1954 TV Special Question

This is directed to AsylumGuido or some other such knowledgeable (if there is one) person on Superspeeds.

I understand from the "All you need to know" post about superspeeds, and from the Wiki that the 1954 Superspeed was a re-release of the 40's style SS with a date code of Z3 or Z4.

I have seen recently numerous postings on the bay of 40's style SS with date codes of Z1 and Z2.

Are these Z1 and Z2 40's style also TV Specials? If they are not, and they were making the regular 40's style in Z1 and Z2, how could the Z3 and Z4 be considered a "re-release"?

Thanks in advance for any info.

The first two quarter ones should just be the normal production of SS's. The TV Specials, if they are anything like the '58's, will have a slightly different, but distinctive, pattern on the handle. The '58's are rhodium-plated as well, so there may be a difference in the plating between the regular and TV '54's.

To the best of my knowledge, the 40's style and flare tip were sold side-by-side in the first quarter of 1954 (Z1), but only the flare tip was sold in the second quarter (Z2), then, once again, both were sold side-by-side in the third and fourth quarters (Z3, Z4), with the 40's style only being offered as the TV Special.

So, in a nutshell, only the 40's style Super Speeds with the Z3 and Z4 code are TV Specials.

theperfectstorm said:

The first two quarter ones should just be the normal production of SS's. The TV Specials, if they are anything like the '58's, will have a slightly different, but distinctive, pattern on the handle. The '58's are rhodium-plated as well, so there may be a difference in the plating between the regular and TV '54's.

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Unlike the 1958 TV, the 1954 version is identical to the other 40's Super Speeds, and is only differentiated by the date code. The rhodium version you speak of would be the British Rocket, which I'm not sure was sold as a "TV" razor, but it is referred to as such because it has the same handle knurling as the American '58 TV.

razor_n_blade said:

Unlike the 1958 TV, the 1954 version is identical to the other 40's Super Speeds, and is only differentiated by the date code. The rhodium version you speak of would be the British Rocket, which I'm not sure was sold as a "TV" razor, but it is referred to as such because it has the same handle knurling as the American '58 TV.

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+1

the british "TV" was´t called TV. He was called only "Gillette one pice razor with rhodium plated handle"

luvmysuper said:

If they were making the regular 40's style in Z1 and Z2, how could the Z3 and Z4 be considered a "re-release"?

Thanks in advance for any info.

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I get that the TV Special "Promo" was only conducted in Z3 and Z4, therefore Z3 and Z4 are the only true 54 TV Specials, even though the only difference was a quarter date code and a different case.

I guess what I'm really asking is, if in 1954 they were making the 40's style SS AND the 50's style Flare Tip SS, and there is no difference between the 54 TV Special and any other 40's style SS - How could the TV Special be considered a re-release of the 40's style.

luvmysuper said:

I guess what I'm really asking is, if in 1954 they were making the 40's style SS AND the 50's style Flare Tip SS, and there is no difference between the 54 TV Special and any other 40's style SS - How could the TV Special be considered a re-release of the 40's style.

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The 40's style was made in the first quarter of 1954, then discontinued in the second quarter, and finally "re-released" in the third and fourth quarters.

I'm 99.9% sure that there is no such animal as a 40's style SS with a Z2 date code -- only flare tips.

razor_n_blade said:

The 40's style was made in the first quarter of 1954, then discontinued in the second quarter, and finally "re-released" in the third and fourth quarters.

I'm 99.9% sure that there is no such animal as a 40's style SS with a Z2 date code -- only flare tips.

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I believe sir, that you are correct.

I see plenty of Z1 40's style, but not Z2.

razor_n_blade said:

The 40's style was made in the first quarter of 1954, then discontinued in the second quarter, and finally "re-released" in the third and fourth quarters.

I'm 99.9% sure that there is no such animal as a 40's style SS with a Z2 date code -- only flare tips.

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Welcome aboard, r_n_b! I been following your eBay aquctions. Nice stuff!

And yes, this is dead on. I have never heard of a Z-2 40's style either. I have made a conscious effort to track one down, not expecting to find one, and have come up empty.