How old is this?

RubenRedNuts

Not releated to Rudolph.
Joined
Dec 11, 2018
Location
Canberra
Hi all, just wanting to pick your brains to see if any of you can shed some light on how old this razor is (the one at the top in the first image)... It has no makers marks, the spine arches up slightly at the point and again at the shoulder / shank, has a nice short tail and has just arrived from Sweden :) The Shepherd razor below it is circa 1770 (and is in rotation as my current shave).
I suspect it may be 1740 - 1760'ish... https://photos.app.goo.gl/sdxyUJKnjLWxaQPq6 sorry was having trouble embedding the image... and another shot of the razor
 
Here your pictures

ACtC-3cMv_nBHwGuLcyM1_L4VND2CwEoN0sZGrmLA08c7K2AeTQ7A_mnhRUN8fagbKpvapKeihGujIW-BEhlGplMnjbYKMUI6zCSxeINBXTVFb0vdbzLXb-YacActo6w_gDqfXLJvLxxYsEwUjluafTF-DwK=w423-h564-no


ACtC-3eE6biQoRzwrwJBxsjMeu0S_I8iw41r0n1SXLddB5yLEcc1i_X8FPrSdzFh3GxB79hlBukPwje3oGTap8ci2PmBV8tbZmFDr1_sRVj0uZ3d63ny8eAMUBIFhZq5SPLMvFnIeti2i91hqIQw6cMAs-it=w423-h564-no
 
Blade is ~1800, give or take 20, most likely Sheffield, though it is odd that it has no markings.

Scales are most definitely replacements, but look old. No way of dating those.

The Shepherd is an oldy, but curious where you got the 1770 date from.
 
Blade is ~1800, give or take 20, most likely Sheffield, though it is odd that it has no markings.

Scales are most definitely replacements, but look old. No way of dating those.

The Shepherd is an oldy, but curious where you got the 1770 date from.

It is only an assumption based on the research I have done to date...

Blade design by age (curtesy SRP) :
https://sharprazorpalace.com/razors/69702-dating-old-straight-razor.html

And further online research showed:
- it is consistent to the shape / design of razors 1770 - '75’ish
- it is most likely an early John Shepherd Snr 1770-1795 given the branding indicates early period in the family business (no J Shepherd or John Shepherd on the blade just Shepherd) and it is pre George Shepherd (branded ‘Wolf’ with a crown above) from circa 1780

Sorry, I don’t have all the original references on hand that I used to first identify it’s age. The logic behand thinking the second razor is more than likely earlier is:
- the tail is even shorter than the Shepherd
- the overall blade design (not having a dip-at-toe doesn’t rule out that it is not from this period as the French did not follow the English on that particular design element)

Happy to stand corrected if you can find something more conclusive than what I have to date
 
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