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Brit Aristocrat - mismatched set or...?

Gents, I just won what seems to be a nice #15/#21 Aristocrat coupled (if you follow mr. Razor) with a mismatched #22 case?

However these two pieces are both late 1940s, and as they are both in quite fine condition - and we know that UK Gillettes of that time sometimes came in the strangest combinations - maybe this could actually be a correct set? It comes out of Sweden.

What say the experts?

Thanks!
Peter

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I have a razor that came in a case just like that....it has a flat base plate marked 430030....and the TTO area looked different. It's a spitting image of the razor that appears in the #16 set. Remarkable razor. I was lucky to get a pristine one from a guy who found it in his dad's belongings. Provides probably the smoothest and most efficient shave among aristocrats that bear the 430030 stamp.
 
I have a razor that came in a case just like that....it has a flat base plate marked 430030....and the TTO area looked different. It's a spitting image of the razor that appears in the #16 set. Remarkable razor. I was lucky to get a pristine one from a guy who found it in his dad's belongings. Provides probably the smoothest and most efficient shave among aristocrats that bear the 430030 stamp.

Sounds like a 3rd generation Aristocrat you have then. Which is correct also with the production time. If so I have one of these too - and I completely agree with your evaluation of its great capabilities :001_tt1:
 
looks like a 2nd generation Aristocrat, known from the #21 set in a #22 case, that comes with a thirth and fourth generation Aristocrat. I´ve never seen your razor in a #22 case.
 
Ive got a #21 and a #15 SB sitting side by side and it's darn near impossible to tell them apart.
Right from the start, I put a small post-it strip on the shelf to remind me which is which
 
Thanks guys, thought as much. Great overview table, Andon, that was new to me.

I mainly wanted the razor as I am a shaver, not collector. Still, the case seems in great shape and the full set was ok priced - and I may be able to match the case at a later stage with the correct razor.

I am on a Brit early Aristocrat binge at the moment :blush:
This craze I actually owe to Chris Evatt who introduced me to red Personna blades. Thanks to these I am able to use what (earlier) was too aggressive razors for me.
 
Ive got a #21 and a #15 SB sitting side by side and it's darn near impossible to tell them apart.
Right from the start, I put a small post-it strip on the shelf to remind me which is which
Let me make clear #15 and #21 are sets and not razors.
Both sets come with 2nd gen. aristocrat.
Here is more from the source: British Gillettes
 
R

romsitsa

Hello Peter,

very nice set. The 2nd gen No 15/21 co-existed with the 3rd gen No. 16/22 in 1949. Both the 2nd and 3rd gens are called one piece razors (heavily plated, Aristocrat), seemingly Gillette rationalised the head design but didn’t look at it as a new model.

It’s 50-50 that it’s a matching set, I see no hard evidence for or against it.

Some No 21 cases have 3rd gen razors (there is at least one 4th gen) and then there are the “no name” gold No 21 cases with gold plated 3rd gen Aristocrats.

Adam
 
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Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Thanks guys, thought as much. Great overview table, Andon, that was new to me.

I mainly wanted the razor as I am a shaver, not collector. Still, the case seems in great shape and the full set was ok priced - and I may be able to match the case at a later stage with the correct razor.

I am on a Brit early Aristocrat binge at the moment :blush:
This craze I actually owe to Chris Evatt who introduced me to red Personna blades. Thanks to these I am able to use what (earlier) was too aggressive razors for me.
I hate to break the news to you, Peter ... but you’re becoming quite a ‘collector’! And I agree with you about the red Personnas ... soooo smooth. As for whether this is a mismatch or not, I say ‘who cares?’. Just enjoy it, my friend. I eagerly await pictures of your next British acquisition — the #15 open comb, right?!
 
Hello Peter,

very nice set. The 2nd gen No 15/21 co-existed with the 3rd gen No. 16/22 in 1949. Both the 2nd and 3rd gens are called one piece razors (heavily plated, Aristocrat), seemingly Gillette rationalised the head design but didn’t look at it as a new model.

It’s 50-50 that it’s a matching set, I see no hard evidence for or against it.

Some No 21 cases have 3rd gen razors (there is at least one 4th gen) and then there are the “no name” gold No 21 cases with gold plated 3rd gen Aristocrats.

Adam

Thanks Adam, great info as always! - Well, it is not too important to me anyway but in years these two parts are indeed very close, if not overlapping. That's what made me curious.

I hate to break the news to you, Peter ... but you’re becoming quite a ‘collector’! And I agree with you about the red Personnas ... soooo smooth. As for whether this is a mismatch or not, I say ‘who cares?’. Just enjoy it, my friend. I eagerly await pictures of your next British acquisition — the #15 open comb, right?!

Haha - Thanks, Dan! - And I know, this is too addictive. That's also why I am selling off other razors right now. And honestly I am considering joining your sabbatical for the rest of the year. Because I have not only one but two(!) open comb crats incoming... So it seems now like a true addiction that I need to put on 'pause', haha :blush:

Nice razor Peter, congratulations. Miss match or not great score. :a14::a14::a14:

Thanks a lot Andrew! - Appreciate your kind words, sir!
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Thanks Adam, great info as always! - Well, it is not too important to me anyway but in years these two parts are indeed very close, if not overlapping. That's what made me curious.



Haha - Thanks, Dan! - And I know, this is too addictive. That's also why I am selling off other razors right now. And honestly I am considering joining your sabbatical for the rest of the year. Because I have not only one but two(!) open comb crats incoming... So it seems now like a true addiction that I need to put on 'pause', haha :blush:



Thanks a lot Andrew! - Appreciate your kind words, sir!
Peter — a $12 Fatboy knocked me out of the Sabbatical.
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I saw that one at Tradera but to my knowledge its a mismatch. Second generation razor and fourth generation case. But UK Gillettes are quite a mystery so how knows, right? Anyhow a nice set you won. Congratulations!
 
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