I've got an Old type ball end. I've seen references to the ball end "Brownie." Just what makes a "Brownie"?
I'm confused (which happens often).
Thanks.
Hugh
I'm confused (which happens often).
Thanks.
Hugh
Thanks! I've been spending lots of time looking at old forum posts and at the Wiki - so many of the old photos are no longer there - and there are references to the old catalogs in wiki but I can't seem to find them.You're not confused at all, Hugh. A Brownie is a set name. Gillette would use the same razor in multiple sets with fancier cases and more accessories at different price points. There are Bostonian, Big Boy, Red and Black, just to name a few.
Look back at the old ads and you will see what I mean.
Also see Mr. Razor's site here for lots of good dope. It is very helpful for a newbie. It certainly was for me: mr-razor
Thanks! It's all becoming clearer, now. Being a "user" and not a real "collector" I couldn't care less about having a case or not; but, the names confused me. Now, I'm unconfused. Thanks!
Maybe the marketing folks should have called the model after the "New Improved" the "Even More Improved" ha! Somehow I doubt they were thinking of me 80+ years down the road.It gets worse. The old was followed by the New improved. The New improved was followed by the New. Clear as mud, I say
I beg to differ with the notion that Brownies were special sets.
According to Gillette historian Russell Adams, the term "Brownie" was used by Gillette to refer to ALL the Old Type razors that were sold after the New Improved came out in 1921. These were the Old Types that were no longer protected by the 1904 patent, which Gillette sold for $1 apiece after introducing the New Improved for $5. Brilliant move to head off the impending flood of generic "Old Type" clones. If Adams is correct, all Old Types produced from 1921 on are Brownies. They were "sets" only in that you got blades with the razor. There were upscale versions sold with nice boxes that said, "Brownie", but most were just a razor and blades for $1. And Gillette referred to all of them as Brownies.
BTW, according to Adams, in the first two months of the New Improved's availability, Gillette sold 500,000 of the New Improved and a whopping 3 million Brownies. And the Brownie continued to be Gillette's volume leader throughout the 1920's.
Toby - Thanks for muddying up the water. Clearly, this isn't a cut and dried issue. To satisfy myself I'm going to dig into the old ads and Mr. Razor site and anything else I can find. I'm a user and not a collector so it's not like I'm labeling razors for a museum. But, being a history guy I do want to know what I'm dragging across my face. Thanks very much for your input. You're the King of the Olds, for sure. hmmmm....that doesn't really sound like a compliment; but it is."The Old Type continues as "Brownie" and various other sets, but without serial numbers."
US Gillette Dating Information
If it's in it's original case, and the case says BROWNIE on the inside of the lid, then that's what it is. Otherwise you just have an OLD type. The name OLD type didn't exist until the New Improved was introduced, before that it was just a Gillette razor.