What's new

Antique store find...

Went to an antique store with the wife on a razor hunt. Found a few straights, but the price was more than I wanted to spend on one. Then we hit one case that had a Valet Auto Strop "Million Dollar Razor." It was in its box, and behind some other stuff. When I picked it up and opened the box the razor looks new. The strop is almost perfect, and does not appear to have been used. It also had the instructions in the box that are also in great condition. Unfortunately it does not look like I will be able to get any blades for this. I am curious how it shaves. The box it s a little beat up but that is it. Total price $10...

proxy.php


proxy.php


proxy.php


proxy.php


proxy.php


proxy.php


How did I do? How do I tell what year this thing is from? It has patent numbers on the back plate but nothing else.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
That is a later model Valet, I think after 1913 but possibly much later. Notice the lugs stamped out in the "Valet" name. They engage a stencil-like cutout in new-model Valet Autostrop blades. This was done to make the user buy Valet blades and not use competitor's blades. The old model Autostrops can use a slightly modified standard single edge blade, like a Treet or a Gem. The modification trick does not work for the new model.

There are NOS Valet blades around. You can sometimes score them on ebay. Also I believe Feather at one time made a knockoff of the Valet, and I am told that their blades will fit.

You have a nice autostrop there, and a nice strop. Many old model autostrops are out there, stropless, and your strop is a find in itself because you can use it with an old model Valet and modified single edge blades.

I can send you a new blade to shave with and a couple of used ones too, just to play around with. I have often thought of stropping old blades on the strop with a little CrOx or diamond paste on it, just to see if I can bring them back, because I, too, have a couple of new models that can't take a SE blade. Well, another thing on my list of things to do. Anyway PM me if you want me to send a new blade and/or some used ones.

Oh, and you ought to treat that strop with some neats foot oil or maybe mink oil or some other good leather dressing. It is older than it looks, and probably needs some rejujenating oils in it.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Oh, and by the way, to answer your question, they shave pretty decent. Overall I rate them above the Gem, EverReady, etc SE razors.
 
Thanks Slash. I think for now I might just let it sit on the shelf and maybe one day I will get a bug and search for a blade or make one to fit. Thanks again for the info and the offer. I am still amazed how clean this one is for how old it is.
 
I've found plenty of NOS Valet blades on eBay. I don't rate the shaving quality as high as a GEM but they are certainly OK.
 
Your particular model was made between 1928 and 1935 because the blade release lever on the back has the serrated edge and because it still has the side-hinged flap. The serrated blade release lever was new to 1928 and the side-hinged flap was replaced in 1935 with 2 blade clamps that hold the ends of the blade. Your model is known as "Million Dollar" Model C Type VC2. If it was made between 1930 and 1935, it was made by Gillette as they became the owner of AutoStrop in 1930. If I had to guess, I would say yours was made more specifically in the Gillette time frame because of the box you have. In 1928 and 1929, the 2 years before Gillette bought the company, it actually said New! and The "Million Dollar" Razor on the box top. Yours doesn't have this.

And yes, $10 is a good deal for an 82 to 75 year old razor. :smile:
 
Actually looking back at the pictures, I took a picture of the bottom of the box and not the top. The top does say "New." Thanks for the information.
 
Here is more pictures of the box. This is the only damage there is.

Top:
proxy.php


proxy.php
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom