Thread: Robert Wade and the challenge of sorting history.

Judging by the auction pictures, the spine is more rounded than that - at the edges - so I'm not sure it's the same style. Below are a couple of downsized images from the auction, I hope it's OK to post them. If not, my apologies to admin. I realise it's not in great condition but I had a moment of madness as I really wanted an early 1800s straight.

Hah! Yes, yes indeed! That one looks to be about the same as the one I have with the "R. Wade" stamp, probably just a little bit earlier.

I was confused because this razor also recently sold through eBay:



If you're not well-versed in honing, you should send that one to a professional, but it will definitely be able to shave. It's just going to be some work getting it there.

Great! - Thanks very much for shedding some light on it for me, I really appreciate your expert opinion. So, you'd put it somewhere in the 1820s maybe?

I really hope it has not gone astray in the mail now. I paid extra for priority shipping but unfortunately the tracking ends when the package leaves the USA. I expected it to arrive toward the end of last week but I'm hoping it's just been held up in customs. It actually took 11 days to get from North Carolina to Los Angeles so maybe postal workers around the world are on a go slow.

I might have a problem with the honing, assuming it does eventually turn up, as I live in Thailand. I am visiting family in the UK in a couple of weeks time though so maybe I can find a honemeister there who can do the job for me before I return.

Anyway, thanks again for answering my questions. I only have 3 straights so far, two of which are wedges. There's something about the weight and feel of a wedge blade that I really love, and the history side of it gives me a real buzz for some reason.

The history of them is what keeps me interested, so I know what you mean!

I would estimate your razor was made closer to 1815 than 1820. The later razors made by him included the first initial, R.

Best of luck with the postal situation! It can sometimes take quite a long time for international shipping. I think the longest for me was a month and a week.

I just found a pink slip from the main post office delivered today - they are holding something for me with some duty to pay (much less than I was expecting). I think this must be my razor as I'm not expecting anything else. Looks like I'll be able to get a better look at it tomorrow when I can go to the post office and collect it Your good luck wishes must have done the trick - cheers!

From the Boston Evening Transcript Jun 16, 1914.

Charlotte was his first child with his first wife. Sadly, Charlotte (the elder) died very shortly after her daughter was born.

It took a great deal of effort to track down any information on what happened to her after the birth of their daughter, or indeed what happened to their daughter after she was born. It looks like the baby went off to live with the Swett family until Robert married Mary Ann Reed (probably sometime around 1856-57, since Eleanor was born in late November 1857).

I'd never managed to track down an obit for Charlotte the younger, and didn't try very hard since I'd assumed she and her husband moved to Switzerland! GREAT find, Martin!

Now to just figure out what happened to Robert's sister, Jane Elizabeth!