Thread: G. Crookes with (probably) fake Chinese

Got this in the mail today. It's a 7/8 with the barest hint of hollow.

George Crookes & Co. dates to 1840-1860 or so. Before 1840 he was flying solo making scissors and table knives, but in 1840 he brought his sons in. None of the listings I can find mention razors. It's possible that George's son George, who became a general merchant in the 1860's had razors made under the company name, but I'd bet they made razors on the side.

There's really not much more to see about this razor. It's in standard black horn scales, the pile side is unmarked and the metal is in pretty good shape, all things considered.

As for that 'Chinese' on the blade, I kind of doubt they're even real Hanzi characters.

I know there are a number of razors out there with similar stamps. Anyone else want to share here?

Interesting razor Zak, didnt really found any information on this maker that you didnt mentioned allready.

Nevertheless, you can post this "Crookes" in the club: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...straights.html

I got this one. It's a Solingen blade, and has these characters on the back side of the tang. Apologies if this isn't what you meant by "share".

Just a guess that various commercial products that were made for the Chinese market carried some Chinese markings. China was opening up to Europeans in the mid to late 1800s. Britain, Germany and the US among others had Cantons in various treaty ports starting around that time.

Bob

Originally Posted by Martin103

Interesting razor Zak, didnt really found any information on this maker that you didnt mentioned allready.

Nevertheless, you can post this "Crookes" in the club: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...straights.html

I've also got a Jonathan Crookes I ought to finish fixing up. It's a wee little thing just barely over 4/8, but in pretty good shape. Before I got this one, I hadn't seen any other G. Crookes & Co. razors (though there are several here on the forum). The eBay seller listed it by the box it came in, so I *bought* a Wostenholm True and Original Pipe Razor.

Of course the pictures made it clear it wasn't a pipe razor, but the maker's stamp wasn't hugely clear.

Originally Posted by regularjoe

I got this one. It's a Solingen blade, and has these characters on the back side of the tang. Apologies if this isn't what you meant by "share".

That is EXACTLY what I meant by share! Thank you! That one's very different from the one I've got and the two Wade & Butchers that're here on the forum.

Maybe I should show this to someone who reads the language... Or maybe I shouldn't. I just have the feeling that if I was REALLY lucky, it would only be as disorienting as this:

Originally Posted by BobH

Just a guess that various commercial products that were made for the Chinese market carried some Chinese markings. China was opening up to Europeans in the mid to late 1800s. Britain, Germany and the US among others had Cantons in various treaty ports starting around that time.

Bob

Maybe! Though most of the ones I've seen sold have been sold from the US. Doesn't say *that* much, but it is suggestive that these were made for America. There was also just a general arts movement of slapping something vaguely Chinese on everything in the vain hope that it would make good tea materialize.

I think I posted this somewhere already, but for the sake of compiling information in this thread, here's mine. A Wade and Butcher, definitely made for the American market (made for Gordon & Wellington Boston).



edit: forgot to mention I have seen at least one with these same 'chinese' characters but without a tang stamp of any kind.

Here's a couple more that have been on ebay:
Old Straight Razor Similar to Wade and Butcher Chinese Sheffield with Horn Scale | eBay

W&B: Estate Found Vintage Wade Butcher Chinese Straight Razor | eBay

Vintage Straight Razor Ornate Scales Chinese Markings | eBay

1 Japanese 13 16" Straight Razor Project Blade Heavy 52 2 Grams | eBay

The last one has the same blade shape and diamond collars that mine does, but no markings other than the asian characters.

I had a Fine India Steel Rodgers. I asked around what that "Fine India Steel" was. Quite knowledgeable people from the community told me it was the exact same steel as the other razors from the same era, and that the India Steel was just there to appeal to European's people thirst for oriental mystery...
I could totally see these Chinese-like markings falling in the same category. back in the days, Asia was so distant, it must have been very mystified and a good selling point.

There are many manufacturers that did that with the goofy characters. I have a couple that I posted on different forums and no-one could translate any of the characters.
Marketing ploy fer sure!
~Richard