Thread: Have you seen anything like this razor?

I was going to bid but the auction got carried away by 2 bidders. Looks like a 1700s razor, but the blade is 1.5" wide at the end? eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

Never seen anything like this one. Is it just me or do the tortoise scales look pretty new for how old they would be? Thoughts on how old this thing is?

The link got changed for some reason. Here's the link to the auction: Vintage Straight Razor Tortoise Shell Handle with Silver Accents | eBay

(item no. 120818648576)

Looks genuine in the pics, late 1700's

Oh yes. I've been watching that one, and was really dismayed by the silly bidding war. Why can't everyone just snipe like civilized people? I was willing to spend $200 on that.

In any event, I did kind of a lot of research on it in the runup to the auction ending.

I found things. Like this:





That is, I believe, a French razor made in the late 1700's. The site I found the pictures on doesn't have a lot of information on it, but of the blades I've seen, that one is most similar. Though clearly the stamp on the blade of the eBay special is different. Looks like "(crown) A -- I"

I found another that has scales more like the ones on eBay.



That one is claimed to be late 1600's, and to have belonged to William 'Pennsylvania' Penn. It probably did, but the pasteboard coffin in that picture looks suspiciously new to me (much like the coffin in the collection of the Mayflower museum).

Most of the ones you see for sale from that era have pretty worn blades. That one looks pretty good.

Those pics are pretty bad , and only show one side of the razor . I would have bid , but not very high .

Gotta say, the fact that it was sporting REAL tortoise shell, and very large blade, and nicely worked bolsters, that was not a bidding war, and I'm surprised a serious collector didnt step in and ring it higher.

Just got to love the pic in the junk drawer!!!!!

Originally Posted by Magpie

Gotta say, the fact that it was sporting REAL tortoise shell, and very large blade, and nicely worked bolsters, that was not a bidding war, and I'm surprised a serious collector didnt step in and ring it higher.

If you can tell whether or not those scales are real tortoise , from those pics , my hat is off , to you !

That's one old blade.