral coast of California.and take trips to the Mother Lode and Nevada.

I searched thru thousands of razors over the years looking for a Michael Price. Who can look at that many razors and not start collecting them?
About 3 years ago on Fathers Day I went to a street fair and finally picked up a Michael Price razor. When I found it it felt like I found a $1,000,000. I had to look at it five times just to make sure I was seeing it right. It was just a simple black hard rubber scaled razor - nothing fancy, but I finally found one. I should have taken all of the bets people were trying to make with me doubting I would find one.

Funny how things work out. After searching all of those years, two months later I was going thru an antique mall on Cannery Row in Monterey and I found another Michael Price tucked away in the back of a booth. This one had ivory scales that were perfect - no cracks or stains and color bright and clean. I rubbed it in to a friend and razor collector who had a booth there. Both of us had been thru the booth many times before and had missed it.... the dealer said she had had it there for over two years.

Both are currently in as found condition, I am trying to decide how far I want to go with cleaning them up or just leaving them as is. I do not think they will ever be users.

Sorry to be long winded, but I thought I would posts pictures of them here in case anyone else is interested in Michael Price besides me.

All I can say is WOW and Neat!!!

All I can say is COOL!!! Love finding/hunting for lesser named items that escape most collectors scans

I'm on a hunt for a firearm made by my great great grandfather (gunsmith) from the 1850's. Would be cool to find one

Finding two is a great way to start a collection from him as well

I have read about Michael Price's knives in a magazine years ago. Great finds there. If one or both were mine I would have to polish them up with some semichrome on a paper towel and hone them up and put them into service. To me it vastly enhances the enjoyment of a collectible to put it to the use it was meant for.

Wonderful finds!

Thanks for sharing two fine razors from an uncommon brand. The blade profile on the ivory scaled Michael Price razor is one I have not seen before, and is very interesting. It also looks like it could be a fine shaver, if you don't damage those beautiful scales. I admit that I rarely shave with my ivories, out of fear of dropping them, and have broken a scale while tightening a pin on one......up to you, but I could not resist the temptation to shave with that one. As for the maker; from Goins'

M. PRICE SAN FRANCISCO C 1856-1889. This company manufactured "Bowie" type knives among other kinds of cutlery.

Thanks for showing interest in the razors!

The ivory is an unusal profile. I beleive it may have been a "guard razor". I believe I read that Michael Price started a line of these in the 1870's and was considered the inventor of this particular style of guard and it eventually evolved into the safety razor. I unfortunately do not have my reference book, " Knife Makers of Old San Francisco ", available to verify this, it is there I believe I saw the identical razor. I have had the book packed away for a few years in anticipation of a move out of state that has never taken place. His guard razor was to be used either with or without the guard. I do not remember ever seeing a picture of the guard and have no idea how it worked .... I do not remember the reference book having a picture of it as well.

Originally Posted by calphotography

Thanks for showing interest in the razors!

The ivory is an unusal profile. I beleive it may have been a "guard razor". I believe I read that Michael Price started a line of these in the 1870's and was considered the inventor of this particular style of guard and it eventually evolved into the safety razor. I unfortunately do not have my reference book, " Knife Makers of Old San Francisco ", available to verify this, it is there I believe I saw the identical razor. I have had the book packed away for a few years in anticipation of a move out of state that has never taken place. His guard razor was to be used either with or without the guard. I do not remember ever seeing a picture of the guard and have no idea how it worked .... I do not remember the reference book having a picture of it as well.

If you ever do find a picture of the guard, please post it. I have a snap on guard that will fit most razors, but was for hair shaping, not shaving. Your razor guard would be a rare piece of memorabilia indeed!

Originally Posted by Croaker

If you ever do find a picture of the guard, please post it. I have a snap on guard that will fit most razors, but was for hair shaping, not shaving. Your razor guard would be a rare piece of memorabilia indeed!

I did a search on Michael Price and safety razor history and came up with this site From Perret to Kampfe: Origins of the Safety Razor. It shows the Michael Price razor from the picture in "Knife Makers of Old San Franciisco" by Bernard Levine. Unfortunately its the only picture that I have ever seen and it does not show the guard. The guard may be a piece of lost history, if anyone would have a picture of it it seems it would be Bernard Levine ( He's the biggest authority on M.Price). I have had contact with him in the past on other knife related subjects. He comes across as being very thorough and a bit of a perfectionist - if he had access to a picture I am sure he would have included it. The razor is pretty rare - I would hope, but I question if any guards have survived. Maybe someday I will find an advertisement that will illustrate it or find a collector of safety razors that may know something about it.

I would like to see a photo of the guard that you have, if you are willing and able. I have some razors that hold a safety razor blade to cut hair with, but do not remember seeing a guard to go on a straight razor for that purpose.

It may take a while to find the guard-I put it away somewhere among the boxes and boxes of beater razors, months ago..........