Quizz : ID this old Gillette

[Gump]

Hoping to get some answers from you knowledgeable people.
This was my grandfather's Gillette safety razor.
He passed away in 1981.
The markings read "Gillette" and "made in USA".
What do you reckon ?
I would be happy of I could put a name or model number on it.
Forrest

OldGillette.jpg

OldGillette_02.jpg

OldGillette_03.jpg

[JEEP]

It looks like a Single Ring Gillette Old Type.

Cool to have your grandfather's razor


Regards.

Jakob

[Gump]

Thanks a lot, Jeep.
I don't use it much more, as its open comb makes it really aggressive.
Forrest

[thirdeye]

It looks like a Single Ring Gillette Old Type.

Cool to have your grandfather's razor


Regards.

Jakob

Close, It's a Large Ball End Old Type but it's not considered a single ring.

These are single rings and a double ring in the case.

[JEEP]

I learn every day


Regards.

Jakob

[thirdeye]

I learn every day


Regards.

Jakob

Yes sir we do, that's the beauty of this place....

[JEEP]

Ain't that the truth. I came here for a better shave - and now my head is filled with date-codes, exotic soap brands and urges to buy every razor I see


Regards.

Jakob

[Gump]

I bow to Thirdeye !


Now, any clue as to when it could have been manufactured ?

Forrest

[tom myers]

I bow to Thirdeye !


Now, any clue as to when it could have been manufactured ?

Forrest

Have you checked for a serial number on the top surface of the comb plate? If it has a number, that will tell the year of manufacture. If not, it will still narrow down the date range.

Regards,
Tom

[Gump]

Have you checked for a serial number on the top surface of the comb plate? If it has a number, that will tell the year of manufacture. If not, it will still narrow down the date range.

Regards,
Tom

No sir. Nothing on the comb.
But on the lower end of the shaft, it reads :
PAT. NOV 15.04
Can you make sense of that ?

Forrest

[AsylumGuido]

No sir. Nothing on the comb.
But on the lower end of the shaft, it reads :
PAT. NOV 15.04
Can you make sense of that ?

Forrest

It looks to have a thicker #102A head on it. That would place it after August of 1921. The Old Types after this date did not carry serial numbers.

[tom myers]

It looks to have a thicker #102A head on it. That would place it after August of 1921. The Old Types after this date did not carry serial numbers.

I suspect you're right. I tried to determine from the picture which head it was and I didn't feel comfortable that I could tell for sure. Since it doesn't have a serial number though, it must be a 1921-1929 era razor.

Regards,
Tom

[AsylumGuido]

I suspect you're right. I tried to determine from the picture which head it was and I didn't feel comfortable that I could tell for sure. Since it doesn't have a serial number though, it must be a 1921-1929 era razor.

Regards,
Tom

I was going partially off the thickness, but another feature of the #102A head is that the corners of the cap are more rounded than that of the #102 cap.

[Gump]

It looks to have a thicker #102A head on it. That would place it after August of 1921. The Old Types after this date did not carry serial numbers.

That is getting mighty accurate.
Can we narrow the time period ? When did they stop manufacture that particular model ?

My grandfather was born in 1908, so either it was his very first razor, or he himself got it from his own father, or older brother perhaps ....

We are treading into history here, folks !
All right, my history ...

[AsylumGuido]

That is getting mighty accurate.
Can we narrow the time period ? When did they stop manufacture that particular model ?

My grandfather was born in 1908, so either it was his very first razor, or he himself got it from his own father, or older brother perhaps ....

We are treading into history here, folks !
All right, my history ...

They started manufacturing this as a lower priced pocket edition razor through 1929, while the newer New Improved razors filled the demand for the more upscale market during the same period. Unfortunately, there is no way to date the Old Type ball ends of this era without perhaps the original case which could be matched to a particular advertisement.

[Gump]

This is what it looked like.
I wrote looked because the leather was originally red- or brownish.
The inside red velvet is the original one, though.
The shaft holders were originally the other way round.
This case underwent some plastic surgery at a shoemaker's about fifteen years ago.
I guess this ugly blue tan was all they could find.

OldGilletteCase_1-1.jpg

[profsaffel]

Ain't that the truth. I came here for a better shave - and now my head is filled with date-codes, exotic soap brands and urges to buy every razor I see


Regards.

Jakob

Ahh, yes, sir. You have definitely been bitten by the B&B bug! Wonderful alliteration, eh? Just wait until you have the urge to create an antique store razor-finders kit, complete with jewelers eye piece, alcohol swabs, tweezers, and fact-filled Excel sheets.

[tom myers]

I was going partially off the thickness, but another feature of the #102A head is that the corners of the cap are more rounded than that of the #102 cap.

I had never noticed that about the corners of the caps, I always just looked at the thickness of the head plate and cap. Since you pointed this out, I've looked at some of each type from my collection and I can see what you mean . . . not a lot of difference, but the cap has almost sharp corners on the 102 heads.

Thanks for that little tidbit, Guido. There is something to be learned about these things almost every day. You, sir, are the professor!