February 2012 Member Acquisitions

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That's a very good price for that GEM junior. It's the original handle. I've got one of them in nowhere near as good a nick as that one. They came in two bakelite handle sizes, a fat one like the one you've just got and a thinner version.
 
Two tubes of Godrej cream for three bucks each from the saffron supermarket around the corner.
 
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Generally referred too as the Ornate Handled 1912 British Ever Ready Single Edge Razor. A modest price for a razor with such an extended name. Try that with something like say a Bottom Dial Fatboy and see what price you come up with.
 
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Especially if you find one from 1912?
 
Pjotr said:
Generally referred too as the Ornate Handled 1912 British Ever Ready Single Edge Razor. A modest price for a razor with such an extended name. Try that with something like say a Bottom Dial Fatboy and see what price you come up with.
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Oh goody so going by the number of letters I did OK? :)
 
eggbert said:
Especially if you find one from 1912?
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1912 is the patent date and is generally stamped on the back of the razor adjacent to where the handle screws in to the head. They were produced well beyond that date. Don't know if they actually produced the 1912 in 1912. Unlike most Gillettes, there were never any manufacturing date codes. Dated advertisments are really the only historical reference point there is with SEs.
 
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gthomas04 said:
Oh goody so going by the number of letters I did OK? :)
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Yep, using the letters/price index you're in a different league to poor old Mark. That again is a good price for an SE razor. The pictures aren't very clear but the plating looks pretty good.
 
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Bah! I meant to quote the part about the bottom dial fat boy, then say especially if it came from 1912.
Would be a previously unheard of Gillette that our resident collector didn't have.
 
Pjotr said:
1912 is the patent date and is generally stamped on the back of the razor adjacent to where the handle screws in to the head. They were produced well beyond that date. Don't know if they actually produced the 1912 in 1912. Unlike most Gillettes, there were never any manufacturing date codes. Dated advertisments are really the only historical reference point there is with SEs.
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I think the open comb and damaskeene versions were the oldest, anything with a plain knurled round handle is the pre 1920s versions.
All the ones with a hexagonal handle (and all versions of knurling and patterns of that), were made from around the 1919 or later. 1919 was when "Gem, Star and Ever-Ready are joined under one banner, the American Safety Razor Corporation" - Taken from ASR personnas website where they mention the history of the brand. http://www.personna.com/personna/blades/corporate/history/P30/

I've got a razor and strop set from GEM that's british made, way different handle, and heavier than any 1912 razor I've seen, and Dave said that was probably from the 1950s! And I'm sure they made a lot of 1912s for WW2 in the 40s, that was their main razor until the plastic handled ones.

Edit: My GEM damaskeene is labeled 'Gem Cutlery Co, New York USA'. Later hex or patterned handled 1912s are just labeled 'GEM Brooklyn New York made in USA'

Also my Pat 1900 lather catcher, which Dave said was probably a 1911 manufacture date, also have the same thing as the damaskeene razor, 'Gem Cutlery Co, New York USA'. So damaskeene models are probably around 1912 date of manufacture, maybe 1914?
'Damaskeene' is a blade they were selling, the razor has "only use damaskeene blades' stamped on it. Probably in competition to ever-readys blades and pat 1914 razor (as stated, ever-ready and Gem were separate companies until 1919)
Every-ready was started by someone who left the Gem company
 
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pablo_h said:
I think the open comb and damaskeene versions were the oldest, anything with a plain knurled round handle is the pre 1920s versions.
All the ones with a hexagonal handle (and all versions of knurling and patterns of that), were made from around the 1919 or later. 1919 was when "Gem, Star and Ever-Ready are joined under one banner, the American Safety Razor Corporation" - Taken from ASR personnas website where they mention the history of the brand. Personna | The History of Personna American Safety Razor Company

I've got a razor and strop set from GEM that's british made, way different handle, and heavier than any 1912 razor I've seen, and Dave said that was probably from the 1950s! And I'm sure they made a lot of 1912s for WW2 in the 40s, that was their main razor until the plastic handled ones.

Edit: My GEM damaskeene is labeled 'Gem Cutlery Co, New York USA'. Later hex or patterned handled 1912s are just labeled 'GEM Brooklyn New York made in USA'

Also my Pat 1900 lather catcher, which Dave said was probably a 1911 manufacture date, also have the same thing as the damaskeene razor, 'Gem Cutlery Co, New York USA'. So damaskeene models are probably around 1912 date of manufacture, maybe 1914?
'Damaskeene' is a blade they were selling, the razor has "only use damaskeene blades' stamped on it. Probably in competition to ever-readys blades and pat 1914 razor (as stated, ever-ready and Gem were separate companies until 1919)
Every-ready was started by someone who left the Gem company
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I might have missed something here but who's Dave?
 
Dave was the SE pro at the guns 'n' ammo conservative shaving site we love so well. Forum name was d.irving79

He was writing a book on the history of SE, and he did start The Original Safety website before he did a disappearing act. THE ORIGINAL SAFETY - Home

The Original Safety website is now just a dead forum*, but it used to be a full website with heaps of info and images, but like I said, he disappeared and the bill wasn't paid, so it's all gone, TOS forums were all that could be saved by the admins there.

edit * TOS has been replaced BTW http://www.theoriginalsafetytoo.proboards.com/index.cgi
 
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I've heard of him. I've also been on the Original Safety Razor site. It is very quiet. A bit like.........
 
See edit above. it's been replaced since the admins couldn't do admin stuff as dave still was the main admin.
New site is a lot busier than some I am posting on.
 
Glen, I'm getting worried I haven't got enough of a headstart - you are catching up man!

I, on the other hand, just missed out on this :(

But at least I got this :) - just don't tell the folks at YKW!
 
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