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Filarmonica boxes and scales

I am thinking of jumping down the Filarmonica rabbit hole...
There is an excellent thread on these razors with a particularly
good post on dating them (#25) which I am sure that many
of you are familiar with:

Fili love what makes it so good

However, I am more of a visual person and would appreciate it if
some of the Filly aficionados could post some examples of each
generation. In particular, I am interested in the boxes and scales.

I realize that there are are photos out there but the pics are scattered
about and a little difficult organize in my head. This Tanifuji fan wants
to learn some Spanish...please educate me.
 
My NOS Filarmonica and box look like this. Sorry, I don't know which generation this is.

jmp.jpg
 
Here are my Fili’s:

I tried to take a photo with them all so you can compare some of the stamps.

Top two 14’s are Sub Cero’s. Second from the top may be a first generation as it doesn’t have the “Made in Spain” stamp on the back, and the size of the 14 is bigger than the rest. I find them the best shavers, but saying that, they all shave better than any of my other razors.
Third one is what most would consider bog-standard second generation Doble Temple.

Two 13’s both second generation.
First one is part of the limited edition etchings of which six different themed etchings were made. Medallon Taurino. My nicest one, probably NOS but not pristine.
Second one 13 Doble Temple.

Think the most important thing to remember is to not buy anything that doesn’t have the Jose Monserrat Pou name on it.

That’s third generation and may be unreliable quality.

As far as boxes go, most are in a poor condition and not a reliable indication of generation or age, as they can be swopped around.

FE7F7A2C-D349-48B6-BB23-3DAA73A18A43.jpeg

7CDEBF83-9796-44CC-8469-D627D4C43C47.jpeg
 
Here is a distillation/simplification of the different generations as per @wrl's legendary post:

Generation" Jose Monserrat Pou" on
Tang
Model on TangNotes
1YesNoBuy.
2YesYesBuy.
3 and 4NoDo not focus on this.Buyer beware.

Please reply about mistakes/enhancements.
 
Here is a distillation/simplification of the different generations as per @wrl's legendary post:

Generation" Jose Monserrat Pou" on
Tang
Model on TangNotes
1YesNoBuy.
2YesYesBuy.
3 and 4NoDo not focus on this.Buyer beware.

Please reply about mistakes/enhancements.
This is quite useful. I would still like to see examples of each generation in terms of scales and boxes.
For example, some scales have flat metallic text, while others have a raised design features. I have
seen white boxes, orange boxes, clear boxes and green boxes. It is all a mystery in terms of which boxes and
which scales match each of the generations.
 
This is quite useful. I would still like to see examples of each generation in terms of scales and boxes.
For example, some scales have flat metallic text, while others have a raised design features. I have
seen white boxes, orange boxes, clear boxes and green boxes. It is all a mystery in terms of which boxes and
which scales match each of the generations.

I am not a fan of the scales, but I have grown to tolerate them. That's how they were made and I accept it.

If you are looking for shaving quality, anything that says Jose Monserrat Pou on the tang and no rust on the edge will do.

If you are looking for a showpiece any pristine Filarmonica will do. Expect to pay a lot for it.

If you are buying with the aim of reselling you have to be an expert and know the market. :c9:

For me it's about the shave and I don't mind when a razor shows it's age. I just clean it and get rid of any active rust, hone and shave. As long as it is functional, I will leave it as it is.

Fili's have never disappointed me, so far.
 
Perhaps, you have misunderstood me. I have no intrinsic interest in the aesthetics of the scales.
But rather my focus is in identifying the generation of each Filaharmonica razor by the design of
the scales. I would prefer to buy 1st or second generation Filaharmonica and thought that one
could identify the generations of these razors based on the scales and boxes.

Maybe, this is a fool's errand...
 
Maybe, this is a fool's errand...

Not at all!

It looks like they came in many guises, but as far as my experience go, they're all very good, as long as you avoid the obvious issues related to any vintage razor.

It's always wise to gather as much information as you can about something you are interested in.
 
I agree that you should make sure the Jose Monserrat Pou name is on the tang. I have heard that after he passed, the quality was not the same. But as far as buying specific generations, I think you have to deal with what is being offered, as opposed to selecting off a shelf. In the past, there have been some very reasonable NOS (New Old Stock) offered in pristine condition with perfect boxes. By reasonable, I mean in the $250 to $300 range. I was lucky to snag one out of Argentina. But I have not seen those in quite a while. I now see Filarmonicas in used condition for higher prices. As some have said here, acquiring the razor you want requires two things: searching and time!
 
Perhaps, you have misunderstood me. I have no intrinsic interest in the aesthetics of the scales.
But rather my focus is in identifying the generation of each Filaharmonica razor by the design of
the scales. I would prefer to buy 1st or second generation Filaharmonica and thought that one
could identify the generations of these razors based on the scales and boxes.

Maybe, this is a fool's errand...

This is not a fool's errand, but I would recommend that you focus your attention on the front of the tangs, not on the scales and boxes.
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
^^^ This.

Here’s the quick guide:

Curved tang lettering, Gen 1
JMP on blade graphics, earlier Gen 1
Straight tang lettering Gen 2 or later
No Jose Monserrat Pou Gen 4
No ‘Made in …’ on pile side, pre-1952/1955 (veries from source to source).

wrl’s post in the Filly love thread contains this information, and about all anyone else can do is reiterate all or parts of this excellent post, as I’ve done here.

If you’re not collecting, just make sure Jose Monserrat Pou is stamped on the tang and it’s in good condition.
 
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