Identification help, please-Le Dauphin

oakeshott · May 21, 2012

Hopefully one of the DE Geniuses here at B&B knows something about this razor. The razor itself has no mark on it but on the velvet in the box one can just make out Le Dauphin and there's another bit of writing which has faded and I can't quite make it out yet, but will get some better light and a magnifying glass and try again. Maybe ask someone with better eyes. Don't know the provenance so there's no guarantee that the box and razor go together, but the razor has such unique engraving work on it that I'm assuming identification should be easy for the right person.

View attachment 245313 View attachment 245314 View attachment 245315 View attachment 245316

oakeshott · May 22, 2012

Uh oh. 12 hours later and no one's solved the mystery. Gotta bad feeling 'bout this one.

alex2363 · May 22, 2012

I never seen one like that

oakeshott · May 22, 2012

alex2363 said:
I never seen one like that

And of all the folks here, I was counting on you.

Rob72 · May 22, 2012

I've been perusing ebay.fr(ance) lately. Le Dauphin is a French maker...or distributor, dunno which for sure. There are quite a few of those really cool razors that just popped up, then died out.

Dr Roadrash · May 22, 2012

Lots of these french razors were made by Leresche and rebranded or not branded at all. Some may be LeCoqs as well. That head is pretty interesting looks like a combination of multiple features. The top cap looks like a copy of a Gillette new. The base plate almost like a Gillette tech with the indented diamond but open comb and with a flat section similar to the new. I have seen lots of Leresche and LeCoq razors as well as lots of copies never seen this one before. I would think it would shave similar to a new, let us know.
Aaron

Chester · May 22, 2012

oakeshott said:
Uh oh. 12 hours later and no one's solved the mystery. Gotta bad feeling 'bout this one.

Why the bad feeling? You may be one of a handful of people that has it!
It's unusual, but I do like the handle, especially.
Tell us how it shaves, when you get the chance to take it out for a spin.
-- Chet

oakeshott · May 22, 2012

Chester said:
Why the bad feeling? You may be one of a handful of people that has it!
It's unusual, but I do like the handle, especially.
Tell us how it shaves, when you get the chance to take it out for a spin.
-- Chet

Chet,
no worries. I just meant that we may never know what it is. Really like the look of the razor and am thrilled to have it. Haven't shaved with it yet. Have two more shaves with my new Kirby and then the Dauphin goes for a spin. Will let you know how she drives.

alex2363 · May 22, 2012

oakeshott said:
And of all the folks here, I was counting on you.

I know they are french and made different safety razors, they even made Gillette type injectors too.

M80 · May 22, 2012

alex2363 said:
I know they are french and made different safety razors, they even made Gillette type injectors too.

That handle is for a cart.

alex2363 · May 22, 2012

M80 said:
That handle is for a cart.

oh, this was a random pic.....i had few more which didnt upload

moshulu · May 23, 2012

I believe this brand was manufactured in Grenoble by the E. Fay-Chatelard metal works. This invoice (for a bicycle luggage rack!) dated 1920, lists Le Dauphin as one of the razor brands manufactured on rue Irvoy in that city. If you look with StreetView, there is something resembling an old factory at #4 or thereabouts.

"Dauphin" is, of course, a marine mammal, but here it stands for the heir to the French throne. Thus, in Shakespeare's "Henry V", Exeter on a mission to the French king, says this to the disguised Dauphin when asked whether Henry has a message for him:

Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,
And any thing that may not misbecome
The mighty sender, doth he prize you at.

Strong words!

View attachment 245747

M80 · May 23, 2012

moshulu said:
I believe this brand was manufactured in Grenoble by the E. Fay-Chatelard metal works.

Impressive research.

oakeshott · May 23, 2012

moshulu said:
I believe this brand was manufactured in Grenoble by the E. Fay-Chatelard metal works. This invoice (for a bicycle luggage rack!) dated 1920, lists Le Dauphin as one of the razor brands manufactured on rue Irvoy in that city. If you look with StreetView, there is something resembling an old factory at #4 or thereabouts.

"Dauphin" is, of course, a marine mammal, but here it stands for the heir to the French throne. Thus, in Shakespeare's "Henry V", Exeter on a mission to the French king, says this to the disguised Dauphin when asked whether Henry has a message for him:

Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,
And any thing that may not misbecome
The mighty sender, doth he prize you at.

Strong words!

View attachment 245747

Moshulu,

I can't imagine how you found this, but thanks. One seldom finds investigation mingling so casually with erudition, but here you are pulling it off. Have you ever run across Le Dauphin before or any of the other brands they list on the invoice?

amishmotorboat · May 23, 2012

Gillette type injectors is a funny thing to say, but ok.

Do you have a pic of a Le Dauphin injector? I would love to see it.

Oh... and...
tell'em guys, we mad why?

Dr Roadrash · May 23, 2012

Moshulu,
Great to see you posting again. You are are great source on french razors.
Aaron

moshulu said:
I believe this brand was manufactured in Grenoble by the E. Fay-Chatelard metal works. This invoice (for a bicycle luggage rack!) dated 1920, lists Le Dauphin as one of the razor brands manufactured on rue Irvoy in that city. If you look with StreetView, there is something resembling an old factory at #4 or thereabouts.

"Dauphin" is, of course, a marine mammal, but here it stands for the heir to the French throne. Thus, in Shakespeare's "Henry V", Exeter on a mission to the French king, says this to the disguised Dauphin when asked whether Henry has a message for him:

Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,
And any thing that may not misbecome
The mighty sender, doth he prize you at.

Strong words!

View attachment 245747

mblakele · May 23, 2012

Great research!

I wonder if Fay-Chatelard had even older history in mind? Before the title of Dauphin passed to the prince royal, Grenoble was part of Dauphiné, an independent state within the Holy Roman Empire: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dauphiné. Its rulers, initially Counts, later styled themselves Dauphins. When they sold their lands to France, the title went along.

M80 · May 23, 2012

amishmotorboat said:
Gillette type injectors is a funny thing to say, but ok.

Do you have a pic of a Le Dauphin injector? I would love to see it.

Oh... and...
tell'em guys, we mad why?

awesome.

M80 · May 24, 2012

I really would like to see your picture of a Dauphin Injector, Alex. In the research I did the only other Dauphin I could find was the cart handle you already posted. So post up those other pics.

alex2363 · May 24, 2012

I found some random pics online, not from my home computer but from my I-phone, I will go back home to my bigger PC and double check to see if the the small pics from my I-phone were actually a injector or cart. My Waits and other resources dont have the le-dauphin but just Dauphoinis and le-dauphonious, I will check tio see if they are the same companies that merged.

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Identification help, please-Le Dauphin

oakeshott

oakeshott

alex2363

oakeshott

Rob72

Dr Roadrash

Chester

oakeshott

alex2363

M80

alex2363

moshulu

M80

oakeshott

amishmotorboat

Dr Roadrash

mblakele

M80

M80

alex2363

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