John Barber Unwrapped!

So today while I was at work my wife called and she started telling me what came in the mail. She got down to last of it when she asked, "what's this envelope from a Smith guy in Wisconsin?" Needless to say I was ready to get home after that!

http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-494d-c89e.jpg

Finally got all the tape off the dang envelope.

http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4976-5e36.jpg

Oooooooo........bubble wrap.

http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4988-a385.jpg

Seems like a decent razor. It is a lot heavier than my Dubl duck or my Shumate.
http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4a2f-adb2.jpg
http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4a47-d8c2.jpg
http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4a60-2ce9.jpg
http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4a74-f9c3.jpg

It's got a little bit of a smile, but not too bad and I even kind of like it.

Can a someone help me narrow down an age range? I'm thinking around 1830 based on the year range for John Barber and the slightly longer tang.

Also, is that a near wedge, or something different?

http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4cd7-42a1.jpg
http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4cea-2fd5.jpg
http://tapatalk.com/mu/ad1867a9-4cf8-a1ba.jpg

I really wanted to leave this razor in patina, but it looks like someone had taken a dremel to the blade. There are scratches all over it. I guess I'll just have to restore it. Dang. Lol. Ohhhh well! I'm really thinking honey ox horn from masecraft with a faux ivory wedge. Brass pins and a tang pin in the middle of the scales. Is that what it's called?

Also forgot to say: it's an 11/16" razor.

Congrats.
You can define that one as a wedge or 1/4 hollow , both are correct.
Most Sheffield razors were made smiling. It is normal & preferred by some.
Frowns on the other hand are not good.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by medicevans

Can a someone help me narrow down an age range? I'm thinking around 1830 based on the year range for John Barber and the slightly longer tang.

---

I am afraid I do not have any solid knowledge on this matter. However, my John Barber has a different logo:

Attachment 74486

I am not sure, but it seems likely they changed/elaborated the square/logo in the later period, possibly when technique allowed better results?
Perhaps someone has better knowledge of their different logos will chime in.
Lovely razor, btw!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by str8fencer

I am afraid I do not have any solid knowledge on this matter. However, my John Barber has a different logo:

Attachment 74486

I am not sure, but it seems likely they changed/elaborated the square/logo in the later period, possibly when technique allowed better results?
Perhaps someone has better knowledge of their different logos will chime in.
Lovely razor, btw!

---

Could you post a picture of your razor with the full blade from the shoulder to the tang? I'm curious to see the tail profile.

Thanks for the compliment on the blade, but I really had nothing to do with it. Lol. :D

Sorry, not a great pic I'm afraid:

Attachment 74497
Tail seems to be shorter and fatter than on yours, but not easy to get a clear impression from the pics.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by medicevans

I really had nothing to do with it. Lol. :D

---

Well - you bought it :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by str8fencer

Sorry, not a great pic I'm afraid:

Attachment 74497
Tail seems to be shorter and fatter than on yours, but not easy to get a clear impression from the pics.



Well - you bought it :)

---

Very true!



I have come to a few conclusions, to wit:
1. Your tail is slightly stubbier, and the logo is not as detailed.
2. My tail is longer and the logo is more refined.
This would mean that my JB is probably produced later than yours.
3. John Barber was in production from 1810-1834 per Lummus.
4. Reference this page: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ght-razor.html

It would suggest that your razor was produced towards the early part of the date range.
The aforementioned thread would suggest that my razor was made past 1825ish and almost certainly towards the end of Barber's business, 1834.

So, that's my reasoning anyway. Whatcha think?

That would be how I perceive it as well, but it is hard to know for sure without firm knowledge.
If anyone had access to records showing when the different logos were used we would know for sure.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by medicevans

Very true!

I have come to a few conclusions, to wit:
1. Your tail is slightly stubbier, and the logo is not as detailed.
2. My tail is longer and the logo is more refined.
This would mean that my JB is probably produced later than yours.
3. John Barber was in production from 1810-1834 per Lummus.
4. Reference this page: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ght-razor.html

It would suggest that your razor was produced towards the early part of the date range.
The aforementioned thread would suggest that my razor was made past 1825ish and almost certainly towards the end of Barber's business, 1834.

So, that's my reasoning anyway. Whatcha think?

---

According to a copy of an old Lummus article I have, your style tang was used on razors from 1833-1840. So that matches with sometime during the last 2 years of his business. str8fencers looks like one from the 1820-1833 period in the article.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WBK

According to a copy of an old Lummus article I have, your style tang was used on razors from 1833-1840. So that matches with sometime during the last 2 years of his business. str8fencers looks like one from the 1820-1833 period in the article.

---

Let me start by saying that I agree with you about that 100%. I really think that based on what we know and what we can compare it to, we can fairly confidently date it from 1830-34. Which is pretty cool!

The question that I have is this; what would have stopped a maker from making a tang in 1825 that looked like an 1835 tang? Were there actual rules, or how did that work? I think old Judge Lumus knew his razors, but I wonder if he said "I know this one razor by this one maker has this type of tang and is an 1835, so that's the cutoff." or exactly how he did know.

From what I have read, basically a cutler came up with an "improvement" and the others copied so as to have the "latest/greatest" design as well. A lot of his research came from old collections. I suppose he was also able to verify what he was seeing by looking at dates various cutlers were in business and the styles used during those dates. I wish I had that kind of time on my hands!

Well, I guess study law, become a judge, retire rich and then you cam spend all the time you want playing with razors. Lol. Thanks for the info. I didn't know that.