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BRAND NEW Gillette "New", but what exactly have I got here?

I have a BRAND NEW, never used Gillette "New" in a green case with a cardboard sleeve that reads:

Stock No. 29-R-1035
1 Razor, Safety with 5 Blades
P. O. No. 1150 NYGS. Date 8-19-35
Contractor, Gillette Safety Razor Co.

Anybody know anything about the history of this razor?
 
Pics or it didn't happen!!

That stock number seems to have been the US Government's standard number for a safety razor kit from any contractor. From the sound of what you're describing, though, I wonder if you might have stumbled the origin of one of the unexplained oddities we've had -- the green "Red & Black" set. Does yours look like that, or is it different?

Oh, and did I mention -- PICS :taz:
 

BigFoot

I wanna be sedated!
Staff member
Pics or it didn't happen!!

That stock number seems to have been the US Government's standard number for a safety razor kit from any contractor. From the sound of what you're describing, though, I wonder if you might have stumbled the origin of one of the unexplained oddities we've had -- the green "Red & Black" set. Does yours look like that, or is it different?

Oh, and did I mention -- PICS :taz:

You tell em Porter. :lol:
 
No, it's a lot more fun playing "guess the razor" when we have a verbal description.

OK, here's one: I have a razor and it's metal, it's kinda shiny and I see where I can put a blade. What did I buy?
 
No, it's a lot more fun playing "guess the razor" when we have a verbal description.

OK, here's one: I have a razor and it's metal, it's kinda shiny and I see where I can put a blade. What did I buy?

lmao thats funny. u should prob get pics ready them post the thread. that would make the most sense to me but what do i know...... not much apparently, at least thats what my wife says lol
 
$Green #1.jpg$green #2.jpg$Green #3.JPG$Green #4.jpg
 
That's awesome. With the leatherette headliner, your case looks like a transitional model from the straight "Red & Black" type case with an entirely felt-lined interior to the Ranger Tech type case that was leatherette inside and out.

So, I did a little searching to compare the information on your outer cardboard box with other government purchased razor sets. The stock number is the same on any other safety razor sets that include 5 blades. For example, below is a GEM Junior, a GEM Clog-pruf, and a Simplex set that all show the same stock number:

$post-299-1168224494.jpg

$post-344-1168899421.jpg

$post-5-1168969996.jpg

The P.O. number, I assume, is the purchase order number, but I can't quite figure out what "NYGD" would be. Other wartime sets I've turned up have designations like "JCQD" or "JCQMD," which I've been able to trace to mean "Jersey City Quartermaster's Depot." I've also found other references that would seem to indicate that the "GD" is likely "General Depot," so I would extrapolate that NYGD would be "New York General Depot."

I looked for information about a New York General Depot and found an address of 58th St. & 1st Ave in Brooklyn. And just for fun, pulling that up in Google Maps brings you to this facility, which looks like it very certainly could have been around in the '30s:

$Screen shot 2012-02-15 at 9.40.08 PM.jpg

So, we might be able to assume that these green sets were government purchased through whatever the equivalent of the GSA Schedule would have been before and during WWII. In other words, we might have a Contract NEW to go along with the Contract Tech.
 
In other words, we might have a Contract NEW to go along with the Contract Tech.

I showed my uncle my bar handled NEW a few months ago. He said that his Dad, my GrandDad, was issued one just like that in the Navy during WWII. I have no idea if he knew what he was talking about or not. I dont' know enough about the history to know if I should doubt him or not. But this seems to lend some credence to it, doesn't it?
Johnnie
 
I knew I had something pretty special, but I was curious to know more about it. Now I know. Thanks for your help and research, gents.
 
Porter,

You have WAY too much time on your hands. But I am so glad you do! LOL! Thanks for the data. Fascinating and thorough as always.
 
Obviously, i pulled that price out of my a**. It had nothing to do with the VERY helpful comments here. I really wasn't sure whether I wanted to keep it or not and figured that if I could get someone to buy it for a ridiculous amount of money, I would let them do so. I have observed some really crazy asking prices on eBay, so i figured, why not? If someone has a lot of money and just can't live without this razor, I'd be glad to sell it to them. If not, then I am proud to have it as part of my collection. And of course, if it DOES sell, that would give me more $$$ to buy more razors.
 
Obviously, i pulled that price out of my a**. It had nothing to do with the VERY helpful comments here. I really wasn't sure whether I wanted to keep it or not and figured that if I could get someone find a sucker to buy it for a ridiculous amount of money, I would let them do so happily fleece them. I have observed some really crazy asking prices on eBay, so i figured, why not? If someone some sucker has a lot of money more money than brains and just can't live without this razor, I'd be glad to sell it to them clean them out. If not, then I am proud to have it as part of my collection. And of course, if it DOES sell, that would give me more $$$ to buy more razors laugh all the way to the bank with.

Fixed it for you. :lol:
 
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