Thread: Turner & Cowlishaw, Meriden Conn, Restoration & History

I been wanting one of these for a while because of its history on a somewhat not to famous American razor co. The ebay alert came in and won the auction.


The razor had to be taken apart because it would barely open, i was actually scared to open it since the horn scales were noisy in trying to open and i wanted to save them.

You cant see it on the pictures but the wedge is built in the scales on both sides of them. The restoration was pretty simple clean everything up and re-assemble.




What got my attention of this particular maker is the history behind it.
Joseph Turner was born in Sheffield in 1838, his father died when Joseph was a mere teenager, so he had to go to work and found a job in the factory of Wade & Butcher. He quickly learned the trade and worked for various cutlery company in Sheffield for 25 years.

Turner gain a good reputation in the field of razor making, and was offered to come to America in 1870 to work for Heinisch & Sons, manufacturer of shears at Newark, New Jersey, as a foreman of a razor manufacturing plant they were about to establish.
After spending 2 years at that firm he resigned and founded Turner & Cowlishaw to produce high quality razors.
The business did very well, and grew rapidly, in 1876 he bought out his partner and became the sole owner of the business. Interestingly his largest customer was the J. R. Torrey Company of Worcester, manufacturers of razor strops.
In 1880 a consolidation of the two plants was arranged between Torrey and Turner and moved its operation from Meriden CO, under the name of the J. R. Torrey Razor Company.
Mr. Turner, president, and Mr. Torrey, treasurer. The business consolidation did very well and became a proeminent razor manufacturing co. Mr. Turner gave his whole heart and mind to his business.He spent the rest of his life at Torrey and died in 1907.
His sons were all employed by Torrey.