The Palmer Hotel, Chicago

Thanks so much for taking the time to point me in this direction Bushhippi.

I just did a partial shave with the razor as it is now. I only did the sideburns area (easiest to do) and it did shave, but I can't say it was a close shave, nor was it particularly comfortable. I finished off the rest of the job with my DE.

I can see now what I will have to do to get this old boy back in prime shape for good comfortable close shaves.

Cool find! I love that hotel, stayed there a few times.

I had a nice Palmer not too long ago, Someone on this board thought the number on the tang was the year it was made.
I'm certain mine was a Solingen - wasn't stamped as such but it honed like one.

totorlekiller said:

I've stayed at the Palmer house. I believe it is owned by Hilton now. It is a gorgeous place and I have found memories of the gorgeous creature I was with there.

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It's been in the Hilton name since Conrad Hilton bought it in 1945. I work in the Chicago Loop and I go to Merz every few weeks, if only to browse. And whenever I'm stressed, I take a lunch break and take a walk and look up at the magnificent ceiling and I'm all better.



I've also stayed there. Great rooms, great breakfast and inspired cocktails!

P.S.. Sorry I didn't have any info on the razor!

the_edski said:

It's been in the Hilton name since Conrad Hilton bought it in 1945. I work in the Chicago Loop and I go to Merz every few weeks, if only to browse. And whenever I'm stressed, I take a lunch break and take a walk and look up at the magnificent ceiling and I'm all better.

View attachment 407229

I've also stayed there. Great rooms, great breakfast and inspired cocktails!

P.S.. Sorry I didn't have any info on the razor!

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Thanks for the shot, Ed. You brought back some nice memories for me.

the_edski said:

It's been in the Hilton name since Conrad Hilton bought it in 1945. I work in the Chicago Loop and I go to Merz every few weeks, if only to browse. And whenever I'm stressed, I take a lunch break and take a walk and look up at the magnificent ceiling and I'm all better.

View attachment 407229

I've also stayed there. Great rooms, great breakfast and inspired cocktails!

P.S.. Sorry I didn't have any info on the razor!

Click to expand...

It's a wonderful place. We stayed there the weekend I retired a few years back and had a great time sitting in that room enjoying our drinks, nibbling on the amazing appetizers and people watching. The outlandish shoes that some of the women were wearing proved particularly entertaining. That's also where my brother-in-law took my late father to lunch the day he asked permission to marry my sister.

It's a good thing neither I nor my eldest son were into wet shaving at the time. We had no idea about Merz Apothecary then. I'd have returned home with a much emptier wallet after that weekend than I did, and the fiduciary damage incurred then was considerable as it was.

I have passed Merz many times during my life when I lived in Chicago. Even went to the Degerburg Academy above it and eaten at many restaurants around it.

Had I know what wet shaving was back then I might have paid their rent for them once or twice.

Since I no longer live in Chicago and only visit once a year or so I will have to visit next time I'm in town.