Difference in Fatboy prices???

[Badge1]

I notice very different selling prices for Fatboys on eBay. For example the first example of a 1959 Fatboy sold for £112 with freepost within UK, has a nice box with it and has been re-plated in nickel.

Gillette Fatboy 1959 E4 replated in nickel full working order. Piece of history. | eBay

Gillette Fatboy 1959 E4 replated in nickel full working order. Piece of history.. Condition is Used. Dispatched with Royal Mail 1st Class.

www.ebay.co.uk

Second 1959 Fatboy has not been re-plated and has no box, still has UK freepost. Sold for £116. It does have good photos.

Vintage Gillette Fatboy Adjustable Safety Razor 1959 | eBay

E2 1959 Gillette Fatboy Safety Razor.

www.ebay.co.uk

This would appear to suggest it's not worth of having a Fatboy re-plated just prior to selling as you won't get your money back.

Here's a third 1959 example which seems similar to the second example, but sold for the equivalent of just £26.24. The photos are not as good.

Gillette Fat Boy Red Line Safety Razor E-4 1959 | eBay

Gillette Fat Boy Red Line Safety Razor E-4 1959.

www.ebay.co.uk

The fact that the second sold for four times that of the second, is this primarily down to the photos or is something about these razors which I'm not taking into account?

 

[azwetshaver]

You rarely get your money back for replating a nice razor. Sometimes it lowers the value. Of course this depends on the initial cost of the razor and its desirability.

Both of those prices seemed high for a Fatboy. Perhaps it's the UK market. A nice Fatboy will run you about $60. Some fetch $100+, but those are mint razors with original cases.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

The UK prices for the Fatboy have gone crazy recently. I bought an unboxed example around two years ago for £50, and also a Slim for £40. I never used them as I prefer three piece, non TTO, razors and so I sold them this year and got over £100 for the Fatboy and £100 for the Slim. It is silly money, they are not even rare, there are dozens available on the bay at any time. They are unremarkable razors in my opinion, in fact to my mind the Fatboy is a clumsy and unwieldy sledgehammer; the Slim is far better. It is a classic case of YMMV because many people love them, that is the beauty of this great hobby - there is something for everyone.

 

[sakaltras]

Prices at Ebay strongly depend on how many potential buyers really realize that there is an auction with a nice Fatboy. Often vintage razors are sold under names noone would type in the search bar. Also pics are taken without cleaning. If you know what to look for (e.g. no green spots on a razors which means plate loss) you can buy nice Fatboys even for $20.

 

[ponykilr]

I found when I was looking that a nice FB with no plate loss was in the $80-100 range.

I found a really good one here on the board.

 

[Squancher79]

wowsers, surely this market is peaking and time to offload one's extras

I have paid to replate in my life but I would not do so thinking that money's coming back to me if we parted wasy
you can still get fbs all alone w/o plating loss but in good condition for about $40-50 on the bay if you check it often

can distinctly remember a bucket full of them at a flea market early 2000s, marked $5/ea., and rare a taker

 

[JimmyCB]

I bought for $70 recently at a eBay auction a 1961 Fatboy - good shape, minor plating loss. Maybe I overpaid a bit, but I had dealt with the seller before and found him very reliable and accurate about condition. Earlier in the same week, I lost out on an auction of a 1904 Double Ring in an original case. The case was in very good condition. The razor had a missing end tooth, but was otherwise in good condition. I dropped out when the bidding got over $180. That was more than I wanted to pay for a razor which I couldn't place in my regular rotation. After that, I went for the Fatboy, which is my first adjustable. Prices at auctions illustrate supply and demand. Sometimes, there are bidders who will pay almost any price and other times, there are few bidders.

 

[ackvil]

Original equipment always results in better prices be it antique cars, razors, guns, etc.

 

[Korn8]

Big fan of using the old stuff that is in very good to excellent condition. Not a collector that's for sure.

I also have no sealed bottles of scotch.

 

[preidy]

Years ago early on during my initial collection phase I just had to have the ole "195". I paid dearly for it. It was probably one of the first ten razors I procured. I was slightly disappointed with the shave based on all the rave reviews (at the time). I guess I was expecting an orgasmic shave event. Don't get me wrong the FB gave (gives) a very good shave, but. I still have her and she is still one of the neatest/classic razor sets I own. Once and a while I pull her out for a quick spin. It's been a few years - maybe tomorrow.

 

[Atlantic59]

Skip the FB, get a Slim or Black Beauty, would be my advice. No need to pay for a particular item people are bidding the prices up on just to get a nice shaving razor.

 

[Medivh]

Those who were lucky to find them in pristine or very good condition 10+ years ago when most shaving forums didn't exist and people didn't hype them and their prices were low got the real deal. Even the most beaten up fatboys are going for no less than 50$ while there are many other vintage Gillette razors that can be found in much better condition for around 50$ or even less. Red tips and fatboys for me are the most overpriced and overhyped Gillette razors for no real reason.


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